ChemX Materials has started building a maiden resource foundation with impressive first assay results from drilling at its Jamieson Tank manganese deposit in South Australia.
Headline results include a 6m hit grading 18.5 per cent manganese from 9m. Other results include an 18m intersection going 10.1 per cent from just 10 metres and a 12m strike running for nearly 12 per cent from 13m.
Based on earlier metallurgical testwork, the company says its ore is highly responsive to beneficiation work aimed at converting it into high-purity manganese (HPM) for the electric battery market. The company says it has now received data from 39 holes of its 94-hole campaign, which went for a total of 6164 metres.
The program targeted a 2km strike with infilled drill spacing across the northern edge of Jamieson Tank as the company builds towards its maiden mineral resource estimate by June. Those numbers will also be supported by downhole geophysics which have been wrapped up and will be used to complement the geological interpretation of the deposit.
ChemX Materials chief executive officer Mark Tory said: “ChemX is excited with the first results from the recently completed drilling campaign…. Noting the shallow depths for much of the mineralised intercepts gives confidence to swift accessibility on potential future mining endeavours.”
Last month, ChemX signed a memorandum of understanding to work towards an offtake deal from its high-purity manganese project with US battery technology company, C4V.
The non-binding agreement is based around the potential supply of high-purity product from Jamieson Tank, which is on SA’s Eyre Peninsula, 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 February, BHP spin-off South32 argued the US Inflation Reduction Act had improved the business case for developing its manganese-rich Clark deposit in Arizona. The company believes manganese demand from batteries could make up 30 per cent of the market by 2030.
With that burgeoning demand, the timing could be perfect for ChemX’s HPM development strategy.
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By Steve Kaless
