The majority of the surficial manganese occurs as replacements within limestone, and covers sections of the Batu Hitam and Batu Hitam West JORC mineral resource areas. The strongest manganese mineralisation occurs on the eastern-most line of drilling at Batu Hitam and therefore, in common with the underlying precious and base metal zones, the manganese-rich zone remains open for further discovery and expansion by drilling.

Some of the more significant manganese mineralisation intersections include:

• LWD082: 33.0m at 33.5% Mn from surface; includes 9.0m at 50.5% Mn from 12.0m
  • and 2.8m @ 51.7% Mn from 23.7m
• LWD088: 8.0m at 32.8% Mn from surface; includes 4.0m at 49.5% Mn from surface;
  • includes 1.5m @ 54.9% Mn from 2.5m
• LWD091: 8.0m at 39.4% Mn from surface;
  • includes 4.0m at 50.4% Mn from surface
• LWD093: 5.0m at 49.7% Mn from surface
• LWD0103: 4.5m at 53.2% Mn from surface

In view of these thick intersections and high grades, the company has decided to explore systematically for additional manganese mineralisation through soil sampling, geological mapping and diamond drilling. Robust has commissioned two light-weight "Winkie" drill rigs which can be rapidly deployed and can drill NQ triple-tube core to the depth required to define the manganese zone. This programme will also have the benefit of providing samples of the underlying volcanic breccias, which are very prospective for gold, silver, lead, zinc and copper.

Robust is also undertaking metallurgical tests on the manganese mineralisation to determine potential beneficiation options to enhance the economics of any potential manganese project, and to ensure the quality of the product meets market standards.

The manganese mineralisation occurs in close proximity to the gold-silver and base metal bearing polymetallic deposits and it will be necessary to mine the manganese in order to access the other deposits. Subject to further exploration, scoping studies and further test work, it is likely that the manganese, gold-silver oxide and polymetallic sulphide projects can be sequenced in a manner complementary to their infrastructure requirements and in a way that could potentially enhance the economic returns from all three projects.