Black Canyon (ASX:BCA) defines new manganese targets, announces HPMSM variability study - Kalkine Media

Highlights:

• Black Canyon Limited (ASX:BCA) has defined new, high-potential manganese targets from mapping, geochemical prospecting and target ranking.
• The company generated multiple targets showing grade and/or scale potential.
• BCA is looking forward to drill the high priority targets in the June quarter.
• At Balfour South (100% BCA), well mineralised horizons of undrilled manganese enriched shale has been traced with rock chip samples varying between 22% and 35% manganese.
• At Pickering (100% BCA), 10km strike of outcropping undrilled manganese enriched shale with multiple rock chip samples returning between 12% and 19% manganese has been identified.
• BCA is also progressing with a variability study evaluating the amenability of various manganese oxide mineralisation styles to High Purity Manganese Sulphate Monohydrate (HPMSM) processing.

Black Canyon Limited (ASX: BCA), an Australia-based manganese explorer, has shared an update on exploration activities and an additional HPMSM study on its tenement portfolio. 

According to the company, it has taken advantage of the field break to work up a number of new, high-potential manganese targets during the wet season. With the compilation of field mapping and geochemical data, the company has generated multiple targets showing grade and/or scale potential.

Image source: BCA update 

Manganese-enriched shale defined at Balfour South

Mineralisation at the Balfour South deposit occurs as primary manganiferous shales with supergene enrichment of the shales present near surface. The company has evaluated the strike extents of the deposit to the west and east of the mining lease where the prospective manganese enriched-shale horizon is interpreted to trend under thin cover.

Around 1500m of strike extent is interpreted under cover to the west, whilst to the southeast several kilometres of potential strike has been interpreted based on intermittently outcropping manganese mineralisation and extrapolation to the adjacent stratigraphy.

During the mapping phase, Black Canyon collected surface rock chip samples. The elevated manganese grades at surface are typical and related to the supergene enrichment process similar to those reflected at Flanagan Bore.

Calcareous manganese-enriched shale defined at Pickering

At Pickering, Black Canyon collected several rock chip samples during the mapping phase. Aspects of the Pickering target are similar to that of Flanagan Bore considering surface mineralisation, scale, and widespread manganese scree haloes that boost the confidence of finding potentially significant zones of mineralisation at similar grade ranges to that of the rock chip samples.

Targets identified across other tenements

Several smaller footprint, higher-grade targets have also been examined from Davis Creek (E46/1382 BCA100%) and Hurricane (E46/1394 BCA 100%). The targets were mapped as either manganese enriched shale, hybrid hydrothermal/sediment enrichment typically associated with the Balfour Shale or hydrothermal contact mineralisation between the Carawine Dolomite and the overlying Pinjian Chert.

The outcrops varying from 200m to 500m across strike typically forming multiple lenses, mounds or linear fault related zones of manganese.

Samples were collected by BCA during the mapping phase. There has been no historic drilling into the Davis Creek targets. Assessment is in progress for a first pass drill program to check grade and depth of mineralisation.

Data and image source: company update 

HPMSM Variability Study

BCA is initiating a variability sampling program across the mentioned targets to check the amenability of manganese oxide sources producing High Purity Manganese Sulphate Monohydrate (HPMSM) suitable for the battery manufacturing sector.  

Under the planned HPMSM Scoping Study, BCA will analyse sourcing manganese oxide feedstocks from its project sites in the Eastern Pilbara, aimed at securing supply for a number of decades. According to the company, it may further bring in the opportunity for setting up a low CAPEX, small mining facility. The company believes that approvals for the facility can be sought relatively faster, thereby potentially decreasing time durations required for supplying manganese oxide feedstock to a downstream HPMSM facility.  

Management commentary

Data source: Company update

BCA shares last traded at AU$0.24 on 13 February 2023.