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Australian manganese explorer and developer, Black Canyon Limited (Black Canyon or the Company) (ASX: BCA) is pleased to announce further assay results yielding thick, shallow manganese enriched shales at the KR1 discovery within the Balfour Mineral Field (BMF), located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Further assay results have been received from the ~7,000m reverse circulation (RC) drilling program completed across six key targets including KR1 within the Balfour Manganese Field.
- Results demonstrate thick manganese enriched shale mineralisation and continue to show scale at KR1, with the following significant intersections:
- KRRC024 3m @ 19.2% Mn from surface
- KRRC025 15m @ 18.6% Mn from 2m, including: 7m @ 26% Mn from 10m
- KRRC027 23m @ 12.2% Mn from 11m, including: 4m @ 18.4% Mn from 12m
- KRRC031 10m @ 15.2% Mn from 15m, including: 4m @ 18% Mn from 15m
- KRRC045 20m @ 11.4% Mn from 9m
- KRRC046 22m @ 12.2% Mn from 1m, including: 3m @ 18% Mn from 1m
- Drill assays confirm the KR1 manganese discovery has a cross strike width of between 200 to 500m and a strike extent of at least 600m and open to the north for a further 1,600m pending assay results.
- Overall geology, grade, and thickness are similar to Flanagan Bore mineralisation where 171Mt @ 10.3% Mn of Mineral Resource has been discovered at the FB3 and LR1 deposits.1
- Further assay results are expected from the other Balfour Manganese Targets over the next two months. The data will then be collated and Mineral Resource and/or Exploration Targets estimated subject to review of the results.
- Leaching testwork extracted 97% Mn from KR1 material2, which is part of the expanded High Purity Manganese Sulphate (HPMSM) variability study. Purification stages have now commenced on the leached KR1 sample.
- The results from KR1 demonstrate that subject to further metallurgical testwork, it could provide suitable feedstocks for manganese oxide concentrate used as alloys in the steel industry as well as downstream production of HPMSM.
The program, completed in July 2023, was designed to drill test six targets across Black Canyon’s 100% owned tenements within the Balfour Manganese Field (Figure 1). These latest assay results continue to demonstrate widespread manganese mineralisation at KR1 with several higher-grade intersections reported from surface or near to surface. All the drill samples are at the laboratory and further assays from the remaining targets are expected over the coming months.
Black Canyon Executive Director, Brendan Cummins, said:
“The continued delivery of wide zones of manganese enriched shale at KR1 has tripled the known strike of the mineralised body to 600m with a further 1,600m of drill results along strike to the northeast still to be received, which could see a material increase in the mineralised footprint. Cross-strike widths are also significant, ranging from 200 to 500m and the latest results have also shown shallow higher-grade intervals ranging between 18% and 26% Mn. In short, we are extremely pleased with the way the KR1 discovery is currently trending.
“The results are confirming our expectations of the mineralisation model and we are confident that KR1 and other key targets across the Balfour Manganese Field will help to build Mineral Resources, based on previous discoveries we have made in the region.”
Figure 1. Location of the main drill targets across the Balfour Manganese Field and manganese shale target horizon (red solid outlines).
KR1 Discovery RC Drill Assay Results
A total of 220 holes for 6,927m of drilling were drilled across six target areas. The program was designed to drill test multiple targets across Black Canyon’s 100% owned tenements within the Balfour Manganese Field. The drill intersections announced in this release represent further assays received from drilling at KR1, with approximately half of the KR1 drillhole results now reported.
At KR1, the Company tested a previously undrilled 2,500m section of outcropping supergene mineralisation using E-W oriented lines, 200m apart with drillholes spaced at 100m or 200m centres.
Widespread manganese mineralisation was encountered with stronger zones of surface manganese enrichment intersected along a 1,500m long ridge. The mineralised zones are between 200 and 500m wide, extending 10m to 25m downhole. The drill data and mapping completed at KR1 have confirmed the mineralised horizon is shallowly dipping to the west and striking to the north-northeast.
Satellite imagery and check mapping has confirmed additional untested manganese enrichment for a further 3,000m to the north combining to an overall strike length of 5,000m. The mineralisation to the south appears to be closed off or possibly displaced by a structure and infilled with dolerite, however this requires additional drilling to resolve.
