Braeside West and Ripon Hills East Manganese Projects
Location:
The projects are located within the East Pilbara manganese province, and within 70km of the Woodie Woodie Manganese Mine, 120km east of Marble Bar, and 280km from the port of Port Hedland.
Figure 1: Manganese Projects Location Map.
Access to the project area can be achieved via a sealed road, and extensive well maintained unsealed Station roads that transect the Oakover River and run the full length of the Braeside tenement.
Warrawagine Station runs adjacent to the Braeside East license with the homestead situated about 20km west of the project boundary and approximately 140km north east of Marble Bar township. The Station can provide Accommodation, messing and communications with fuel, plant and equipment available by agreement.
Tenure
The Braeside West Prospect (E45/5854) covers 139km2 and offers the opportunity to identify manganese mineralisation of similar nature to the deposits of the nearby (~70km) Woodie Woodie Mine.
The Ripon Hills East Prospect (E45/5088) is situated 70 km northwest of the world class Woodie Woodie Manganese deposit (Consolidated Minerals') and immediately east of the Ripon Hills manganese deposit. The Project covers 48km2, and records indicate very little historic exploration within the license area, despite the presence of favourable "Woodie Woodie" N-S structures and mappable surface manganese mineralisation.
Previous Explorations:
Historical drill results from Braeside West confirm near surface, high-grade manganese mineralisation. Drill results include:
- BX48 -11m @ 28.4% Mn from 1m
- BX57 – 2m @ 41.8% Mn from surface
- BX58 – 5m @ 37.3% Mn from surface
- BX61 – 2m @ 39.3% Mn from surface
- BX71 – 8m @ 37.4% Mn from surface
- BX76 – 6m @ 39.9% Mn from surface
Due diligence has confirmed historical drill hole locations and surface manganese mineralisation, including multiple historical rock chip samples with +50% Mn within the project area.
Large zones of undrilled manganese outcropping at surface were identified during initial reconnaissance mapping. (ASX Announcement date 25 October 2021)
Planned Program of Work:
A Program of Work (POW) is currently being prepared for lodgment with DMIRS for a diamond drilling programme at Braeside West.
The Company is planning to drill approximately 600m of PQ diamond core across various prospects. Targets identified during the initial review and detailed interpretation from the recently acquired high-resolution imagery. Drilling will twin some historical intercepts. The diamond drill core will be used for stratigraphical and metallurgical test work programs. Further more extensive drilling programs are planned for Q2 2022.
Manganese Strategy
Accelerate has identified future supply disruption and metal shortfalls in the Manganese market and has executed a high-grade manganese exploration strategy to supply the battery and steel production markets.
Manganese is a critical element used in steel production. The steel industry is poised to continue growing, providing a steady source of demand for manganese. New demand is arising from clean-energy applications. High purity manganese (HPM) is a cheaper substitute for cobalt in nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM) battery cathodes.
