Bryah Resources and its joint venture (JV) partner, OM (Manganese) (OMM), have received two mining licences at the Bryah Basin manganese project in Western Australia.

The two mining licences, which comprise M 52/1087 for the Brumby Creek area and M 52/1088 for the Black Hill area, are located on the exploration tenement E52 /3237.

The M52/1088 covers the Black Hill JORC resource and the Black Hill Northeast prospect while the M52/1087 encompasses the Brumby Creek West, Brumby Creek East, Area 74 JORC resources and Redrum project areas.

Currently, Bryah and OMM own 49% and 51% stakes, respectively, in the JV, which holds rights to undertake exploration work to test targets in the area.

Bryah CEO Ashley Jones said: “The mining licences that have been granted are an important step in moving the joint venture's successful manganese exploration to the production stage. Additional tonnes are expected to be added to the current JORC resource from recent drilling at Red Rum and Brumby Creek West.

“The mining licence applications and environmental permitting process are prerequisites to getting this manganese mining area back into production.”

The JV applies to around 660km² of Bryah Resources’ Bryah Basin Project, including the historic Horseshoe South Manganese Mine.

The venture aims to explore commercially mineable manganese and undertake feasibility studies.

Covering an area of 1,048km², the prospective Bryah Basin licences hold potential new volcanogenic massive sulphide ‘Horseshoe Lights type’ mine analogue at the Windalah prospect, and multiple other similar untested targets.

The area also comprises extensive extensions of manganese.

OMM is a wholly owned subsidiary of manganese ores supplier OM Holdings.