Early gift for Trek as rock chips reveal high-grade manganese at Christmas Creek

• Rock chips reveal up to 58% manganese in new outcrop cluster spanning 750m
• Iron grades up to 50% at untested area suggest similarity to world-class Woodie Woodie deposit
• Assays from follow-up rock chips due in late December with further work planned ahead of drilling

Special Report: Rock chip sampling a newly discovered outcrop cluster at Trek Metals’ Christmas Creek project in WA’s Kimberley region has returned high-grade manganese of up to 58% from a newly discovered outcrop cluster. 

The outcrops cluster over a strike extent of about 750m before disappearing under recent sand cover, highlighting the potential that a much larger hydrothermal manganese system is present.

Adding interest for Trek Metals (ASX:TKM), the rock chips also returned moderate to high grades of up to 50% iron in close proximity to the manganese.

This is a common feature of hydrothermal manganese deposits such as Woodie Woodie in the Pilbara region.

Immediate follow-up rock chip sampling has been completed with assays expected in late December.

No drilling has been carried out at this location.

“This is a very exciting development in a greenfields exploration setting at Christmas Creek, with exceptionally high-grade manganese mineralisation discovered in outcrop by our field team,” chief executive officer Derek Marshall said.

“The grades are impressive, with all manganese samples returning assays more than >47% Mn, with a peak value of >58% Mn. 

“Significantly, the target has never been drill tested and the cluster of identified outcrops extends over a strike length of ~750m, with the geology then being obscured by recent Aeolian sand and/or laterite cover, potentially allowing for a much larger system to be present.”

He adds the similarity to the world-class Woodie Woodie deposit is important as it is a mineralisation style that can host very high grade material and provide a premium product.

Christmas Creek project

The discovery of a potential high-grade manganese deposit adds a new dimension to the Christmas Creek project, which was originally considered to be a gold and rare earths exploration opportunity.

Prior to its acquisition by TKM in December 2023, it was part of Newmont Exploration’s global exploration portfolio.

Since then, the company has secured additional tenement applications that grant it further exposure to the district-scale exploration opportunity southwest of Halls Creek.

The intersection of visible gold in two occurrences to date has also raised confidence in the project’s scale and quality.

Christmas Creek is also adjacent to RareX’s (ASX:REE) Cummins Range REE project that hosts rare earths, gallium, scandium and phosphate.

Next steps

TKM is planning a geophysical investigation after preliminary petrophysical investigations of the rock chips suggested the mineralisation should be detectable via electromagnetics and/or gravity.

It has also started planning for a priority drill test of this newly discovered target area.

“The team has discovered a high-grade, walk-up drill target which will become a priority for us because of the exceptional grades and the apparent scale of the system,” Marshall said.

“We also undertook sampling around recently identified rare earth targets on our ground. 

“We look forward to the receipt of these assays which are expected in late December and updating the market on these new target areas, along with outstanding assay results from the diamond holes completed towards the end of our drilling campaign at the Martin gold prospect.”

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