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Encounter Resources Reports Aileron Inferred Niobium Resource

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Encounter Resources (ASX: ENR) reported an initial Inferred Niobium Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) at the company’s Aileron project in the West Arunta region of Western Australia.

Encounter Resources declared the independent JORC 2012 compliant Inferred Niobium Mineral Resource defined at Aileron of 19.2 million tonnes at 1.74 per cent niobium was estimated from 2024 exploration drilling.

The company has commenced RC drilling with the aim of extending and improving the current definition of high-grade mineralisation.

Encounter believes potential exists for near-term MRE growth from ongoing infill RC and extensional aircore drilling across its tenements.

“Our 2024 wide-spaced exploration drilling has outlined what may become one of the world’s most significant undeveloped niobium resources,” Encounter Resources executive chairman Will Robinson said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“This early success highlights the exceptional geological potential of the Aileron project and the broader West Arunta region.

“This is only the beginning.

“The strike-extensive carbonatite systems of the West Arunta represent an unusually mineralised suite of intrusions, and Encounter is committed to unlocking their full potential through a focused and systematic exploration program.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

Encounter Resources Confirms High-Grade West Arunta Niobium Discovery at Green

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Encounter Resources (ASX: ENR) claimed confirmation of extensive, enriched, high-grade niobium mineralisation at the company’s 100 per cent-owned Aileron project in the West Arunta region of Western Austtralia.

Encounter Resources made the declaration on the back of the first RC drilling results received from the Green prospect at the Aileron project where assay results confirmed the presence of high-grade niobium mineralisation in the upper portion of the system.

The company said the results demonstrate the continuity of the high-grade niobium system from next door neighbour WA1’s Luni discovery in the south-west, across the tenement boundary into Green.

New intercepts from Green include:

EAL894
116 metres at 1.7 per cent niobium from 52m to EOH, including 28m at 3.3 per cent niobium from 62m and 32m at 2.1 per cent niobium from 95m; and

EAL899
81m at 1.5 per cent niobium from 39m, including 43m at 2.4 per cent niobium from 43m.

Encounter highlighted the 197 metres intersection of hole EAL894, claiming it to be the highest ‘grade x thickness’ RC drill intercept returned from the entire West Arunta province to date.

The company’s initial RC drilling at Green has now established a zone of strike extensive, thick, high-grade mineralisation, and subsequently, a diamond hole has been completed for metallurgical test work.

Further batches of assays from the remaining 30 RC holes completed across approx. 2km of strike at the western part of Green will be returned in the coming months.

“Green is a large mineralised carbonatite (+3km long) containing multiple zones of shallow, high-grade niobium mineralisation identified with aircore drilling,” Encounter Resources executive chairman Will Robinson said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“The first RC holes completed at the western side of Green demonstrate some of the best, depth extensive niobium mineralisation in the West Arunta.

“A further 30 RC drill holes have been completed at Green, through the better mineralised zones defined by aircore drilling, and we look forward to providing further assay results in the months ahead.”

 

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

 

Encounter Resources Intersects Enriched Niobium Oxide Mineralisation

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Encounter Resources (ASX: ENR) reported on exploration progress the company has made across multiple targets at its 100 per cent-owned Aileron project in the West Arunta region of Western Australia.

Encounter Resources explained it has adopted a drilling strategy of using low cost, fast moving aircore drilling to rapidly provide a broad outline of the potential for shallow, high-grade niobium mineralisation across key target areas within its tenement holdings.

The company scored its best niobium intercept to date at the Emily target, situated on a north-west structural trend adjacent to WA1 Resources’ Luni discovery of 23 metres at 4.2 per cent niobium from 40m to end of hole.

At the Green target, Encounter drilled its first RC holes, confirming the regolith profile and niobium oxide mineralisation extend beyond the depth of the first pass aircore drilling.

First RC assays expected November 2024.

“It is encouraging to intersect spectacular niobium grades in aircore drilling at Emily to complement similar previous results at Green and Crean,” Encounter Resources executive chairman Will Robinson said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“We have now transitioned to follow-up RC drilling, which is demonstrating that high-grade niobium oxide mineralisation is extending beyond the depths initially indicated by aircore drilling at Green.

“Assay results from the RC drilling at Green and Crean, through the better mineralised parts of these systems, are expected from November through until the March quarter 2025.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

Encounter Resources Extends High-Grade Aileron Niobium

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Encounter Resources ASX: ENR) reported additional niobium intersections from the company’s 100 per cent-owned Aileron project in the West Arunta region of Western Australia.

Encounter Resources reported that recently conducted aircore drilling intersected further shallow, high-grade niobium-REE mineralisation across multiple targets at the Aileron project.

The company said the latest results provide further validation of the abundant fertility of this new carbonatite mineral province.

The results have followed the trend of earlier drilling to enlarge the extensive footprint of carbonatites that contain +2% niobium drill intercepts.

Encounter noted that high-grade niobium intersections are repeatedly being achieved in wide spaced, first pass drilling.

The company believes follow-up drilling can then rapidly delineate the better mineralised parts of these complexes.

Aircore drilling at the Green target has delineated a large footprint of near-surface niobium intercepts with holes ending in mineralisation, including:

EAL489
10 metres at 4.2 per cent niobium pentoxide (Nb2O5) from 57m part of 38m at 1.5 per cent Nb2O5 from 51m; and

EAL500
10m at 4.3 per cent Nb2O5 from 51m part of 16m at 3 per cent Nb2O5 from 47m to EOH.

Drilling at the Crean target extended high-grade mineralisation to over 1.2km in strike.

