Accelerate confirms Braeside West’s manganese potential

Accelerate Resources (ASX:AX8) has confirmed the presence of significant surface manganese at its Braeside West tenement in Western Australia’s East Pilbara region.

This manganese is of a style commonly seen in the region of similar geology with outcrops forming caps on ridges due to their resistance to weathering.

A site visit to the tenement also identified historical drill holes, access to key areas and at least two high priority areas of extensive mineralisation that warrant short-term follow-up with drilling.

The company added that historical exploration includes high-grade (+40%) surface manganese mineralisation identified by Jupiter Mines (ASX:JMS) back in September 2009.

Finding manganese in commercial quantities is significant given that the metal, which is used in steel and as a cheaper substitute for cobalt in nickel-cobalt-manganese battery cathodes, is expected to see supply shortfalls.

Target definition and field work preparation is underway to define initial drill targets for evaluation.

Manganese projects

Accelerate’s Ripon Hills East and Braeside West manganese projects are located 120km east of Marble Bar within 70km of the Woodie Woodie Manganese Mine and just 250km from Port Hedland.

Both projects are contained within similar unexplored host stratigraphy with indications of manganese deposited in streams within Ripon Hills.

At Braeside West, numerous north-south faulting is present in the tenement area and cross faulting is also apparent from previous mapping.

Manganese mineralisation also appears as a matrix flooded through the Pinjan Chert Breccia, which could be indicative of deeper structural targets that host the metal.

The company can exercise the binding option agreement to acquire the manganese and iron ore rights for the two projects at any time during the 90 days since it signed the deal on 27 July.

This article was developed in collaboration with Accelerate Resources, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing.

This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.