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This article includes content from Black Canyon, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
BCA:AU
High grade Massive Sulphide Intercepts Confirmed at Oval
HIGHLIGHTS:
- OVD027 confirms the continution of high grade massive sulphide from OVD0211 with an intercept of 6.1 metres of 4.16% Cu, 3.51% Ni, 0.G3g/t E3, and 0.13% Co from G8.2 metres encountered between broader high grade zones of:
- A dense disseminated intercept - 26.2 metres of 0.44% Cu, 0.52% Ni, 0.12g/t E3, and 0.03% Co from 72.0 metres and
- A net textured intercept - 15.3 metres of 1.15% Cu, 0.79% Ni, 0.35g/t E3, and 0.04% Co from 104.3 metres;
- A high grade broad intersection is confirmed at the central part of the Oval area by OVD026. It includes a massive sulphide intercept in hole OVD026 of 1.8 metres of 3.21% Cu, 3.32% Ni, 0.6Gg/t E3, and 0.14% Co from 105.0 metres within broader mineralisation of:
- 19.8 metres of 1.23% Cu, 0.98% Ni, 0.36g/t E3, and 0.05% Co from 91.2 metres.
OVD026 is located 100 metres northwest of the previously announced 8.8 metres of massive sulphide identified in drillhole OVD021.
On completion of the Phase 2 exploration work and receipt of all assays, Managing Director Gan-Ochir Zunduisuren, commented:“The 2024 Phase 1 and 2 drilling and exploration programs have confirmed the broad presence of high-grade mineralisation in the Oval gabbroic intrusion. The grades intercepted in some of the drillholes are exceptional and may be indicative of broader potential over a larger area, given Oval is a greenfields discovery.
The 2025 exploration program will focus on obtaining information on the size/metal content potential of the Oval Cu-Ni-PGE mineral system as well as targeting the possible deeper magmatic sources at Oval. Broader exploration is also planned at potential extensions of Oval and nearby look-a-like prospects. We look forward to updating shareholders on progress, with drilling expected to commence in around 8 weeks”.
Summary of Phase 2 exploration drilling at Oval Cu-Ni-PGE project
The Company’s recent drilling work has predominantly focused on finding high-grade mineralisation in the olivine-amphibole gabbro at the Oval project. The multiple intercepts of massive sulphide mineralisation with different ratios of metal contents throughout the Oval gabbroic intrusion is highly encouraging for the presence of one or more deeper sources of high grade mineralisation in the opinion of ABM.
Figure 1. Plan view of drillhole locations on high resolution magnetics map (RTP)
Drillhole OVD02c
Drillhole OVD026 was designed to test the Down-Hole Electromagnetic (DHEM) conductor plate identified as OVD007_L2_B (reinterpretation of OVD007_L2_A2 by Southern Geoscience Consultants), which exhibits a conductance of 1,000 siemens. The drilling intersected a total of 1G.8 metres of mineralisation with 1.23% Cu, 0.G8% Ni, 0.36g/t E3, and 0.05% Co from G1.2 metres including;
- 4.8 metres of @ 0.45% Cu, 0.43% of Ni, 0.14g/t E3, and 0.02% Co of dense disseminated mineralised gabbro from 91.2 metres,
- 6.6 metres of @ 1.56% Cu, 0.G0% Ni, 0.50g/t E3, and 0.04% Co of net textured mineralisation from G6.0 metres,
- 2.4 metres of @ 1.52% Cu, 1.3G% Ni, 0.43g/t E3, and 0.07% Co of semi massive sulphide mineralisation from 102.6 metres,
- 1.8 metres of @ 3.21% Cu, 3.32% Ni, 0.6Gg/t E3, and 0.14% Co of massive sulphide mineralisation from 105.0 metres, and
- 4.2 metres of @ 0.57% Cu, 0.45% of Ni, 0.21g/t E3, and 0.02% Co of dense disseminated mineralised gabbro from 106.9 metres (Table 1 provides a detailed breakdown of mineralisation intervals).
OVD026 is located in the Oval area, which is approximately 100 metres northwest of the previous intersection identified in drillhole OVD0213. This intercept may represent an extension of the known massive sulphide mineralisation in the Oval area and highlights the potential for further expansion of massive sulphide zones within the broader prospect area (Figures 1 and 3).
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Asian Battery Metals PLC, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
