Black Canyon finds fresh layers of iron and manganese at Wandanya

• Northern drilling outlines consistent zones of iron mineralisation over 1.8km of strike
• Manganese hits reveal multiple seams with potential for resource growth
• Wandanya’s scoping study remains on track for December 2026

Special Report: Black Canyon has struck iron and manganese mineralisation north of the maiden resource at its Wandanya project in Western Australia’s Pilbara, highlighting potential for further resource growth.

Black Canyon (ASX:BCA) has outlined consistent iron mineralisation along 1.8km of strike and manganese across about 1km through wide-spaced drilling beyond the existing resource footprint.

The latest results follow the company’s September maiden resource, which established 23.6Mt at 25.8% manganese and a separate 12.5Mt at 54.9% iron.

More than 90% of the manganese resource is classified as measured and indicated, while the iron estimate is entirely measured.

The latest reverse circulation campaign comprised 151 holes for 4804m, testing 2.8km of strike north and 1.4km south of the resource.

“The extension drill program demonstrates the potential to delineate further mineralisation beyond the base case Wandanya mineral resource,” Black Canyon managing director Brendan Cummins said.

Northern ridge delivers

The northern extension returned several strong iron intersections, including 6m at 56.5% Fe from 28m, including 3m at 61.3% Fe from 31m.

Another hole delivered 5m at 58.1% Fe from 26m, including 3m at 60.1% Fe from 27m.

Manganese results were equally encouraging, with hits including 4m at 24.7% Mn from 39m, including 2m at 28.9% Mn from 40m.

Another hole returned 3m at 27.4% Mn from 25m, including 1m at 35.5% Mn from 25m.

The results represent downhole intervals from shallow drilling.

The iron mineralisation has demonstrated continuity along the northern ridge, with several drill sections remaining open up-dip or down-dip.

The manganese results have also added a new dimension to Black Canyon’s exploration model.

While drilling within the established Wandanya resource generally encountered a single manganese horizon, the northern holes have intersected multiple seams of manganese oxide mineralisation.

Cummins said the findings had broadened the company’s exploration thinking.

“From an exploration perspective we have previously only considered a single seam of manganese but now we have identified several seams this opens up our exploration model that may just find us the next Wandanya in the region.”

The additional seams present further targets for drilling, with infill work needed to establish their continuity and potential contribution to future resource estimates.

Results to the south were less encouraging, with generally thin iron intersections and low-grade manganese, leaving the northern extension as the more promising follow-up area.

Development takes shape

The new results arrive as Black Canyon advances Wandanya towards a scoping study scheduled for completion in December.

The company is examining the potential for a dual-commodity operation producing manganese and iron products, supported by previous metallurgical testwork.

Earlier pilot-scale dense-media separation testing upgraded blended feed grading 32.4% manganese to 41.0%, with approximately 82% recovery.

A second blend was upgraded from 29.4% to 38.5% manganese at about 80% recovery.

The results support the assessment of upgrading lower-grade manganese material alongside potential direct-shipping products, although commercial-scale performance and project economics remain to be established.

The maiden resource also includes a potential direct-shipping manganese subset of 3.7Mt at 38.9% manganese, using a 35% cut-off grade.

Together, the resource and metallurgical results provide several processing and product scenarios for the scoping study to evaluate.

The broader manganese market is closely tied to steel production. The US Geological Survey identifies manganese as essential to iron and steelmaking, estimating that the industry accounts for 85-90% of US manganese demand.

Meanwhile, Geoscience Australia’s 2026 preliminary resource tables identify just two operating Australian manganese mines with Economic Demonstrated Resources at the end of 2025, highlighting the relatively small established domestic producing base.

For Black Canyon, the immediate focus remains on defining a viable development pathway at Wandanya.

Optimisation studies have been completed, with mine pit designs and schedules progressing towards the December scoping study.

The company is also planning a test-pit sampling program before year-end to generate larger samples for further density separation testwork.

Further drilling is planned to follow up the northern iron and manganese intersections, alongside test bores to assess potential process-water sources.

Final fieldwork for the project’s 12-month flora, vegetation and fauna baseline studies is scheduled for completion by the end of November.

This article was developed in collaboration with Black Canyon, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing.

This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.

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