Macro Metals Ltd (ASX:M4M) completed a detailed program of mapping and rock chip sampling at its Wandanya Manganese Project in WA’s Eastern Pilbara last month, allowing it to define priority drill targets and submit manganese samples for laboratory testing.

The program also represented an extension of Macro’s area of focus at the play: traditionally, exploration has targeted the Donkey prospect, but recent fieldwork at two other prospects – Crossroads and Wandanya – has indicated their potential in terms of grade and scale, although they have yet to be drill tested.

Previous rock chip sampling in these areas yielded grades of up to 55.2% manganese (Mn – at Crossroads), and 64.96% (at Wandanya).

Past drilling at Donkey has also picked up strong grades, with intercepts including 5 metres (m) at 40.8% Mn from surface, EOH (end-of-hole) in mineralisation; 3m at 39.9% Mn from 3 metres; and 4m at 36.2% Mn from 1m.

Macro has already started getting its ducks in a row for drilling work at the project: with a program of works for 50m x 50m spaced RC (reverse circulation) drilling across Crossroads prospect already submitted, as well as scheduling environmental and heritage surveys to clear three prospects and a central processing area.

Managing director Simon Rushton said the fieldwork program had provided strong pointers for future exploration at the play.

“I wish to thank our partners at RSC Consulting who have really assisted our internal technical team fast track above ground evaluation and have provided invaluable visual information that has been used to further refine the drill targeting planning at Wandanya,” he said.

“The feedback from the RSC mapping team following their Wandanya field work has been positively received by our technical team who are now clearly excited to get drills spinning as soon as possible so they can better understand the likely scale and quality of the Crossroads and Wandanya prospects.”

Macro shares moved up on the news, and at 12:22 AEDT, they were trading at 0.9 cents – a rise of 12.5% since the market opened.

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