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Australian manganese explorer and developer, Black Canyon Limited (Black Canyon or the Company) (ASX: BCA) is pleased to announce the results from benchtop scale beneficiation testwork completed on composite reverse circulation (RC) drill chip samples from the W2 prospect at the Wandanya Project1. The testwork demonstrates substantial uplifts from composite feed grades of 21.2% Mn and 41.5% Mn to concentrate grades well above the premium 44% Mn oxide benchmark grade for both the moderate and higher-grade feed samples. The laboratory testwork used HLS techniques as a proxy for widely used, industry based dense media separation (DMS).
- Positive results received from initial beneficiation (Heavy Liquid Separation - HLS) provide confidence that a high-grade manganese oxide concentrate can be readily produced from Wandanya using a simple density-based technique.
- Significant manganese upgrades, on average, well above the premium 44% Mn oxide benchmark achieved:
- WD01MG composite upgraded from a raw feed grade of 21.2% Mn to grades between 44% to 4G% Mn (depending on HLS applied SG and size fraction)
- WD02HG composite upgraded from a raw feed grade of 41.5% Mn to grades between 51% to 53% Mn (depending on HLS applied SG and size fraction)
- Overall concentrate grades range between 50% and 48% Mn achieved with 68% to 76% recoveries respectively when combining the moderate and higher-grade composites results.
- Low deleterious elements such as iron, aluminium and phosphorus from the head grade feedstock and upgraded concentrate element analysis results.
- The Wandanya discovery represents a new exploration model on the eastern margin of the Oakover Basin comprising hydrothermal, stratabound manganese and iron. The Company has only drill tested 240m of the 3km W2 target strike and is looking forward to further drilling these high-grade manganese and iron outcrops2C3.
The initial sighter level metallurgical tests provide a positive insight to the beneficiation characteristics of the manganese mineralisation discovered at Wandanya using feed grades similar to those at Woodie Woodie that routinely use DMS as part of its ore processing circuit.
Black Canyon’s Managing Director Brendan Cummins said:
“Completing this early stage metallurgical testwork and generating a high grade, low impurity concentrate, in excess of the premium 44% Mn oxide benchmark, has been a great achievement and start to 2025. The style of high-grade hydrothermal manganese mineralisation we have discovered at Wandanya lends itself to the application of density-based beneficiation techniques with manganese minerals being denser than the less dense dolomite host rocks. The testwork confirmed our expectation that the mineralisation would beneficiate in a similar manner to the hydrothermal ores processed at Woodie Woodie and demonstrates the potential to produce a high quality manganese concentrate for the silico and ferro alloying industry and as feedstock for high purity manganese sulphate (HPMSM).”
“We continue to learn more about the W2 manganese prospect with these additional layers of analysis and we are quickly building a greater understanding of the prospect’s potential. My main conclusion to date has been the simplicity of the geology, with shallow high-grade mineralisation and now we have demonstrated how readily the manganese can be upgraded using a simple and established density-based process. Our immediate focus is to complete a Heritage Survey and then further drilling down dip and along strike so we can understand the full scale and significance of the discovery.”
“We have only drill tested 240m of strike or less than 10% of the 3km long manganese target based on mapping and rock chip sampling2. This is why we are very keen, following the west season, to get the rig back to site as soon as possible and test not only the manganese targets but also the recently announced high-grade iron mineralisation we have mapped over 2km adjacent to the manganse3.”
Figure 1. W2 Prospect, RC drill bags from WDRC031 in the foreground
W2 Prospect, Wandanya (BCA 100%)
Heavy Liquid Separation Testwork
Testwork samples were selected from about 110kg of RC drill chip samples collected from the W2 drilling program completed in September 20241. Whilst diamond core would be preferable to RC drill chips, for this early-stage sighter level beneficiation testwork, the processing of RC chips does provide initial concentrate grade and recovery data that can be applied to more detailed diamond core based testwork when available.
To facilitate representative examples of mineralisation, the drill chip samples were collected from six holes, with two holes each from a northern, central and southern drill line along 240m of drilled strike. A moderate and high composite grade of 20% Mn and 40% Mn was targeted based on the average intersection around 30% Mn with reasonably distinct moderate grades in an upper zone and higher grades closer to the footwall. The mineralised intervals were all intersected from less than 10m depth. All the samples were crushed to -10mm and then combined as required to produce a moderate (WD01MG) and higher (WD02HG) grade composite.
