Black Canyon Limited has reported encouraging beneficiation testwork results from its Wandanya manganese project, achieving manganese oxide concentrate grades exceeding 40% using simple density-based methods. The company has also commenced a 15,000m drilling program alongside environmental surveys, progressing the project towards scoping-level economic evaluation.
- Sighter-level heavy liquid separation testwork upgraded manganese grades to over 40%
- High and medium-grade composites showed manganese recoveries above 87%
- Further testwork planned including dense media separation and blend evaluations
- 15,000m infill and expansion drilling program underway at Wandanya
- Environmental and heritage surveys progressing to support development
Beneficiation Testwork Demonstrates High-Grade Potential
Black Canyon Limited (ASX:BCA) has announced positive results from sighter-level beneficiation testwork at its Wandanya manganese project in Western Australia. Using a simple density-based heavy liquid separation (HLS) technique, the company achieved significant manganese grade upgrades across low, medium, and high-grade composites derived from diamond drill core samples.
The testwork upgraded the high-grade manganese oxide composite from a raw feed grade of 45% Mn to between 48.2% and 49.9% Mn. Medium-grade composites improved from 30.9% Mn to 39.3%–40.3% Mn, while low-grade composites were upgraded from 24.4% Mn to 37.9%–41.8% Mn. Recoveries for the high and medium-grade feeds ranged between 91% and 87%, respectively, with low levels of deleterious elements reported in the beneficiated products.
Implications for Product Strategy and Processing
Black Canyon’s Managing Director Brendan Cummins highlighted the amenability of the mineralisation to simple density-based beneficiation methods, noting that most manganese product grades were close to or exceeded 40% Mn. The metallurgical program revealed several conceptual processing options, including the potential to produce multiple saleable products such as a high-grade 42%–44% Mn direct shipping ore (DSO) and blended concentrates with grades between 38% and 42% Mn.
Further HLS testwork is planned to examine blends reflecting the current geometallurgical understanding of the deposit, followed by larger scale dense media separation (DMS) testing. These efforts aim to inform potential flowsheet designs and cost estimates for a planned scoping-level economic analysis later in 2026.
Drilling and Environmental Surveys Underway
Complementing the metallurgical progress, Black Canyon has mobilised a reverse circulation (RC) rig to site to commence a 15,000m infill and expansion drilling program. This program will focus initially on the 3km strike of known mineralisation at Wandanya before extending north and east. Baseline environmental and heritage surveys are also underway to support ongoing exploration and potential development activities.
The company’s recent metallurgical results build on earlier positive findings, including the confirmation of high-grade DSO potential at Wandanya and a significant resource upgrade announced in recent months. These developments position Black Canyon to advance its project development plans in the Balfour Manganese Field, an underexplored region with a defined global mineral resource of 315 million tonnes at 10.5% manganese.
In a broader market context, manganese remains a critical mineral for steel alloy manufacturing and lithium-ion battery cathodes, underpinning sustained interest in projects like Wandanya. Black Canyon’s ongoing work, including the current drilling campaign and metallurgical testwork, will be closely watched for indications of the project’s economic viability and product quality.
For additional context on Black Canyon’s recent progress, the company’s earlier confirmation of high-grade DSO potential ahead of its major drilling push provides insight into the evolving quality and scale of the Wandanya project.
Bottom Line?
Black Canyon’s beneficiation results and drilling program mark important steps in defining the Wandanya project’s processing options and resource potential, though further testwork and economic analysis remain necessary to assess commercial viability.
Questions in the middle?
- How will subsequent dense media separation testwork refine the product specifications and recoveries?
- What impact will the ongoing drilling program have on resource classification and grade continuity?
- How might market demand and pricing for manganese concentrates influence the project’s development timeline?