Black Canyon Confirms Scale Potential of Wandanya Project with High-Grade Manganese Hits
Black Canyon (ASX: BCA) has further confirmed “unique” shallow stratabound manganese mineralisation potential with new results from a Phase 2 RC drilling program at its Wandanya project in Western Australia.
Results from drill lines completed along 2 kilometres of strike identified widths ranging between 160m and 450m, with mineralisation remaining open to the north and east on multiple drill lines.
Reverse circulation drilling has also defined iron mineralisation along the western boundary over 800m of strike with two cross strike drill lines 350m apart, extending the iron mineralisation 170m to 320m to the east.
Highest-Grade Results
Managing director Brendan Cummins said that the new drill results represent some of the thickest and highest-grade manganese intersections Black Canyon has drilled at Wandanya.
“The company has made rapid progress on drilling and understanding the significance of the manganese discovery, which continues to be predictable in terms of grade and thickness over at least 2km of strike and hundreds of metres across strike.”
He went on to explain that the company considered the new iron results a substantive bonus to the project.
“We recognise the longer-term value lies with manganese, which is typically two to three times the value of iron, but with these […] grades encountered at or close to surface and located up-dip from the manganese mineralisation, there is an option to examine a low capex direct shipping ore start-up leading to the manganese development.”
Phase 3 Drilling Targets
Black Canyon will further investigate that option as part of its current 3,500m Phase 3 drill program, along with further examination of visual confirmation of further manganese and iron mineralisation to the north.
It expects to complete this program by the end of August and have the results sometime around mid-October.
The company has also planned a diamond drill program during the northern wet season to collect iron and manganese core material for metallurgical test work.
“Clearly further cross strike drilling is required to understand the grade distribution of the iron enrichment with only two widely spaced drill lines effectively testing the cross-strike extent—we look forward to the continued exploration of the iron horizon and what it can deliver,” Mr Cummins added.