AE Fuels Corporation has completed final modelling and interpretation from its high-resolution gravity survey at the Pearana and Pothole target areas, defining 44 priority drill targets across the South Woodie Woodie Manganese Project in Western Australia.

The completed program comprised 3,839 stations to identify dense subsurface bodies beneath shallow cover that may represent concealed manganese accumulations. The targets sit outside the footprint of AE Fuels’ existing Inferred Mineral Resource of 11.3 million tonnes at 15.0% manganese, opening up resource expansion potential.

Prior surface sampling identified high-grade manganese mineralization over a 3.5-kilometre strike trend at Pearana, with rock-chip assays reaching up to 51.8% manganese.

Interpretation work identified multiple discrete gravity anomalies ranked by size and intensity. AE Fuels has designed a preliminary 3,280-metre reverse circulation drill program comprising 44 Priority 1 holes, split between 31 holes totaling 2,080 metres at Pearana and 13 holes totaling 1,200 metres at Pothole.

Individual holes are planned at depths ranging from 60 to 100 metres. Collar locations remain preliminary and will be adjusted following field verification, site terrain reviews, heritage assessments, and access planning with Traditional Owners. Subject to these activities and necessary approvals, AE Fuels intends to undertake the drilling program.

Reflecting on the program, Gary Lewis, CEO and Director of AE Fuels, noted that the gravity survey provides a capital-efficient pathway to test the scale of the system beyond the existing resource base, building on previous beneficiation work and the successful production of battery-grade high-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate crystals.

“We have made significant progress in advancing South Woodie Woodie, and our focus is now increasingly turning to the potential scale of the opportunity,” said Gary Lewis, CEO and Director of AE Fuels. “We already have a defined manganese resource, have demonstrated a beneficiation pathway and have successfully produced battery-grade HPMSM through our downstream process development work. The question we are now seeking to answer is how much larger the mineralized system may be.”

“The gravity program gave us a capital-efficient pathway to answer that question. Rather than undertaking broad exploration drilling, we can systematically test the highest-priority targets at Pearana and Pothole, assess the results and determine whether they support additional manganese resources within the broader South Woodie Woodie Project.”

— Gary Lewis, CEO and Director

Activity across the wider Pilbara manganese district also remains active as regional explorers advance their respective project pipelines.

Read the full announcement: AE Fuels Defines 44 Drill Targets to Test Manganese Resource Expansion Potential Beyond Existing South Woodie Woodie Resource