Element 25 Ltd (ASX:E25, OTCQX:ELMTF) has now received all assays from the resource infill drilling program at its 100%-owned Butcherbird Manganese Project in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, further confirming the continuity of mineralisation.
The company completed 216 percussion drill holes for 6,203 metres of drilling, with 5,513 samples submitted for analysis.
The drilling, assay and geological logging results are in line with Element 25’s expectations and confirm the geological model.
Importantly, they also confirm continuity of mineralisation within the existing Butcherbird mineral resources, which form the planned mining areas for the expanded operations.
Element 25 is working to expand Butcherbird production to some 1.1 million tonnes per annum of medium-grade high silica manganese ore for use in traditional and new energy markets.
Mineral resource and ore reserve estimate
The aim of the drilling program was to provide sufficient data density to underpin a re-evaluation of mineral resources and reserves to support the planned expansion of the manganese concentrate operation at Butcherbird.
The project currently hosts a global mineral resource of more than 260 million tonnes of manganese ore.
The updated mineral resource and ore reserve estimate is expected to be completed by the end of September 2024. The company appointed IHC Robbins to complete the resource upgrade, with work to commence immediately.
Element 25 managing director Justin Brown said: “Our recently completed infill drilling program will allow the global resource at Butcherbird to be recalculated with a higher degree of certainty aimed at the conversion of inferred resources to measured and indicated classifications to increase the reserve tail in support of the planned ramp up to 1.1 million tonnes production rates.”