Encounter Resources (ASX:ENR) has expanded shallow, ‘high-grade’ niobium mineralisation at the Emily deposit within its Aileron Project in Western Australia.
Aircore drilling across contiguous holes returned 13m @ 3.20% niobium pentoxide (Nb₂O₅) from 39m to end of hole in EAL1993 and 15m @ 2.40% Nb₂O₅ from 44m to end of hole in EAL1995.
Other results include 27m @ 1% Nb₂O₅ from 38m to end of hole in EAL1990, 13m @ 1.10% Nb₂O₅ from 37m to end of hole in EAL1992, and 10m @ 1.20% Nb₂O₅ from 33m in EAL1994.
All reported intersections are downhole lengths, with true widths yet to be determined.
At the Green deposit, infill drilling returned 53m @ 2.90% Nb₂O₅ from 79m to end of hole in EAL1452, including 7m @ 5% Nb₂O₅ from 81m and 20m @ 3.80% Nb₂O₅ from 107m.
A second Green hole delivered 75m @ 2.40% Nb₂O₅ from 43m to end of hole, including 21m @ 3.40% Nb₂O₅ from 43m.
Executive Chairman Will Robinson says the Emily results have improved the company’s understanding of the continuity and extent of the mineralisation.
“The continuity of mineralisation across the section is particularly encouraging and reinforces the potential to grow the shallow, high-grade component of the Emily deposit,” Robinson says.
Emily hosts an inferred mineral resource of 3.5 million tonnes (Mt) @ 1.90% Nb₂O₅ within a broader 14Mt @ 0.93% Nb₂O₅ resource.
The broader Aileron Project contains an inferred resource of 120Mt @ 0.77% Nb₂O₅, including 26Mt @ 1.70% Nb₂O₅ across the Green, Emily, and Crean deposits.
Encounter Resources has completed more than 30,000m of a planned 70,000m drilling campaign during 2026. The company notes assays from another 40 Emily aircore holes are expected in August and September, while further drilling will test the dimensions and depth extent of the mineralised zone.
Write to France Pinzon at Mining.com.au
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