Black Canyon’s latest drilling at Wandanya extends high-grade manganese and iron mineralisation 300m north and expands cross-strike widths to 800m, reinforcing the project’s potential for low-cost direct shipping ore.
- Resource drilling extends mineralisation 300m north
- Manganese grades exceed 40% in multiple intervals
- Cross-strike widths increase from 500m to 800m
- Iron mineralisation shows consistent 55-60% Fe grades
- Maiden resource estimate planned for Q3 2026
Drilling Unveils Significant Extensions at Wandanya
Black Canyon Limited (ASX:BCA) has pushed the boundaries of its Wandanya manganese and iron discovery, confirming substantial extensions of shallow, high-grade mineralisation. The company’s resource definition drilling has stretched the mineralised footprint 300 metres north beyond previous limits and widened the cross-strike manganese mineralisation from roughly 500 metres to around 800 metres.
These latest results include standout manganese intercepts such as 7 metres at 34.8% Mn from surface, including 4 metres at 44.3% Mn, and multiple other holes exceeding 40% manganese grades. Iron mineralisation remains robust, with hematite-dominated zones averaging 5 to 6 metres thick and grades consistently around 55-60% Fe. The continuity of these grades reinforces the potential for low-cost Direct Shipping Ore (DSO), a key factor for project economics.
Black Canyon’s Managing Director Brendan Cummins highlighted the positive momentum: “Ongoing drill programs at Wandanya continue to expand the discovery, further increasing confidence in this significant mineral system. Our outlook on the development potential for both iron and manganese remains highly positive.”
Focused Infill and Expansion Drilling
The current drilling campaign is part of a larger 15,000-metre Reverse Circulation (RC) program targeting a 3-kilometre base case footprint. The drill density has tightened to a 50 by 50-metre grid in the northern mineralised area, aiming to support Indicated or Measured Mineral Resource classifications suitable for upcoming scoping and feasibility studies.
Extending mineralisation northwards and eastwards, the program has confirmed lateral continuity and thick stratabound zones of manganese oxide near surface, transitioning to manganese carbonate at depths of 20 to 25 metres. Iron mineralisation, often found as hematite with goethite and limonite halos, appears to be a thicker lateral equivalent of manganese closer to surface.
This drilling update builds on Black Canyon’s previous announcements detailing high-grade manganese results and resource expansion efforts, including the ongoing 15,000m RC drilling campaign and high-grade manganese beneficiation trials that have consistently upgraded manganese feeds to above 40% Mn.
Path to Resource and Study Milestones
Looking ahead, Black Canyon plans to complete infill drilling on the central 3-kilometre base case target before testing northern and southern extensions of the mineralised system. A maiden Mineral Resource Estimate is scheduled for the third quarter of 2026, followed by a Scoping Study in the fourth quarter.
The company also intends to conduct further heritage surveys in June and August to facilitate ongoing drilling and infrastructure sterilisation. Complementing these efforts, a gravity survey is planned to commence in Q3 to explore deeper manganese targets potentially linked to hydrothermal mineralisation.
With a substantial landholding of over 2,000 square kilometres in the Balfour Manganese Field and Oakover Basin, Black Canyon is positioning Wandanya as a key project in Western Australia’s manganese and iron sector. The project’s stratabound high-grade mineralisation model, combined with strong assay continuity and scale, underpins the company’s confidence in advancing towards development.
Bottom Line?
Black Canyon’s expanding high-grade manganese and iron zones at Wandanya set the stage for a pivotal resource estimate, but the project's economics hinge on continued drilling success and timely heritage approvals.
Questions in the middle?
- Will the upcoming maiden Mineral Resource Estimate confirm the expanded footprint’s economic viability?
- How will the planned gravity survey influence the understanding of deeper manganese targets?
- What impact will heritage survey outcomes have on the pace of exploration and development?