South Australian-based junior explorer Monax Mining (ASX:MOX) has updated the market on continued exploration for manganese on its Waddikee project located on central Eyre Peninsula in South Australia.

The Waddikee project is the subject of a farmin agreement with ASX listed OM Holdings Limited’s (ASX: OMH) wholly owned subsidiary, OMM. OMM is required to fund A$2 million over four years to acquire a 60% participating interest in the Waddikee project.

Initial exploration as part of the OMM farmin agreement commenced in late 2009 and comprised detailed geological mapping, ground magnetic surveying, coupled with an orientation geochemical sampling program at the Jamieson Tank prospect.

This detailed exploration further investigated the extent of manganese mineralisation, and will continue into the first quarter of 2010, leading to a targeted RC drilling program, scheduled for May 2010.

Detailed geological mapping at Jamison Tank revealed five separate manganese horizons, including two new horizons not previously recognised. The manganese appears to have a strong stratigraphic relationship with ironstone and chert, which is demonstrated in the high resolution ground magnetic
data.

Monax Managing Director Gary Ferris said the information gives Monax further confidence that the manganese horizons continue along strike under cover, extending the zone of interest at the Jamieson Tank prospect.

"An orientation geochemical sampling program was undertaken to investigate the best sampling media for detecting manganese mineralisation under cover," Mr Ferris said.

"Results revealed that bulk soil samples reported the best correlation to rock chip sampling in areas of known manganese mineralisation, and will be an important tool in exploration the for manganese under sand cover.

"Rock chip samples returned values of up to 46% Mn with low deleterious elements."

Mr Ferris said the manganese potential at the Waddikee project was significant and would be a key element of Monax’s exploration program going forward.

"We are delighted to have OMM as a strategic partner, bringing significant experience from its involvement in the manganese production industry, as well as funding exploration costs under the terms of the farmin agreement," he said.

A comprehensive auger soil sampling program has commenced at Jamieson Tank to investigate the continuity of manganese mineralisation under shallow sand cover along 6.5km of prospective strike.

The auger program will comprise over a thousand samples, playing a key role in the design of a targeted RC drilling program.

Selected auger traverses will be undertaken over the identified regional prospects to evaluate these areas for new manganese mineralisation, and a targeted RC drilling program at Jamieson Tank is scheduled for May 2010 based on results from the current exploration program.