Black Canyon Limited (ASX:BCA) has announced the successful completion of stage two heavy liquid separation (HLS) testwork, demonstrating the ability to upgrade manganese concentrate feedstock from approximately 30% Mn to 35% Mn. The higher-grade 35% manganese product holds potential for downstream processing into high purity manganese sulphate (HPMSM) and as a concentrate feed into manganese alloy smelters. This development is a significant step in maximizing the value of the company's large shale hosted manganese deposits.
Black Canyon's Managing Director, Brendan Cummins, expressed confidence in the company's improved metallurgical understanding and the potential to deliver higher-grade manganese products. He highlighted the successful achievement of a consistent 32% Mn product using standard industry-based processing equipment and the subsequent demonstration of producing a higher grade 35% Mn product suitable for downstream processing and potential use in manganese alloys. Cummins emphasized the importance of this testwork in advancing flowsheet design to extract maximum value from the company's manganese assets and indicated a continued focus on further improving product grades through additional gravity-based work.
Black Canyon's successful HLS testwork has resulted in the upgrade of manganese concentrate feedstock from approximately 30% Mn to 35% Mn, opening up opportunities for downstream processing into high purity manganese sulphate and potential use in manganese alloys. The company's Managing Director, Brendan Cummins, highlighted the significance of this development in maximizing the value of their manganese assets and expressed a commitment to further improving product grades. With a global mineral resource estimate of 314Mt @ 10.5% Mn, Black Canyon's ambitions to leverage this testwork to enhance their corporate strategy and extract maximum value from their manganese deposits are evident.