Mako Gold Ltd (ASX:MKG) has moved quickly to assess the manganese potential of its Korhogo Gold Project in Côte d’Ivoire with a 10-hole maiden reverse circulation (RC) drilling program underway.
The 500-metre program will test two parallel 7-kilometre-long manganese-rich units which delivered results up to 33% manganese in recent rock chip sampling.
Sampling follow-up
These holes will be drilled at wide spacing of about 1 kilometre to test for subsurface manganese
mineralisation and will be at or near the rock chip sample locations where all 22 samples returned positive results, averaging 22% manganese.
The units to be tested are along strike of Shiloh Mining’s Lagnonkaha manganese mine.
While excited about the potential presented by the manganese, Mako’s core focus remains on its flagship Napié Gold Project where it is working to expand the resource through a two-drill, 10,000-metre RC drill program that started last week.
Mako Gold projects on simplified geology and manganese mines in Côte d’Ivoire.
On fast-track
Mako’s managing director Peter Ledwidge said: “We are pleased to be starting a maiden drilling program at the Korhogo Project less than a month after the announcement of this very exciting manganese discovery on the Ouangolodougou Permit contained within the Korhogo Project.
"The very wide-spaced drill program is designed to test for subsurface manganese mineralisation in order to assess the strike extent and grade of manganese along the two parallel 7-kilometre-long manganese-rich units discovered by our recent rock chip sampling program.
"Having three drills turning on our projects in Côte d’Ivoire will provide a steady stream of news flow over the coming months.”
"Our focus very much remains on our flagship Napié gold project and our near-term goal of outlining a multi-million-ounce gold camp at Napié.”
This drilling will take place on the Ouangolodougou Permit which, along with the Korhogo Nord permit, makes up Mako’s 100%-owned Korhogo Project.
The 10 holes will be drilled to downhole depths of 50 metres to test for subsurface manganese mineralisation on the two parallel manganese-rich lithological units.
Manganese mines
Côte d’Ivoire is building on its manganese potential with four mines hosted in-country and these are operated by private unlisted companies.
The closest mine, Lagnonkaha, which has a total strike extent of 1.6 kilometres, is 70 kilometres along strike to the southwest of Mako’s manganese discovery in the same lithological unit.
In comparison, the extent of the combined potential strike on Mako’s permit is 14 kilometres, indicating the potential for a significant manganese resource.
Size comparison of Mako’s manganese-rich units where drilling has started, compared to the footprint of the Lagnonkaha mine.
The large extent of manganese mineralisation discovered by mapping and rock chip sampling, prompted the decision by the company to test the sub-surface with a maiden drilling program.
This program is expected to be finished in under a week and will not detract from the primary focus on gold resource expansion at Napié.
What comes next?
Since manganese samples need to be shipped out of the country for analysis, samples from the drilling will be shipped to ALS labs in South Africa with results expected to take slightly longer than the 3-4 week turnarounds the company is accustomed to for the Napié Project.
Pending positive drill results, preliminary metallurgical testing is planned to evaluate potential end-uses of the manganese.
Manganese is primarily used in steelmaking and in the emerging EV battery space and Mako has already been in discussions with a consultant to plan the tests.