Prominent position in the New England Orogen
EL9527
Great Dirt’s Doherty and Basin Projects are prospective for high grade manganese, in particular battery grade manganese. This is a market few producers can address due to strict grade and chemical suitability criteria.
At a glance
- A proven region for high grade manganese, that has supplied battery manufacturers from the 1940s-1960s.
- Historical work, while having discovered manganese, is unlikely to have located all sources in the area.
- Floaters of high-grade ore reported outside of known mine areas are a direct indication of unidentified manganese mineralisation.
- Great Dirt’s EL9527 contains the Doherty Project, comprising the old Doherty and Junior Mines, and The Basin Project.
- No drilling or sampling has occurred at either mine, nor between them, or along strike.
- Modern, systemic, geochemical and geophysical exploration techniques will be employed to locate near surface, high-grade, manganese mineralisation.
Proven history with new tech potential
Between the 1940’s and 1960’s the Doherty and Junior Mines in northern NSW produced around 9,000t of high-grade manganese. Most of this ore was battery grade for use in the dry cell battery industry.
Great Dirt’s EL9527 contains the Doherty Project, comprising the old Doherty and Junior Mines, and The Basin Project, which contains numerous manganese workings.
Great Dirt’s Doherty and Basin Projects are prospective for high grade manganese, in particular battery grade manganese. Battery grade manganese is a market few producers can address due to strict grade and chemical suitability criteria. It was produced as run of mine ore from both the Doherty and Junior Mines.
Great Dirt believes that historical work, while having discovered manganese, is unlikely to have located all sources in the area. Floaters of high-grade ore reported outside of known mine areas are a direct indication of unidentified manganese mineralisation.
No drilling has occurred at either mine, nor between them, or along strike. Additionally, no recent samples have ever been taken of the other numerous recorded manganese workings or occurrences on the licence.
Great Dirt will exploit modern, systemic, geochemical and geophysical exploration techniques to locate near surface, high-grade, manganese mineralisation. Defined targets will be developed for drill testing to investigate possible commercialisation.
A looming deficit of high-purity manganese for the battery industry and strong fundamentals are likely to create pressure on battery grade manganese prices.
Planned exploration
Exploration will focus initially on the historical workings and associated rock dumps. Samples will be taken from the mined ores and surrounding country rocks for geochemical, geophysical, spectral, and mineralogical investigation.
Whole of rock chemical analysis of the initial samples will provide detailed information about the grade of manganese oxide and other elements, and the specific gravity of the different rock types.
Preliminary aerial surveys will provide high quality orthorectified images and a LIDAR 3D survey. These data sets are integral as they provide the framework upon which all GIS data will be compiled. This is very important for future exploration planning but additionally acts as a primary component of any environmental base line survey.
Ground based soil geochemistry and gravity surveys will be completed by field crews at each location, initially lines will be spaced 1km apart with samples taken at 50m spacings, these will be further refined down to 250m line spacings.
Gravity surveys are recognised as a tool for the direct detection of manganese mineralisation. Manganese mineralisation is generally denser than surrounding country rocks thus making it anomalous, and likely to produce a discernible response.
Geochemical soil samples will be taken in the field and analysed with a PXRF analyser, this will allow near real time data collection. The continual updating of data will allow nimble exploration decision making.
Ground based soil geochemistry and gravity surveys will be completed by field crews at each location, initially lines will be spaced 1km apart with samples taken at 50m spacings, these will be further refined down to 250m line spacings.
Gravity surveys are recognised as a tool for the direct detection of manganese mineralisation. Manganese mineralisation is generally denser than surrounding country rocks thus making it anomalous, and likely to produce a discernible response.
Geochemical soil samples will be taken in the field and analysed with a PXRF analyser, this will allow near real time data collection. The continual updating of data will allow nimble exploration decision making.
Defined targets
Geochemical and geophysical data once compiled will be interrogated to develop drill targets. Targets will be ranked in order of prospectivity.
Targets that have coincident anomalies would be prioritised, over a singular anomaly. The larger the anomaly or the greater the response, in each category would take precedence.
Provision has been made for both RAB and RC drilling of targets. RAB drilling will be used initially due to easier access and its ability to generate a full profile of samples down to basement. RC drilling would then be employed to better define grade and tonnages once a commercial prospect has been identified.
