Latest news with #EstrellaResources
West Australian
03-06-2025
- Business
- West Australian
Estrella hits massive manganese oxides in Timor-Leste debut
Estrella Resources has made a landmark discovery in its maiden exploration program in Timor-Leste, intersecting a thick 6.45-metre zone of massive manganese oxides just 1.35m below surface at its Ira Miri prospect. In what marks the first modern metallic minerals drillhole sunk in the country, Estrella's initial diamond hole confirmed high-grade manganese mineralisation right from the outset. The mineralisation is still open at 7.8m depth. The discovery comes hot on the heels of an original outcrop found six months ago and just 3m away. Rock chip samples from the surface discovery returned jaw-dropping assays of up to 58.6 per cent manganese. The latest X-ray fluorescence readings from the drill core have now backed up the earlier numbers. They average an impressive 40.1 per cent manganese over the 6.45m interval and confirm more high-grade mineralisation beneath surface. The drill hole ended early because of intermittent core recovery and a scheduled roster break under Timor-Leste mining laws. Estrella will use the downtime to mobilise a more powerful diamond rig in the next two weeks, capable of punching deeper into the friable manganese-rich zones. Core has now been removed for a presentation in June at the International Manganese Institute's conference in Tokyo. Notably, a trench dug just 8m southeast of the drill hole also encountered massive manganese oxides starting 0.7m below surface, despite the area showing no visible surface mineralisation. The find suggests the potential for widespread, near-surface mineralisation hidden under shallow cover throughout the area. Estrella says the rapid turnaround to drilling is a strong sign of the in-country co-operation. Its joint venture partner, state-owned Murak Rai Timor has been instrumental in fast-tracking the campaign. Murak Rai Timor's managing director Jose Goncalves also welcomed the result, calling it a strong endorsement of the joint venture's strategy and a powerful first step in uncovering Timor-Leste's critical minerals potential. The current drilling program is being run by Darwin-based CoreSearch, which also impressively mobilised both diamond and reverse circulation drill rigs into Timor-Leste's remote Lautém district in record time. Since Timor-Leste is still an underexplored region, Estrella says it holds a substantial first mover advantage, which could crack open a treasure trove of untapped targets and turn the region into something special. Estrella is also eyeing the country's broader mineral potential, with a significant high-grade limestone deposit sitting directly above its manganese horizon. Two weeks ago, the company struck a major deal to export up to 500 million tonnes of premium, coral-rich limestone over five years to meet booming industrial demand in South East Asia. The limestone, part of the Baucau Formation, is high-purity calcite with minimal impurities, making it ideal for cement, glass, agriculture and nickel processing. It also sits straight above the manganese targets, allowing for streamlined dual resource exploration. A major 20,000m drilling blitz is now on the cards, combining 10,000m of reverse circulation drilling and 3000m of deeper diamond drilling in the first phase, followed by a further 10,000m of reverse circulation drilling after a geological review. With Timor-Leste aiming to make its mark in the global supply chain for industrial metals, Estrella's Ira Miri manganese find could be the opening salvo of something much bigger. Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact:
West Australian
29-05-2025
- Business
- West Australian
Estrella makes history with manganese drill program in Timor-Leste
Estrella Resources has officially broken new ground by launching Timor-Leste's first modern metallic mineral exploration program, punching-in the company's maiden diamond drill hole at the highly prospective Ira Miri manganese prospect. In mobilising a man-portable diamond rig from Dili to the Lautem region, Estrella says its joint venture (JV) with the East Timorese Government's Murak Rai Timor and drilling contractor CoreSearch marks the beginning of an intrepid new era for resource development in the South East Asian nation. The inaugural hole is now underway, targeting manganese mineralisation just below an outcropping unit. The company has also started initial trenching to pinpoint the key geological contact within the Noni Formation. The broader campaign will comprise an initial 3000 metres of diamond drilling and 10,000m of reverse circulation drilling, followed by a further 10,000m of reverse circulation drilling in a second phase after results start to roll in. The campaign isn't just a technical achievement. Cultural integration has played a central role, with local elders blessing the site through traditional ceremonies. More than 40 members of the local community were also engaged in