Pantera Minerals (ASX:PFE) reports it has found multiple ‘high-grade’ manganese targets identified from rock chip samples at the Weelarrana Manganese Project, located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
Twelve rock chip samples were taken from Mn Area 2, 3 and the newly identified Mn 4, and Mn area 2 had a further 3 rock chip samples taken with one returning 11.5% Mn.
Mn Area 3 had a further 6 rock chip samples taken with 5 samples ranging from 13% Mn to 43.6% Mn, and outcropping manganese mineralisation was further defined 600m to the east of the previously identified mineralisation.
Mn Area 4 had 3 rock chip samples taken with 2 samples ranging from 12.5% Mn to 38.2% Mn, and sub cropping manganese mineralisation was identified in Area 4, observed over a strike of 280m.
All rock chip samples were taken from the outcropping Ilgarari Formation, which is the host for manganese mineralisation at the Element 25 (ASX:E25) Butcherbird deposit.
Since tenement E52/3878 was granted to Pantera in late 2021, the company has identified 4 prospective areas for manganese mineralisation with a total of 34 rock chip samples taken to delineate the outcropping manganese.
The company reports that Mn Area 1 has been mapped as a continuous outcrop of bedded manganese mineralisation over a strike length of 800m, with a variable thickness of between 2m and 5m, with rock chip Mn grades from 11.5% Mn to 43.6% Mn.
Mn Area 2 has been mapped as a semi-continuous outcrop of bedded manganese mineralisation over a surface area of 600m by 60m with rock chip Mn grades from 11.5% Mn to 30.8% Mn.
Pantera notes Mn Area 3 has been mapped as sporadic outcrops of massive manganese mineralisation over a surface area of 1200m by 450m with rock chip Mn grades from 13% Mn to 43.6% Mn.
Meanwhile, Mn Area 4 has not been mapped as sporadic outcrops of massive manganese mineralisation over a surface area of 280m by 70m with rock chip Mn grades from 12.5% Mn to 35.2% Mn.
Pantera Minerals CEO Matt Hansen said the company is delighted to have received Cultural and Heritage approval for the commencement of drilling programs at Weelarrana and to have identified a further area of outcropping manganese mineralisation.
“We believe this area holds great potential for the discovery of high-grade manganese mineralisation.
“We believe this area holds great potential for the discovery of high-grade manganese mineralisation”
“The upcoming drill program will be the first time the manganese mineralisation within the tenement area has been drill tested, and with the high grades reported in the rock chip samples, we look forward to the results of the maiden drilling program.”.
The Cultural and Heritage survey of the proposed drill program areas at Mn 1 to 4 as well as an access track connecting all four areas was completed in early September.
Heritage clearance of the proposed exploration works has now been granted with some conditions which Pantera will abide by.
A new single heritage agreement for Pantera tenement E52/4046, 4071 and 4072 has now been executed and Pantera anticipates the grant of these tenements early in 2023.
The company also appreciates the continued positive collaboration with the Karlka Nyiyaparli Aboriginal Corporation and the local traditional owners of the Weelarrana area.
A 1,200m reverse circulation (RC) drill program has PoW approval to test the outcropping manganese mineralisation at Mn Area 1, with drilling to be conducted on 50m centres along 5 drill lines 200m long.
Drilling is expected to start soon now that Cultural and Heritage clearance for the exploration works has been received. Assay results from the drill program are expected in December.
Field reconnaissance of the newly granted E52/3891 tenement has commenced with a series of historic RAB drill lines inspected for access and outcropping geology.
A sub-cropping goethite-chalcedony fault breccia is exposed over a strike of 50m was encountered along a historic RAB line.
Two rock chip samples were taken and returned anomalous silver and gold grades with one sample returning 2.44ppm Ag and 0.18ppm Au. The 2 rock chip samples are also anomalous in scandium and antimony which are indicative of a hydrothermal system along fault.
The company reports that the fault breccia appears to be associated with the regionally extensive Ilgarari Fault of which there is 3.5km of strike within E52/3981. A soil and rock chip sampling program is planned to follow up the anomalous rock chip results.
A 63 block exploration tenement application surrounding E52/3891 has been made by Pantera, which covers the extension of the Ilgarari Fault to the southwest and northeast and covers approximately 35km of strike of the fault.
The Weelarrana Project is located within the Proterozoic Collier Basin 80km south of Newman in Western Australia, and it covers an area of 958km-square considered ‘prospective’ for manganese and precious metal mineralisation.
All tenements cover either Ilgarari Formation manganiferous shales of Backdoor Formation manganiferous shales which are known to host economic manganese mineralisation at Element 25’s Butcherbird Deposit, and Firebird Metals (ASX:FRB) Hill 616 Deposit.
Despite the presence of 2 significant manganese deposits, the area covered by Pantera tenements has been underexplored for manganese.
Pantera aims to systematically explore for manganese within the 2 known stratigraphic hosts as well as assess and explore the tenure for structural hosted precious metal mineralisation.
Pantera Minerals is a Western Australian minerals exploration company with 4 projects including the Hellcat Lead-Silver Project, the Yampi Project, the Frederick Base Metal Project and the Weelarrana Project.
Images: Pantera Minerals Limited
