Estrella Resources hits high-grade manganese oxide intersects at Ira Miri in Timor-Leste

Estrella Resources (ASX: ESR) has intersected 6.45 metres of massive manganese oxides in the first hole of a maiden drilling campaign at its Ira Miri prospect in Timor-Leste.

The company has contracted CoreSearch to run the campaign, which commenced six months after Estrella’s initial discovery of the prospect.

The program consists of 3,000m diamond drilling and 10,000m reverse circulation work.

Outcropping mineralisation

Estrella encountered mineralisation from the first vertical hole at 1.35m depth in the mineralised outcrop that joint venture partner Murak Rai Timor – the state-run mining arm of the Timor-Leste government – discovered in November.

The hole ended in manganese oxides at 7.8m depth and the company collared it 3m from the outcrop.

Rock chip assays reported in February from the same outcrop indicated the mineralisation was very high grade.

Trench results

A trench located 8m to the south-east of the drillhole collar in an area covered by colluvial soils also encountered massive manganese oxides 0.7m below the surface.

Mineralisation was reportedly strong and massive at the base of the trench.

There is high potential for further mineralisation under a moderately thin layer of soil and scree in locations Estrella’s exploration model had predicted.

‘First-mover advantage’

Estrella’s campaign represents the first modern metallic minerals exploration program in Timor-Leste’s history.

“We have a substantial first-mover advantage here to unlock new and highly prospective targets which can be developed into a truly special project,” managing director Chris Daws said.

“While these are early results from just our first hole and trench in Timor-Leste, the findings provide confirmation that manganese mineralisation extends below the surface.”

Drill swap needed

Mr Daws said that a man-portable diamond rig originally selected for drilling Ira Miri was unable to deliver the desired torque needed to drill the friable manganese at required depths.

A natural break in the drilling roster cycle will give CoreSearch the opportunity to swap the rig for a more powerful diamond drill capable of meeting Estrella’s objectives.

They will mobilise the new rig to site by mid-June.