PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Explorer Firebird Metals has reported a 108-million-tonne increase to the mineral resource at its Oakover manganese project, in Western Australia.
The project is now estimated to host 172-million tonnes, at 9.9% manganese, representing a 170% increase on the historical resource, Firebird said.
“The size of the mineral resource estimate upgrade provides us with a compelling opportunity to pivot from our current rapid development program strategy and focus instead on completing the relevant studies to assess Oakover as a 20-year operation, producing both manganese ore and higher-value manganese sulphate,” said Firebird MD Peter Allen.
“While this is a shift from our early cashflow strategy, we think the size of the resource and simple near-surface gently dipping geology provides a simple pathway to production that now warrants financial assessment that is anticipated to ultimately deliver superior value to shareholders.
“Importantly, we will be able to leverage the work already completed from current rapid development workstreams to quickly complete the necessary scoping studies, that will focus on a long-life manganese ore and sulphate production operation. We expect to complete the manganese ore study in the June quarter and the sulphate study in the September quarter.”