ChemX Materials has unveiled more high-grade, near-surface manganese in its second batch of assay results from drilling at its South Australian deposit, including a 6m hit grading 18 per cent manganese from just 15m.
The company says it has now received data from 69 holes of its 94-hole Jamieson Tank campaign, which has targeted the high-grade manganese that can be efficiently converted to high-purity manganese – a key component in electric batteries.
Other headline results include a 4m strike running 18 per cent manganese from 27m and another 4m intersection going 20.2 per cent manganese from 27 metres. The latest round of testing produced a further four drill holes with similar results, while assays from the remaining 25 drill holes are pending.
Management has pencilled in a maiden mineral resource estimate by June for its project on SA’s picturesque Eyre Peninsula.
ChemX Materials chief executive officer Mark Tory said: “These second-round results complement the higher grades returned from our first results from the recently completed drilling campaign. The results will integrate to the maiden Mineral Resource estimation, which will be used to support the potential to achieve a beneficiation plant feed of manganese, ultimately destined for the global battery grade manganese market.”
The company’s latest program targeted a 2km strike with infilled drill spacing across the northern edge of Jamieson Tank. The campaign is also being supported by downhole geophysics, which have been wrapped up and will be used to complement the geological interpretation of the deposit.
Last month, ChemX signed a memorandum of understanding with United States-based battery technology company, C4V, to work towards an offtake deal from its high-purity manganese project. The non-binding agreement is based around the potential supply of high-purity product from Jamieson Tank and is a significant step in the company’s plans to become a sustainable and reliable global supplier of battery materials.
In addition to Jamieson Tank, ChemX has identified further prospects at Bunora West, Hodgins, Windyzell, Francis and Polinga.
Manganese has traditionally been used in the production of steel, specialty alloys and aluminium products. However, interest in the metal now centres on its increasing use in the battery market sector, with Tesla and Volkswagen producing a new battery with a higher proportion of manganese and with no cobalt.
In March, the European Union included manganese amongst the 34 raw materials listed on an expanded inventory of the “critical minerals” deemed essential for Europe’s modern economy, technologies and national security. Despite not meeting the critical raw material threshold, manganese was included due to its role in Europe’s green energy transition.
Some experts have predicted that manganese could face a global supply deficit as soon as next year. That could mean ChemX’s emergence may be coming at just the right time.
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By Steve Kaless
