Accelerate Resources (AX8) recently reviewed the manganese ore resources at its Braeside West and Barramine of the Woodie Woodie North (WWN) manganese project in Western Australia, identifying high-grade ores ranging from 31.6-48% Mn.

Manganese mining in the Woodie Woodie region is well known through the region’s sole operating mine, “Woodie Woodie”, operated by ConsMin. Mining in the region has been ongoing since the early 1950s and is associated with high-grade manganese ore (ConsMin reports 39.9% Mn in its ore), high manganese to iron ratios, low phosphorus, and hard, competent nature. The WWN project is located to the north of the Woodie Woodie mine, with AX8 having acquired Braeside West and Barramine in November 2021 and February 2022, respectively.

The northern region of the Woodie Woodie manganese resources has undergone several exploration phases, including work consisting of geological mapping, rock chip sampling, geophysics, and drilling. In 2010, Shaw River Manganese conducted a preliminary manganese beneficiation test work from the WWN manganese project. AX8 has subsequently reviewed and reinterpreted these results, demonstrating manganese product grades ranging from 31.6 to 48% Mn, showing the high-grade potential similar to that found at the Woodie Woodie mine.

The Australian government has been setting up a strategy to put the country at the forefront of meeting the growing global demand for critical minerals, including its position as a key supplier of manganese. Additionally, the country is investigating moving into downstream processing along battery mineral value chains. With two of the three operating manganese mines (GEMCO and Woodie Woodie) in Australia approaching the end of their project life over the next decade, manganese targeted exploration has been on the rise, with companies such as AX8 aligning themselves to the country’s global critical minerals strategy to supply the battery and steel production markets.