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Nimy Secures Drilling Contractor for Imminent Program at WA Gallium Discovery
The drilling is aimed at growing the extent of the known mineralisation over a further 400m strike length while also infilling the established mineralised area.
Nimy aims to complete a maiden JORC resource on Block 3 as soon as possible following completion of this program.
The resource will in turn assist the Company with its strategy to advance its collaboration agreement with US minerals specialist M2i Global.
The drilling will be funded by the proceeds of Nimy’s recently-completed share placement (see ASX release dated February 26, 2025).
M2i specialises in the development and execution of a complete global value supply chain for critical minerals for the US Government and US free trade partners.
Samples from the upcoming drilling will be used for metallurgical test work, including technical studies to test gallium extraction methods.
Nimy Managing Director Luke Hampson said:
"Block 3 is clearly a significant high-grade discovery with mineralisation already outlined over a substantial area.
“We have tested only a small portion of the highly prospective strike length, which gives us every reason to believe we stand to grow the size of the discovery.
“Gallium is a critical metal used in many cutting-edge technologies, including top- level military applications.
“Given that China supplies virtually all the world’s gallium and recently imposed restrictions on it, there is a huge opportunity for Nimy to play a role as a provider to the western world”.
Why the focus on Gallium?:
- Nimy Resources has, to our knowledge the highest grade non-aligned gallium project in the Western World;
- China has for the foreseeable future stopped the export of gallium to the US;
- Nimy is working with US minerals specialist M2i Global with the objective of providing a sustainable supply of gallium to the US government and Defense Industrial Base in support of the Department of Defense;
- Gallium has a rapidly evolving focus on the world stage, with exponential growth in the usage of: Semiconductors; 5G Technology; Power Charging; Green Technologies; Telecommunications; Medical Uses; Radar and Military Applications
- US and European Defence company stock prices have risen sharply amid growing calls for Europe to re-build its military capability;
- The US governments strategy to slash spending on Ukraine's defence has led European Governments to prepare for big increases in military spending;
- Estimates of the coming military spending boom extend into hundreds of billions of dollars;
- Europe will need to secure substantial supplies of critical metals in markets currently controlled by China;
- Australian gallium could be expected to be in strong demand as European military expenditure grows;
- Gallium prices are expected to follow demand with some projections for compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 24.3% (*Source: researchandmarkets.com - Gallium Global Market Report 2024 – January 2024).
Figure 1: Total Projected Gallium market size (in USD Billion)*source: researchandmarkets.com (Gallium Global Market Report 2024 - January 2024)
Table 1: Total World Production 2024source: https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2025/mcs2025-...
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This article includes content from Nimy Resources, 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.
Karonga Prospecting Licence Granted
Located in northern Malawi, the licence covers an area of approximately 36km2 and has the potential for copper mineralisation, as confirmed from preliminary reconnaissance/surveillance work undertaken by DY6’s in country technical team.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Karonga Prospecting Licence has been granted over a recently identified high potential Copper (Cu) mineralisation anomalous area in the Karonga district.
- The licence grants to DY6 the exclusive right to prospect for copper, rare earth elements, lithium and other minerals for a term of 3 years with an option to renew the licence for a period not exceeding 2 years.
- Preliminary reconnaissance/ surveillance sampling work on the licence area revealed occurrence of elevated Cu grades, with initial portable XRF results ranging from 1.4 to 7.8% Cu in rock (refer Table 1). Results are to be verified using standard laboratory-based XRF analytical assaying methods*.
- DY6 has recently acquired and completed reprocessing of historic hyperspectral survey data, which has been used to map areas with high probability for copper mineralisation. The results from this exercise correlate well to the mineralisation identified in the sampling work.
- Historic anomalies from regional airborne geophysical radiometric and magnetic data appear to correlate with both the hyperspectral probability copper mineralisation mapping and the preliminary sampling reconnaissance work conducted.
- Exploration for Cu and other minerals will continue on the licence area.
* Cautionary Statement on pXRF – pXRF (Portable X-Ray Fluorescence) results that are announced in this report are from uncrushed, rock-chip samples and are preliminary only. The use of pXRF is an indication only of the order of magnitude of expected final assay results.
