Mako sampling returns consistent manganese grades at Korhogo. Pic: via Getty Images
Mako’s Korhogo manganese discovery grants exposure to EV critical minerals
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Mako’s rock chip sampling has uncovered significant potential for manganese which enhances the strong gold potential of its Korhogo project in Côte d’Ivoire.
Sampling on two parallel 7km long manganese-rich units returned consistent mineralisation grading about 22% and up to 33% of the metal that is seeing increased use in batteries for electric vehicles.
While Mako Gold’s (ASX:MKG) focus remains on expanding gold resources at its flagship Napié project, the discovery lends further weight to plans to evaluate the Korhogo Nord permit for its manganese potential given that it is located between the new find and Shiloh Mining’s Lagnonkaha manganese mine.
“We are very excited by this opportunistic manganese discovery at Korhogo which was made by our dedicated team of geologists during mapping of the Ouangolodougou permit,” managing director Peter Ledwidge said.
“It is highly encouraging that all rock samples collected on two parallel manganese-rich units returned significant manganese values, as this indicates consistent mineralisation over each of the entire 7km strike lengths.
“The discovery of manganese mineralisation on the Korhogo Project is an important step in Mako’s growth as it now gives investors exposure to a new critical metal commodity in the EV space in addition to the well-endowed gold potential in the region.”
Korhogo project
The 296km2 Korhogo project sits within a fertile greenstone belt that hosts the Tongon mine and Montage Gold’s 4.5Moz Kone gold project in Côte d’Ivoire as well as Endeavour’s 2.7Moz Wahgnion gold mine just across the border in Burkina Faso.
Multiple drill targets have been identified by geophysics and soil sampling with further mapping and rock chip sampling planned to vector in on drill targets.
The same sampling work also uncovered the manganese potential of Korhogo along strike from Lagnonkaha in the same lithological unit.
While only soil, auger and rock chip sampling – which confirmed the discovery – have been carried out to date, the extent of the potential strike – totalling 14km – is significant enough to warrant further evaluation to determine its size and suitability for use in steelmaking and/or battery manufacturing.
Mako added that the manganese and gold mineralisation at the project appear to share the same structural controls with anomalies oriented along structures observed in airborne magnetic data.
Further exploration
The company has flagged the need for drilling and eventually metallurgical testwork to assess the manganese find.
This could potentially be carried out in parallel with its near-term focus on expanding gold resources at Napié.
This article was developed in collaboration with Mako Gold, 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.
