12 Drill Holes Confirm Heavy Mineralisation up to 2.9% at Minta
Peak Minerals has confirmed a significant new rutile province at its Minta Rutile Project in Cameroon, with initial drilling revealing consistent heavy mineralisation over a 12km strike. The discovery expands the project's potential towards a globally significant scale.
- Initial 12 drill holes confirm heavy mineralisation from surface across 12km strike
- Notable intercepts include 4.7m at 2.9% heavy minerals and 4.25m at 2.4%
- Project area covers over 7,000 km² with exploration ongoing
- Oversize rutile mineralisation assays pending, potentially boosting grades
- Phase 2 drilling underway to extend coverage and target high-grade zones
A New Rutile Province Emerges
Peak Minerals Limited (ASX: PUA) has announced compelling results from its maiden greenfields drilling program at the Minta Rutile Project in Cameroon. The initial batch of assays from 12 hand auger drill holes has confirmed a broad and consistent heavy mineral (HM) presence, including rutile, over a 12-kilometre strike length. This discovery marks a significant expansion of the known mineralised footprint, positioning Minta as a potentially world-class rutile province.
The Minta Rutile Project spans over 7,000 square kilometres in a region previously underexplored with modern techniques. The recent drilling program systematically tested approximately 3,500 square kilometres, representing about half of the total project area. Every hole intersected heavy mineralisation from surface, with standout intercepts such as 4.7 metres at 2.9% HM and 4.25 metres at 2.4% HM, indicating both scale and grade consistency.
Exploration Techniques and Results
Utilising cost-effective hand auger drilling, a method well-suited for shallow surface mineralisation, Peak Minerals has efficiently delineated target zones for further investigation. The heavy mineral content reported so far focuses on the fine sand fraction below 1mm, while assays for the oversize rutile nuggets, ranging from 1mm to 30mm, are still pending. These larger particles could materially enhance the overall grade and economic potential of the deposit.
Additional highlights include the identification of rutile nuggets across the region and the presence of other valuable minerals such as zircon and monazite. The project also shows promising signs of gold mineralisation in the northeastern tenements, linked to granitic intrusions, which will be further analysed.
Next Steps and Market Implications
With Phase 1 drilling complete, Peak Minerals has already commenced Phase 2, extending reconnaissance drilling to cover the entire east-west extent of the Minta region. This next phase aims to refine targets through infill drilling and depth testing to better define higher-grade zones. The company is also advancing geo-metallurgical characterisation to understand mineral assemblages and processing potential.
CEO Casper Adson expressed optimism about the project’s scale and quality, emphasizing that these early results represent a major step toward unlocking the full value of this new rutile province. The pending assay results from over 300 additional holes and oversize mineralisation will be critical in shaping the project's future development and potential resource estimation.
Given the global demand for rutile in titanium dioxide production and other industrial applications, the Minta discovery could attract significant attention from investors and industry players. However, as with all early-stage exploration projects, uncertainties remain, and further drilling and analysis will be essential to confirm the deposit’s commercial viability.
Bottom Line?
As Peak Minerals advances its drilling and assay programs, the Minta Rutile Project could soon redefine rutile supply dynamics on a global scale.
Questions in the middle?
- How will the pending oversize rutile assays impact overall grade and resource estimates?
- What are the timelines and targets for the maiden Mineral Resource Estimate at Minta?
- Could the associated gold and zircon mineralisation add strategic value to the project?