hand-clearing tracks to the drill pad. Estrella has reinforced the tracks with machinery to ensure long-term access and erosion control. Follow-up drill sites have already been prepped 100m from the first line. The project sits within Estrella's northernmost Lautem project area and includes multiple drill targets across the Ira Miri, Sica and Lalena prospects. The initial drilling program will zero in on the manganese-rich zones mapped at Ira Miri. Estrella has also set its sights on the region's broader mineral potential, including a large limestone deposit lying above the manganese horizon. Two weeks ago, Estrella unveiled a landmark deal that could see up to 500 million tonnes of premium limestone shipped from Timor-Leste over the next five years, targeting South East Asia's surging industrial minerals demand. The high-grade, coral-rich limestone sits atop the Baucau Formation within Estrella's 195-square-kilometre concession and directly overlies its manganese targets. This makes exploration doubly efficient as both resources can be assessed in tandem during drilling. Recent assays have proved the limestone is a high-purity calcite with few impurities, meaning it could be perfect for use in cement, glass production, agriculture and as a key neutralising agent in nickel processing and environmental remediation. Since drilling at Ira Miri will offer Estrella a first glimpse beneath the surface of Timor-Leste's largely untouched terrain, Estrella plans to release early manganese assays in June at the International Manganese Institute's conference in Tokyo. The company and its government-backed JV partner see the event as a fantastic opportunity to spotlight Timor-Leste's emerging role in the global critical minerals sector. Operations have been fast-tracked under a special approval from the Timorese mining regulator and broader environmental clearances are pending. As the bit bites into fresh Timorese geology, Estrella is officially a first mover to unlock the nation's untapped mineral wealth. With drills spinning, support entrenched and geology onside, the company's Timor-Leste push could soon evolve into a game-changing discovery story. Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact:
West Australian
21-05-2025
- Business
- West Australian
Estrella strikes mega limestone deal in Timor-Leste
Estrella Resources has struck a game-changing deal that could see up to a whopping 500 million tonnes of limestone shipped out of Timor-Leste over the next five years in a push by the company to supply South East Asia's booming industrial minerals market. The company has signed a binding master agreement with Indonesian mining and energy services outfit PT Raka Energi Mandiri (REM), granting the latter exclusive marketing and off-take rights to Estrella's high-grade calcite-rich limestone from its vast Timor-Leste concessions. Estrella is aiming to hit the ambitious 500Mt target within five years from first shipment. If achieved, it would trigger the issue of up to 500 million performance-based share options to REM exercisable at five cents each, subject to shareholder approval. The companies have formed a joint venture, Estrella Murak Rai Timor Lda, in which Estrella holds a commanding 70 per cent and Timor-Leste's state-owned Murak Rai Timor owns the remaining 30 per cent. The joint venture company will scoop up 100 per cent of the proceeds from any limestone sales. In a move management says is 'truly transformational,' the agreement gives REM the rights to secure buyers in Indonesia, where demand for limestone is skyrocketing thanks to its critical role in neutralising acid during nickel processing - particularly in Indonesia - and for other industrial uses. The limestone sits at the top of the Baucau Formation, as a clean, coral-rich geological layer mapped across Estrella's 195-square-kilometre concession area. As it lies directly above the company's manganese targets, exploration is likely to be twice as efficient as both resources can be assessed during the same drilling campaigns. Recent assays have confirmed the Baucau limestone as a premium calcite with minimal impurities, which will be ideal as a strong neutralising agent for use in cement, glass, agriculture and environmental remediation in nickel processing. For the deal to be sealed, Estrella will have to first reach a few critical milestones in double-quick time. The company must define a JORC-compliant 500Mt limestone resource by the end of September this year, then complete a positive scoping study by November and finally lock in mining and export approvals before the year's end. While ambitious, Estrella has already begun community consultations, land access negotiations and port development planning to get limestone on ships. It is also considering interim export through Timor's existing Com Port before developing a new facility. REM, which already has boots on the ground across Indonesia's coal and power sectors, is bringing a well-renowned distribution network and environmental