New assays include:

EAL439
10m at 4.9 per cent Nb2O5 from 98m part of 49m at 1.7 per cent Nb2O5 from 86m to EOH; and

EAL449
24m at 2.1 per cent Nb2O5 from 81m part of 43m at 1.6 per cent Nb2O5 from 79m to EOH.

“Encounter’s Aileron project in the West Aruna hosts multiple bodies of high-grade, near-surface niobium oxide mineralisation,” Encounter Resources executive chairman Will Robinson said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“Crean is shaping up as a coherent body of thick, high-grade niobium mineralisation.

“Green contains a large, laterally mineralised zone with frequent high-grade niobium intercepts (+2% Nb2O5) defined in broad spaced aircore drilling.

“Beyond these discoveries, with new results such as at Joyce, we are continuing to validate our targeting model, which focuses on major regional faults which have the capacity to host mineralised carbonatites over considerable strike length.

“Finding and delineating high-grade zones, with mineable dimensions, along these mineralised corridors, is an immediate priority.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

Encounter Resources Score Further West Arunta High-Grade Niobium Intercepts

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Encounter Resources (ASX: ENR) announced further shallow, high-grade niobium intercepts via aircore drilling at the company’s Aileron project in the West Arunta region of Western Australia.

Encounter Resources’ 2024 aircore drill program is being undertaken to test and define areas of high-grade, shallow mineralisation near major structures across key targets it has previously identified at Aileron.

Based on the aircore results, the company envisages follow-up RC and potentially diamond drilling will test the depth extent of this mineralisation and provide further geological and metallurgical information.

A second batch of assays results from the Crean target includes additional shallow, high-grade niobium-REE mineralisation from previously reported results.

Aircore drilling at the Emily target returned shallow, high-grade niobium-REE mineralisation north and south of previously reported results.

“Aircore drilling is defining new belts of shallow niobium-REE carbonatite hosted mineralisation in the West Arunta,” Encounter Resources executive chairman Will Robinson said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“Highly enriched, near surface mineralisation has now been intersected at both the Crean and Emily targets which are located on separate structures at Aileron, over 10km apart.

“The aircore rig is currently completing further drill sections at the western end of Crean and will then return to Emily and Green.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

Encounter Resources Hits High-grade Niobium Intercepts at Crean Carbonatite

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Encounter Resources (ASX: EN) is enjoying a good run with Aircore drilling at the company’s 100 per cent-owned owned Aileron project in the West Arunta region of Western Australia.

Ongoing drilling at the Aileron project has intersected continuous near-surface carbonatite across four initial aircore drill lines at the Crean target.

First assays received from the most western drill line have returned shallow, high-grade niobium-REE mineralisation in three adjacent drillholes, including:

EAL256
52m at 3 per cent niobium pentoxide (Nb2O5) from 81m to EOH, including 16m at 6 per cent Nb2O5;

EAL155
32m at 2.5 per cent Nb2O5 from 67m to EOH, including 12m at 3.3 per cent Nb2O5; and

EAL257
15m at 1.5 per cent Nb2O5 from 120m to EOH, including 2m at 3.3 per cent Nb2O5.

Encounter has now taken the shallow mineralised trend identified at Crean to over 800m long, which appears to be strengthening to the west and remains open.

The company indicated the second batch of aircore samples, which includes further samples from Crean and priority samples from the Emily and Hurley prospects, are at the lab with assay results expected in July 2024.

“Aircore drilling is opening up new fronts of shallow niobium-REE carbonatite hosted mineralisation at Aileron,” Encounter Resources managing director Will Robinson said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“The aircore rig completed over 10,000 metres of drilling in its first month on site.

“This drilling has expanded the near surface footprint of the Crean, Hurley and Emily carbonatites.

“The aircore rig has now moved to the untested Green and Joyce targets located east of WA1 Resources’ Luni carbonatite discovery.

“Drilling will start with broad spaced aircore traverses and then move to closer spaced drilling based on initial observations.

“Aircore drilling is proving to be a fast, low impact and cost-effective method to discover near surface niobium-REE mineralisation in this part of the West Arunta.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

Encounter Resources Commences Diamond Drilling at Aileron

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Encounter Resources (ASX: ENR) has commenced a diamond drilling program at the company’s 100 per cent-owned Aileron project in the West Arunta region of Western Australia.

Encounter Resources is conducting an approx. 2,000 metres diamond drill program at Aileron, the first hole of which will be testing a discrete, high amplitude density anomaly at Perce the company considers prospective for IOCG mineralisation or an alkaline/carbonatite intrusion.

After this hole the diamond drill rig will then be charged with testing targets Encounter has generated via an aircore drill program it currently has in progress at Aileron.

This program has already completed a total of 70 aircore holes with the first batch of priority aircore samples from the Crean target already on their way to the lab for analysis.

“The project wide Falcon gravity survey that we completed provided fundamental new data to target IOCG and carbonatite-hosted niobium-REE deposits in the West Arunta region,” Encounter Resources managing director Will Robinson said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“The survey defined key regional structures that transect the West Arunta including the NNE trending Weddell Fault that bounds a number of the high priority prospects in the region.

“It highlighted significant gravity anomalies in the eastern part of Aileron including the discrete, high amplitude density anomaly at Perce, which is the first target to be tested.

“The initial diamond program at Perce is EIS co-funded and is the first phase of the systematic testing of major geophysical targets defined in the eastern part of this emerging new mineral belt.”

The Perce target is located at the eastern extent of Aileron where no previous drilling has been completed.

Encounter have designated it as a high priority geophysical target that is a discrete, high amplitude density anomaly located at a key structural intersection.

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE