【Ferro-alloys.com】:Australia-listed Buxton Resources on Tuesday announced an agreement to acquire a manganese brownfield exploration project in Arizona, US.

The Matrix manganese project, in Mohave county, is adjacent to the Artillery Peak project, which has a resource of 277-million tonnes at 2.8% manganese. 

Buxton said that mapping by the Arizona Geological Survey indicated good potential for known resources to extend onto the Matrix tenure.

CEO Marty Moloney said that the project acquisition provided Buxton with a low-cost option on the high-purity manganese sulphate market that was predicted to grow substantially over the next five or six years.

“The US currently relies 100% on manganese imports and significant incentives, such as the Biden Administration’s massive Inflation Reduction Act, are available for critical mineral projects,” noted Moloney.

Buxton plans to start work on the ground in the third quarter, with drilling designed to test extensions of known manganese mineralisation expected in the fourth quarter.

The company will earn-in to 100% ownership of 154 BLM lode mining claims by spending A$1-million over two years.  Buxton will also issue Solution Metals A$150 000 in shares within 20 days after executing the agreement and a 1.5% net smelter return royalty. At the two-year anniversary, Buxton will issue Solution Metals a second tranche of A$100 000 in shares.

• [Editor:Alakay]