Iltani Resources has reported updated diamond drilling results confirming high-grade silver-indium mineralisation at its Orient West project, setting the stage for a JORC-compliant resource estimate by July 2025.
- Diamond drilling confirms multiple high-grade silver-indium intercepts
- JORC infill drilling program nearing completion at Orient West
- Initial resource estimate targeted by end of July 2025
- Mineralisation remains open at depth with potential for open pit and underground mining
- Further drilling planned to test lateral extensions and additional targets
Diamond Drilling Validates High-Grade Mineralisation
Iltani Resources Limited (ASX – ILT) has released updated results from its diamond drilling program at the Orient West segment of its broader Orient Silver-Indium Project in North Queensland. The recent drillholes, ORD002 and ORD003, have intersected multiple zones of high-grade silver-indium mineralisation, reinforcing the project’s status as one of Australia’s premier silver-indium discoveries.
The diamond drilling, part of a JORC infill program, has delivered impressive intercepts such as 5 meters at 428.6 grams per tonne silver equivalent (Ag Eq.) from 56 meters in ORD003, including a remarkable 0.83 meters at 1838.4 g/t Ag Eq. These results not only confirm the presence of rich polymetallic sulphide veins but also provide valuable structural and density data critical for accurate resource modelling.
Towards a JORC-Compliant Resource Estimate
The infill drilling program at Orient West is designed to establish continuity of mineralisation on a nominal 100m by 50m grid, suitable for an initial JORC-compliant Inferred Resource. With the completion of the diamond drilling phase, Iltani is collaborating with independent consultants Mining One to finalise the resource estimate, targeted for release by the end of July 2025.
Complementing this, the Orient East drilling program has also concluded, with assay results pending and a resource estimate expected by September 2025. Together, these efforts aim to define a substantial resource base that could support both open pit and underground mining operations, given the mineralisation remains open at depth.
Geological Insights and Exploration Strategy
The diamond core drilling has provided more than just assay results; it has offered insights into the mineralisation styles, structural controls, and alteration patterns. The core is oriented, allowing the team to better understand vein orientations and host rock characteristics. This structural knowledge is instrumental in refining drilling targets and improving the geological model.
Additionally, Iltani has received final data from a VTEM geophysical survey, with modelling underway to identify new targets. Drilling of these geophysical anomalies is planned to commence by late July, aiming to expand the known mineralised system laterally and add further tonnage and grade to the resource.
Broader Project Context and Future Prospects
Orient West sits within Iltani’s wholly owned exploration permit near Herberton, Queensland, and is part of a portfolio that includes other base and critical metals projects in Queensland and Tasmania. The company’s focus on silver-indium, a critical mineral for emerging technologies, positions it well in the evolving resource landscape.
With high-grade intercepts confirmed and resource estimates imminent, Iltani is poised to advance the project through further drilling and exploration. The potential for both open pit and underground mining, combined with ongoing geophysical targeting, suggests a promising development trajectory for the Orient Silver-Indium Project.
Bottom Line?
As Iltani prepares its first JORC resource estimates, the market will be watching closely for confirmation of the deposit’s scale and economic potential.
Questions in the middle?
- What will the final JORC resource estimate reveal about the total tonnage and grade?
- How might metallurgical recoveries and payable metals assumptions evolve with further test work?
- What impact will upcoming geophysical drilling have on expanding the known mineralised system?