- 01Iltani hits high-grade Ag-Pb-Zn-In at Orient West.
- 0225m @ 146 g/t AgEq; incl 4m @ 327 g/t AgEq.
- 03Orient MRE: 62.5 Mt @ 81.5 g/t AgEq; potential uplift.
Iltani Resources (ASX: ILT) has returned high-grade silver-lead-zinc-indium mineralisation from six reverse circulation holes at Orient West in north Queensland, with step-out drilling confirming continuity beyond the current resource footprint.
Three holes produced four intercepts above 1,000 grade-metres on a silver equivalent basis, led by 25 metres at 146 grams per tonne AgEq from 114m, including 4m at 327g/t AgEq.
The current Orient MRE stands at 62.5 million tonnes at 81.5g/t AgEq, comprising 38.8Mt in the Indicated category and 23.7Mt in the Inferred category.
The latest drilling, together with recent Link Zone results, has strengthened Iltani’s plans to expand the MRE before advancing the project’s scoping work.
Extensions Beyond Resource
The standout 25m interval included 1m at 849g/t AgEq from 116m and a separate 3m zone at 335g/t AgEq from 127m.
Another hole intersected 21m at 100g/t Ag Eq. from 101m, including 1m at 669g/t AgEq from 104m, while other drilling returned multiple mineralised zones across the northeast ridge.
Four of the latest holes are on the margins of or outside the current MRE grade shell and follow up late-2025 drilling east of the previously known Orient West mineralisation, with the new work demonstrating strike continuity over about 400m.
Across the broader area, Iltani has drilled 1,200m of Orient West mineralisation at 50m section spacing and another 450m at 100m spacing.
A further 700m to the northeast is defined by historical workings and gossanous outcrop but remains lightly tested.
Shallow Zones Add Potential
The results indicate further shallow up-dip veins less than 100m from surface, alongside continuation of mineralisation at depth, and Iltani considers the northeastern zones suitable for further assessment as potential open pit material.
Beneficiation test work with Tomra is expected to start within weeks as Iltani examines the potential for ore sorting to upgrade the more moderate broader grades outside the high-grade Orient West Core Zone.
“We are really excited by the potential of these areas to deliver a material uplift to the overall Orient Mineral Resource, plus the mineralisation remains open (depth and strike)—so more tonnes, more metal, and we are planning much more drilling.” managing director Donald Garner said.
The track-mounted RC rig is drilling the 103rd hole of the planned initial 110-hole program, samples from which are being submitted to Intertek in Townsville every three to four days, with assay turnaround currently running at about one to two months.
Iltani expects to complete the updated MRE in the fourth quarter of 2026, with the new model intended to support the Orient Scoping Study scheduled for early 2027 and subsequent feasibility studies for potential open pit extraction.
Get the wire before the market opens.
The ASX small-cap stories that matter, filed before 9am AEST. Curated by the Small Caps desk.