Manganese-focused producer Element 25 (ASX:E25,OTCQX:ELMTF) provided an update to the mineral resource estimate for its Butcherbird manganese operations earlier this week.
The company recently completed an infill drilling program at the site, which targeted known mineralisation within granted mining lease M52/1074, where Butcherbird Stage 1 mining and processing operations are located.
Element 25 reported a 142 percent increase in measured and indicated resources, which now total 130 million tonnes at 10.23 percent manganese. Additionally, the site hosts a total resource of 274 million tonnes at 10 percent manganese, marking a 6 percent increase from its 263 million tonne resource estimate from April 2019.
“The increase in Measured and Indicated inventory is expected to support a significant increase in the mining reserve which will translate to a longer mine life and reserve tail, an important metric in financing the project,” Element 25 Managing Director Justin Brown said. “The updated MRE will support the re-statement of the Butcherbird Ore Reserve, pending mine optimisation and scheduling activities which are currently in progress.”
Located approximately 130 kilometers south of Newman in Western Australia, Butcherbird is 100 percent owned by Element 25 and is said to be the country’s largest onshore manganese resource.
The company released a feasibility study on the proposed expansion of the Butcherbird operations to 1.1 million tonnes per annum in January. Detailed design, planning and procurement for the expansion are in progress.
According to Element 25’s website, the expansion Butcherbird’s processing facility is also essential in providing feedstock for its planned battery-grade high-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate (HPMSM) refinery in Louisiana, US.
The HPMSM refinery is the recipient of a US$166 million grant from the US Department of Energy, which will be used to cover up to half of the facility’s capital construction costs. Element 25 has also secured US$115 million from partners General Motors (NYSE:GM) and Stellantis (NYSE:STLA).
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Securities Disclosure: I, Gabrielle de la Cruz, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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