The Manyingee project (E08/1480 and R08/3) is located 85 km south of the port of Onslow. The project is adjacent to mining leases containing Paladin Energy’s Manyingee Uranium Deposit, a stacked series of palaeochannel-hosted roll-front uranium deposits buried under approximately 40m of cover. Airborne EM data and reconnaissance drilling by EME in 2012 indicates the main Manyingee palaeochannel extends onto E08/1480 up-channel of Paladin’s deposit. The target area on 100% EME ground is referred to as the Manyingee East prospect.
Encouraging results were obtained from a small rotary mud drill program (18 holes for 1,790m) completed in late 2014 which affirmed the uranium potential of Manyingee East (ASX release 27th October 2014).
Following discussions with resource consultants it was determined that sufficient continuity of mineralisation could be demonstrated from drilling results to enable Energy Metals to proceed with estimation of a mineral resource. On 7th November 2016 EME announced an initial JORC (2012) Mineral Resource Estimate for the Manyingee East Deposit.
Manyingee East Resource Estimate at various grade-thickness (GT) cut-off values
| Tonnes (Million)* | Cut-off GT (m*ppm eU3O8) | Average Grade eU3O8 (ppm) | Average GT (m*ppm eU3O8) | Contained U3O8 (tonnes) | Contained U3O8 (Mlb) |
| 2.84 | 250 | 455 | 993 | 1,291 | 2.85 |
| 2.06 | 500 | 524 | 1,224 | 1,079 | 2.38 |
| 0.86 | 1,000 | 756 | 1,996 | 650 | 1.43 |
Tonnes are metric (2204.62 pounds), figures may not total precisely due to round-off errors. Significant figures do not imply precision. *A bulk density value of 1.7 t/m3 was used for the estimation.
Manyingee-style mineralisation is considered favourable for extraction of uranium by cost effective in-situ recovery (ISR) methods, and Energy Metals will continue to evaluate future resource upgrade and development options. A Retention Licence application has been lodged with the DMP over resource areas of E08/1480 in order to maintain the project under Energy Metals tenure until economic conditions improve.
Plan showing drilling results at the Manyingee East project (left panel) and resource areas (in pink) for EME’s Manyingee East Deposit on E08/1480 (right panel).