Santa Anna Drilling Yields 87m at 2,124ppm Nb2O5 and 114m at 3,012ppm TREO

Exploration Breakthrough at Santa Anna

Power Minerals Limited (ASX, PNN) has announced compelling results from its maiden reverse circulation drilling program at the Santa Anna Project, located in Goiás State, Brazil. The 29-hole, 2,272-metre campaign has intersected multiple wide zones of high-grade niobium and rare earth element (REE) mineralisation, confirming the project's potential as a significant critical minerals asset.

The drilling program, designed to validate and extend previous mineralised zones and test new areas within the Santa Anna Alkaline Complex, has delivered standout intercepts. Highlights include an 87-metre intersection grading 2,124 parts per million (ppm) Nb2O5 starting at 24 metres depth, and a 114-metre zone from surface averaging 3,012 ppm total rare earth oxides (TREO). These results demonstrate mineralisation from near surface down to depths exceeding 100 metres, with multiple high-grade intervals within these broader zones.

Strategic Acquisition and Exploration Upside

Power Minerals holds an exclusive option to acquire the entire 17.05 square kilometre Santa Anna project permit, which hosts high-grade niobium, REE, and gallium mineralisation, particularly in the weathered upper zones. Importantly, approximately 89.3% of the 5.8 km² Alkaline Complex surface area remains untested by drilling, presenting a substantial opportunity for resource expansion.

The company’s Managing Director, Mena Habib, emphasised the significance of the results, noting that mineralisation occurs both at surface and at depth within the carbonatite intrusion. This aligns with Power Minerals’ exploration model and supports the potential for defining a significant niobium and REE deposit. The pending gallium assay results are eagerly awaited and could further enhance the project's value proposition.

Technical and Geological Context

The Santa Anna Project is situated within the Goiás Alkaline Province, a region known for late Cretaceous alkaline magmatism. The carbonatite intrusion is tectonically controlled and hosts a complex mineral assemblage including niobium, REEs, gallium, and phosphate. Previous exploration by the project vendors, Empresa de Desenvolvimento e Mineração (EDEM), included 192 drillholes predominantly shallow in depth, with 78% drilled to 30 metres or less. Power Minerals’ deeper drilling has now confirmed mineralisation extends well beyond these depths.

Geochemical analyses were conducted by SGS Geosol Laboratory in Brazil using lithium metaborate fusion and ICP techniques, ensuring comprehensive and reliable assay data. The company has implemented rigorous quality control measures, including certified reference materials and duplicate sampling, to validate results.

Next Steps and Market Implications

With these encouraging results, Power Minerals is preparing for further drilling to infill and extend known mineralisation, test deeper zones, and explore untested areas within the Santa Anna Alkaline Complex. The company also plans to advance towards an Exploration Target and Mineral Resource Estimate, subject to ongoing assay results and drilling outcomes.

For investors and the critical minerals sector, Santa Anna represents a promising addition to Power Minerals’ portfolio, enhancing its position in South America’s clean energy metals landscape. The pending gallium results and acquisition completion will be key milestones to watch.