Iltani Resources Strengthens Orient Open-Pit Case with Broad Intersections

Iltani Resources (ASX: ILT) has returned another batch of broad silver-lead-zinc-indium intersections from its Orient silver-indium project in north Queensland as a major drilling campaign moves towards completion.

Assays from 13 reverse circulation (RC) drill holes across Orient East and Orient West continued to show shallow mineralisation over substantial widths, supporting Iltani’s focus on a potential open pit development.

The latest results included several high-grade massive sulphide zones within broader mineralised envelopes, providing additional higher-grade material that Iltani considers could enhance an open pit operation and potentially support underground mining.

With 86 of 110 holes now completed from the initial program, drilling is expected to finish in September before the results are incorporated into an updated mineral resource estimate (MRE) targeted for the fourth quarter of 2026.

The current MRE stands at 62.5 million tonnes at 81.5g/t silver equivalent (AgEq), comprising 38.8Mt in the Indicated category and 23.7Mt Inferred.

Broad Results Support Open Pit

Seven holes returned shallow intersections combining substantial widths and grades, with Iltani highlighting the results as further support for the potential economics of an open-pit operation.

Among the standout results was a 100-metre intersection grading 73 grams per tonne AgEq from 83m, while another hole returned 42m at 140g/t AgEq from 120m.

Four Orient East holes also encountered massive sulphide intervals above 1,000g/t AgEq, including a 2m section grading 1,479g/t AgEq from 147m within a much broader mineralised zone.

The reported intersection widths are downhole widths only and were calculated using a 30g/t AgEq lower cut-off with no upper cut applied.

Resource Update Emerging

Infill drilling at Orient East is being completed on 40m section spacing, which Iltani expects will be sufficient to upgrade the core mineralised zone to the Indicated resource category and support the next stage of project studies.

Once that work is complete, the Orient East resource area will have been drilled at 40m spacing across 520m of strike and 450m down dip, with further extension drilling to be planned from pending assays.

Historical test work indicates the key silver, indium, lead, and zinc mineralisation can be recovered into lead-silver and zinc-indium concentrates, while Iltani is continuing metallurgical work around the broader development concept.

“Outstanding assay results continue to flow from the Orient drilling,” managing director Donald Garner said.

“When completed, our consultants will use the data generated to update the current Orient MRE, which should be completed in Q4 2026 and will then feed into the project’s Scoping Study.”

Further Upside Remains

At Orient West, the latest shallow drilling confirmed continuation of mineralisation northeast of the main resource area, where broad lower-grade zones are interspersed with narrower high-grade sulphide mineralisation.

Eight additional holes have already been completed down dip and farther along strike from the latest Orient West work, with Iltani to assess whether closer-spaced drilling is justified once assays are received.

A further 800m of strike to the northeast remains untested by drilling despite minor workings and gossanous outcrop, leaving a substantial untested extension beyond the drilled resource area.

Iltani expects the track-mounted RC rig to complete the initial program within about four to five weeks, after which it may add further holes based on the results while progressing the updated MRE and scoping study in 2027.