Iltani Resources (ASX:ILT) has received $8 million from the Queensland Investment Corporation’s (QIC) Queensland Critical Minerals and Battery Technology Fund (QCMBTF) to accelerate work at the Orient Project.
The company has begun the Orient Project Mining Option Study, and is currently undergoing the permitting and approval process.
Iltani will increase its exploration activities in the 2026 season, targeting resource growth at the project.
Drilling will be conducted at the Link Zone, located between the Orient West and East areas to merge the known resource, as well as at Vein 1 in Orient East. The company intends to convert the exploration target to mineral resources.
Further exploration will target Orient North, following Iltani’s recent versatile time domain electromagnetic (VTEM) drilling across 10 shallow holes.
The first hole (ORR128) delivered multiple intersections of “thick” silver-lead-zinc-indium mineralisation, 450m north of the Orient East resource zone, as reported by Mining.com.au.
Iltani will also conduct drilling at Deadman Creek and deeper targets at Orient through VTEM drilling.
Meanwhile, the company will conduct drill testing at the Isabel and Isabel Extended deposits within the greater Herberton Project, as well as the Boonmoo epithermal system and the Union Jack targets.
Managing Director Donald Garner says the company has had to demobilise the Herberton site as the onset of rain has marked the start of the wet season.
“This season has been an outstanding success, and we have completed an initial Orient Project mineral resource estimate (MRE), delivering an Orient Project (Orient West and East) of 34.2Mt @ 110.4 grams per tonne silver equivalent,” Garner says.
“The completion of the Queensland Investment Corporation’s Queensland Critical Minerals and Battery Technology Fund $8 million investment into Iltani has enabled us to accelerate Orient Project activities, and we have commenced the studies, permitting and approval process for the Orient Project.”
Iltani has also appointed Richard Oldham from Reach Environmental to manage the Orient Project to streamline the permitting and approval process.
“When we get back on the ground in early 2026, we will materially increase the level of exploration activity at the Orient Project and within our larger Herberton Project, building on the success of 2025,” Garner says.
“We plan to grow the Orient mineral resource, explore the larger Orient system and ramp up exploration activities within the Herberton Project.”
Iltani Resources is a critical minerals explorer and developer focused on building an Australia-based portfolio of projects.
Write to Maddison Elliott at Mining.com.au
Images: Iltani Resources
