Giyani updates Botswana manganese projects
Giyani Metals Corp. has completed its initial exploration drilling campaign at the Otse manganese oxide prospect and updated exploration at the K.Hill Project.
Highlights
- 66 reverse circulation drill holes have been completed at both the north and south target areas for a total 4,149 metres
- Initial Otse results show high grade mineralization in multiple holes with intersections in excess of 50% manganese oxide as analysed by an on-site portable X-ray Fluorescence machine
- Samples from Otse are to be dispatched for assay and metallurgical testwork will be undertaken prior to mineral resource estimation, which is currently expected in the first half of 2022
- Geological modelling of the full K.Hill Project, including the recently discovered southern extension is progressing prior to a new mineral resource estimate for the combined project, which is expected to be completed in the first half of 2022
Otse Exploration
Giyani has completed its first RC drilling campaign at Otse North and Otse South following up on targets previously identified with an induced polarisation survey. Drilling has been focused around the site of historical workings and data has shown excellent correlation between northwest-southeast trending chargeable anomalies and manganese mineralisation. Visible mineralisation has been confirmed by pXRF analysis.
A first batch of 803 samples has been submitted to SGS in South Africa for assay and a second batch will be sent at the start of 2022. Following assay, mineralogical analysis and metallurgical testwork will be undertaken, which will allow the Company to build a geological model and carry out a maiden resource estimation for Otse. This work is expected to be completed in Q2 2022, although this timeline remains subject to laboratory availability, for which the Company notes that facilities in South Africa and worldwide have been experiencing delays due to COVID-19 and its related knock-on effects.
Otse is located approximately 50kms east of the K.Hill Project and connected by a sealed road network.
CEO Robin Birchall said with the delivery of further exploration success at Otse and K.Hill Extension, it is putting Giyani in the best position to capitalise on its first mover advantage in the battery-grade manganese space.
"Initial results at Otse indicate that we have a significant source of high-grade material to feed our proposed processing facility, lowering future operating costs and further extending our project life. Meanwhile, following our new discoveries at the K.Hill Project, we will soon have a better understanding of the true scale of our flagship project," he said.
"We are already starting to see laboratory analysis turnaround timelines coming under pressure, as the world continues to wrestle with COVID-19 and the latest Omicron variant. As global mining activity ramps up in earnest, it is possible that we will see reporting timelines start to lengthen."
With strong global sales of electric vehicles in 2021, the demand for sustainably sourced critical battery materials, including high purity manganese sulphate monohydrate is set to intensify. "As one of the very few new sources of low carbon HPMSM in development globally, we are well positioned to capitalise on this growing market. Our expanding resource base will give us the flexibility to expand our production to the rapidly rising levels of consumption," he added.
As a result of the continuing logistical challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic during 2021, the Government of the Republic of Botswana and De Beers Group have agreed to extend their existing agreement for the sale of Debswana’s rough diamond production until the end of June 2022 (click here).
The extension period, during which the two partners will continue to operate under the terms of the existing agreement, will provide further time to complete discussions regarding the contract renewal.