Figure 1. Location map of newly granted Karonga licence
The Project is located about 440km north of the capital Lilongwe Figure 1. It can easily be accessed using Karonga-Chitipa M1 Road turning to the west at Kasikisi School signpost along the M1 Road (Figure 2).
Figure 2. Topographical map of the Karonga licence EL0782/24
Geology and Mineralisation
The Karonga area is associated with a series of NW-SE and N-S trending ridges with metamorphic Basement complex rocks commonly identified as windows within the Karroo System which overlies the basement. The Karroo System units are typically sandstones with carbonaceous shale formations.
The eastern part of the licence area is overlain by several patches of Karoo sediments and Cretaceous to recent lacustrine sediments, the interrelations of which are complex due to unconformities and faulting (Figure 3A). This area is part of the northern sub-province of the Malawi Province of the Mozambique belt, active between about 700-400 million years ago. The major lithological components are gneisses and intrusives of the Misuku Belt, representing the south-eastern extension of the Ubendian Mobile Belt of south-western Tanzania into Malawi.
On a more local scale, the licence area is comprised of a suite of quartzite rocks, pegmatitic rocks and amphibole gneisses that intrude into the basement gneissic rocks forming the wall rock of the project area. The lithologies have a general NW-SE trend and are dipping west / south-west at very steep angles ranging from 600 to 850.
The presence of base metals and other related metal mineralisation is evident in the pegmatitic rocks and quartz zone (quartzite) group. The quartzite unit have clear malachite and azurite coexisting with sulphides minerals indicating the presence of copper and other base metals.
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Firebird Granted Mining Lease for Oakover Manganese Project
HIGHLIGHTS
- Firebird has been granted Mining Lease ML 52/1086 for the Oakover Manganese Project
- Receipt of the Mining Lease is conditional on the Company’s development of a mining proposal, requiring approval from the Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DEMIRS)
- Environmental surveys and mining studies supporting the mining proposal are progressing
- The Mining Lease covers a large area of 3,429.8 ha, including the Sixty Sixer, Jay Eye and Karen Pits, as well as proposed processing plant, tailings storage and waste dump
- Oakover is a large, near surface, gently dipping manganese project, with a Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) of 176.7 Mt at 9.9% Mn including an Indicated Resource of 105.8 Mt at 10.1% Mn1
- Oakover forms part of Firebird’s long-term vertical integration strategy to grow into a low-cost manganese-based cathode material business, leveraging its world-class team, unique processes and technology and its own mineral resources
- The successful development of Oakover will ultimately provide Firebird with a 100% owned and secure feedstock supply for its manganese sulphate processing reinforcing its strong and competitive position in the battery materials market.
Firebird Managing Director, Mr Peter Allen, commented:“The granting of Mining Lease 52/1086 is a significant milestone for Firebird and the Oakover Project, marking an important step in our long- term downstream processing and vertical integration strategy.
“Oakover is a large and near-surface manganese project with robust economics and an 18-year Life-of- Mine. Our vision is to become a global leader in the manganese industry by seamlessly integrating our mining operations and innovative downstream processing solutions, to support the advancement of the Li-ion and Na-ion battery sectors. The location of our proposed manganese sulphate plant in China, places us at the forefront of this market and with the integration of Oakover will allow us to maintain a competitive advantage by ensuring a 100% owned and secure supply of high-quality manganese feedstock.
“Securing this lease brings us closer to that goal, providing a foundation for out stage two, low-cost manganese-based cathode material operations which is underpinned by the successful development of Oakover.”
Figure 1: Oakover Project location
The granted Mining Lease is conditional on receiving approval from the Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DEMIRS) for a mining proposal.
The Company’s long-term strategy is to grow into low-cost manganese-based cathode material business, leveraging its world-class team, unique processes and technology and its own mineral resources. The Oakover Project boasts a Mineral Resource Estimate1 of 176.7 Mt at 9.9% Mn, with 105.8 Mt at 10.1% Mn in an Indicated category.
Through the execution of this strategy, Firebird aims to secure a natural cost advantage in LMFP cathode production, particularly by integrating manganese sulphate (MnSO₄) from its proposed production plant in China.
Oakover development programs will remain focussed on completing environmental surveys and reports as well as mining studies to feed into the mining proposal.
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This article includes content from Firebird Metals Limited, 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.
