Trek Metals has reported a second batch of shallow, high-grade manganese assays from Kuro, including 7 metres at 40.2% Mn from just 7 metres. The results bring the discovery into a larger 2,500-metre Phase 2 drilling campaign targeting geophysical anomalies across the Christmas Creek project.
- 28 of 50 Phase 1 holes returned grades above 5% Mn
- 16 holes delivered intervals averaging above 20% Mn
- Best new result was 7m at 40.2% Mn from 7m
- Significant mineralisation remains between surface and 37m down-hole
- 2,500m Phase 2 RC program is now underway
Kuro delivers another batch of high-grade assays
Trek Metals Limited (ASX:TKM) has produced another set of strong manganese results at Kuro, with the latest batch including 7 metres at 40.2% manganese from 7 metres in hole 26XCRC026. That interval sits inside a broader 14-metre zone grading 23.6% Mn and included a peak one-metre assay of 49.9% Mn.
The result is not an isolated spike. Other new high-grade intersections include 6 metres at 39.0% Mn from 28 metres in 26XCRC028, 8 metres at 32.7% Mn from 3 metres in 26XCRC033, and 4 metres at 38.6% Mn from 2 metres in 26XCRC041. Holes 26XCRC037 and 26XCRC025 also returned 3 metres at 42.7% Mn and 3 metres at 41.8% Mn respectively.
Widespread mineralisation remains close to surface
Across the 50 Phase 1 holes assayed so far, 28 have returned significant manganese intercepts above 5% Mn, while 16 contain intervals averaging more than 20% Mn. All significant intersections reported to date occur between surface and 37 metres down-hole, although the company cautions that true widths are not yet known.
The interpreted mineralised geometry begins at surface in the north-west and deepens progressively towards the south-east. Trek says the manganese is generally accompanied by low iron and very low phosphorus: intercepts averaging at least 20% Mn returned 27.0% Mn at 3.28% Fe, producing an Mn:Fe ratio of 8.3:1. The ratio improved to 14.4:1 in composites above 30% Mn and reached 47:1 in the previously reported 10-metre interval grading 42.3% Mn in hole 26XCRC020.
Phase 2 drilling tests a larger target area
With the second assay batch reinforcing the initial results, Trek has started a 2,500-metre Phase 2 reverse-circulation program at Kuro. The drilling is aimed at high-priority chargeability and conductivity anomalies identified by induced polarisation surveys across an area substantially larger than the Phase 1 drilling footprint.
The company’s interpretation places Kuro within a prospective basin extending across roughly 30 kilometres of Trek’s Christmas Creek tenure. Recent exploration has also included a high-resolution airborne magnetic and radiometric survey, while soil sampling and additional geophysical work are being used to identify further manganese targets.
Economic significance remains untested
The headline grades are encouraging, but Kuro remains an early-stage exploration discovery rather than a defined resource. Trek has estimated no Mineral Resource, continuity has not been established, and no metallurgical or product-characterisation testwork has been completed. Silica is identified as the principal diluent, while lead is variably distributed across the reported intercepts.
The remaining Phase 1 assays are expected in two to three weeks. Those results, followed by the broader Phase 2 drilling, should provide the next evidence on whether Kuro’s shallow high-grade zones form a coherent system or a collection of discrete pods.
Bottom Line?
The next material test is continuity: pending Phase 1 assays and Phase 2 drilling must show whether Kuro’s strong grades extend across a mineable-scale footprint.
Questions in the middle?
- Will the remaining Phase 1 assays confirm the same grade and hit rate across the unreported holes?
- Can Phase 2 drilling establish continuity and true widths beyond the initial Kuro zones?
- What will metallurgical testing show about silica, lead and the potential quality of a future manganese product?