Trafford Resources’ Wilcherry Hill project reveals manganese potential
THE DRILL SERGEANT: Trafford Resources (ASX: TRF) has reported recent drilling conducted at the Hercules prospect at the company’s 100 per cent-owned Wilcherry Hill project in South Australia by IronClad Mining (ASX: IFE).
The drilling was aimed at near surface Direct Shipping hematite iron, yet intersected 23 metres at 22 per cent manganese from 55 metres.
This intersection also includes 7m at 28 per cent manganese and 4m at 29 per cent manganese.
A second hole intersected 7m at 20 per cent manganese from 55 metres.
Manganese is no stranger to Wilcherry Hill with drilling carried out at Hercules in 2008 resulting in an estimated JORC-compliant manganese inferred resource of 8.75 million tonnes at 10.01 per cent manganese (with 35 per cent iron).
Drilling carried out in 2013 has completed a total of 29 holes for 2198m with most holes being completed around 80m depth.
“The recent drilling, combined with the 2008 results from the southern portion of Hercules, shows the potential for continuity of manganese mineralisation along the entire six kilometre strike length of Hercules along with the new discovery of mineralisation in the three kilometre long eastern flank,” Trafford Resources said in its ASX announcement.
“The current 8.75 million tonnes inferred resource is derived from drilling a 1.5 kilometre strike length.
“The total strike length of Hercules is six kilometres with the Eastern Limb at three kilometres, giving a total of nine kilometres strike.”
Trafford pointed to the work of OM Holdings (ASX: OMH), which has demonstrated at its Bootu Creek project in the Northern Territory a 22 per cent resource grade can be beneficiated to a saleable 36 to 37 per cent manganese product.
“Metallurgical test work will be needed to determine ore characteristics for beneficiation options,” Trafford said.
“Beneficiation can be done with Heavy Medium Separation or via a Gravity Circuit, such as the one IronClad may utilise to recover Hematite Iron at Hercules.”
Trafford indicated it had identified further manganese potential at the Pier prospect, which is contained within the company’s 100 per cent-owned Eurilla Dam tenement, also located on the Eyre Peninsula of South Australia.
The company said recent field work has revealed potential for the Pier prospects to add to the Hercules manganese inferred resource.
A total of five rock samples returned high-grade manganese values ranging from 15.5 per cent to 31.4 per cent manganese with associated elevated iron values ranging from 13.8 per cent to 35.6 per cent iron.
The manganese rich rock samples were taken along an east-west striking low outcropping ridge over an approximate distance of four kilometres.
“Regional aeromagnetics indicate this east-west striking trend may extend further into the contiguous Lincoln Minerals (ASX: LML) Uno manganese prospect, where they have reported results of up to 66 per cent manganese oxide and associated 61 per cent iron hematite from outcropping gossans,” Trafford said.
“Monax Mining (ASX: MOX) has also recently discovered manganese projects on the Eyre Peninsula.”