Black Canyon (ASX:BCA) Q2 update: Flanagan Bore Manganese project makes significant progress

Highlights:

• Black Canyon Limited (ASX:BCA) made progress on various fronts at the Flanagan Bore Manganese project during the December 2022 quarter.
• With the latest drill assays, Mineral Resource Estimate for Flanagan Bore saw a 64% boost to 171Mt @ 10.3% Mn for 18Mt of contained manganese. 
• The quarter saw the successful demonstration of the leachability of manganese oxide ores, delivering a 32.3% Mn content for crystallised high-grade manganese sulphate.
• The company earned a 75% interest in the Carawine JV tenements and applied for mining leases over the Flanagan Bore deposits.
• For the March quarter, the company has outlined multiple activities to support the delivery of a robust manganese mine feasibility study and continue exploration activity.

Black Canyon Limited (ASX: BCA), an Australia-based manganese explorer, recently tabled its December 2022 quarter report, highlighting a slew of developments and significant milestones. 

The company's twin strategy is focused on developing a downstream processing flowsheet for the production of high purity manganese sulphate monohydrate (HPMSM) and for the development of an operation at the Flanagan Bore project for manganese concentrate. HPMSM is for cathode active materials (CAM) used in electric vehicle batteries, while manganese concentrate is required as an alloy for the steel industry.

The quarter witnessed a significant jump in Mineral Resource Estimate for Flanagan Bore, encouraging leaching testwork outcomes, submission of a mining licence application, and BCA earning a 75% interest in the Carawine JV.

Over the next one year, the company intends to direct its endeavours towards supporting exploration across its tenement portfolio, scoping HPMSM development and delivering a robust manganese mine feasibility study.

The company reported AU$2.209 million in cash and nil debt at the quarter end.  

Here’s a glimpse of the company’s major activities during the reported quarter.  

64% increase in Flanagan Bore MRE

Black Canyon released the assay results from its June 2022 infill and resource expansion drill program during the period. Backed by infill drill results, the company reported a 64% increase in the Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) for Flanagan Bore.

Further, referring to the drill data, the company highlighted that manganese grades are strongly continuous downhole and across strike. This in turn has significantly improved the confidence in the estimates underpinning the ‘Measured’ and ‘Indicated’ Mineral Resource classification.

The high-grade mineralisation, encountered from and close to the surface at the FB3 and LR1 deposits, was between 20m and 40m thick. A shallow, high-grade subset of the mineralisation has been delineated across the LR1 and FB3 Mineral Resources. 

The company expects significant value addition owing to access to high-grade manganese Mineral Resources from surface while advancing development and feasibility studies. 

To know more, read here.

Highly promising initial leaching testwork results

The initial leaching testwork with manganese oxide offered 'promising results', achieving up to 91% manganese leach extraction.

With its initial leach and crystallisation testwork, the exploration company plans to produce the high-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate (HPMSM). The Company crystallised high-grade manganese sulphate with a 32.3% Mn content, which is highly comparable to the typical 32.2% Mn content of HPMSM. 

Black Canyon plans to improve conditions to optimise the leaching rate and cut 'reagent consumption' under its second stage testwork program to support a HPMSM scoping study.

Data source: company update

BCA shares traded at AU$0.24 on 7 February 2023.