focus to the table. Estrella says this will be key to its plans for accessing Indonesia's nickel producers, which are under pressure to lower emissions in the electric vehicle supply chain. South East Asia's calcite market is projected to soar from US$5 billion (A$7.8B) in 2023 to more than US$8.1B (A$12.7B) by 2032. With China tightening supply, the company appears well positioned to become a go-to regional source. Meanwhile, Estrella is rapidly moving forward with plans for a maiden drilling campaign on its in-country Ira Miri, Sica and Lalena manganese prospects. A track-mounted rig - recently shipped from Darwin - will hit the ground in the next week or two after final environmental approvals have been issued. It will be operated by Dili-based CoreSearch Minerals and Mining Services LDA. The 13,000-metre drilling program has been split into 10,000m of reverse circulation drill holes followed by 3000m of diamond holes. A second round of drilling has also been booked in after results from the initial program have been analysed. The ambitious plan to mine and sell limestone together with manganese from its leases may well transform Estrella's Timor-Leste play into a high-impact dual commodity opportunity, with limestone potentially taking centre stage in the company's next act. Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact:
West Australian
14-05-2025
- Business
- West Australian
Estrella bolsters portfolio with landmark Timor licensing approval
Estrella Resources has notched yet another Timor-Leste landmark achievement, announcing the first successful conversion of permits into exploration and evaluation licenses under the mineral-rich country's new mining laws. The company's four converted permits more than double its exploration and evaluation footprint from 121.5km² to an impressive 268.7km², unlocking prospective geology and high-grade manganese targets to be drill tested for the very first time. The newly minted licenses will replace old reconnaissance permits, enabling Estrella to deploy ground-disturbing methods including all-important maiden drilling campaigns that are set to follow the receipt of the nation's first mineral exploration rig later this month. The news comes at a time when Estrella has unearthed a surprising contender for a new mineral discovery – the presence of clean, fossil-rich limestones sitting above its manganese horizons. It follows some eye-catching early-stage assay results throughout last year, that flagged the serious mineral rich nature of Timor Leste, formally known as East Timor. Some rock samples tabled by Estrella showed high-grade manganese up to a serious 58.2 per cent Mn across the featured 'Noni' rock formations. Estrella says its new licenses will be valid for four years with a potential six-year extension option as part of the existing joint venture with state-owned Murak Rai Timor, who is free-carried in the project until feasibility study completion. The northern and western extensions of the Sica-Lalena manganese trend remain the company's core focus where significant tertiary style manganese has already been identified. Estrella is now busy hunting for substantial secondary supergene deposits akin to those at its flagship Sica and Ira Miri prospects. During mapping surveys Estrella's geologists noted abundant clean limestone above its targeted Noni formation, prompting its inclusion in all four licenses. Assays revealed astonishingly high calcium carbonate levels up to 93.4 per cent, with low impurities and high industrial application potential. The proximity of these limestones to coastal ports only enhance the company's belief in its economic viability. Conveniently, Estrella's planned maiden drill testing for manganese will intersect the overlying limestone horizons, securing extra bang for the company's buck should a bi-product scenario evolve. Estrella says it is wasting no time following its license conversions, with plans to test its staggeringly high-grade manganese targets with reverse circulation and diamond drilling once a rig arrives later this month. Drilling will coincide with the end of Timor's wet season, with environmental surveys for the untouched Ira Miri, Sica and Lalena drill targets having all been completed. The company says applications for environmental clearances and access tracks are being drafted for the new licenses, while mapping and limestone sampling continue. Estrella is not only exploiting its first mover advantage in the newly 'open for mining' Timor-Leste, it is also doubling down on an expected boom in manganese demand as lithium ferro phosphate (LFP) batteries used in electric vehicles move to the higher performance lithium manganese ferro phosphate (LMFP) chemistry. As global demand for manganese surges and limestone emerges as a low-cost, high-margin bi-product, Estrella moves closer and closer to the first ever drill test of untouched Timor-Leste's mineral abundance just might get interesting. Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact:
