Altitude Minerals Uncovers High-Value Zircon and Titanium Targets in Eromanga Basin
Altitude Minerals has identified significant concentrations of zircon and titanium minerals in new samples from its EL7071 tenement in South Australia's Eromanga Basin, setting the stage for a planned drilling campaign in September 2025.
- High-value heavy minerals including zircon, ilmenite, leucoxene, and rutile found in EL7071 samples
- Magnetic data supports interpreted drill targets beneath thin cover
- Eromanga Basin confirmed as a promising region for heavy mineral sands exploration
- 4,000m drilling program scheduled for September, pending heritage and permitting approvals
- Titanium's critical mineral status underscores strategic importance of the discovery
Exploration Breakthrough in the Eromanga Basin
Altitude Minerals Ltd (ASX, ATT) has announced encouraging results from reconnaissance sampling on its newly granted exploration license EL7071, located in the Eromanga Basin of South Australia. The samples revealed a rich assemblage of heavy mineral sands (HMS), notably high-value zircon and titanium minerals such as ilmenite, leucoxene, and rutile. These findings complement earlier positive results from nearby tenements and reinforce the company's confidence in the region's mineral potential.
Strategic Mineral Assemblage and Geological Context
The pan-concentrated grab samples from EL7071 returned heavy mineral contents ranging up to 85%, with zircon concentrations reaching as high as 30%. Titanium minerals dominated the assemblage, accounting for up to 50% in some samples. These minerals are critical for various industrial applications, including aerospace, defense, and medical technologies, with titanium recognized globally as a strategic mineral.
Geophysical data, particularly linear magnetic anomalies interpreted as preserved ancient shorelines, support the presence of HMS deposits beneath a thin cover. Historical drilling in the William Creek area indicates substantial thicknesses of target formations, further validating the prospectivity of the tenement.
Upcoming Drilling Program and Exploration Strategy
Altitude Minerals has secured a drilling rig and submitted the necessary permit applications, with a heritage survey planned for late August. The company aims to commence a 4,000-meter air-core drilling program in September 2025, expected to take approximately two weeks. This program will test the interpreted targets and provide critical data to assess the resource potential.
Managing Director Duncan Chessell highlighted the company’s broader strategy to leverage technical expertise in identifying high-quality, drill-ready targets across top mining jurisdictions. The Eromanga Basin project is a key part of this pipeline, alongside promising targets in New South Wales.
Regional Significance and Market Implications
The Eromanga Basin has recently attracted attention following heavy mineral sands discoveries by other ASX-listed companies, underscoring its emerging status as a significant HMS province. Altitude Minerals’ findings add momentum to this narrative, particularly given the growing demand for titanium and zircon in critical industrial sectors.
While the current results are based on reconnaissance sampling and pan concentrates; which are not fully representative of the entire deposit; the combination of geological, geophysical, and assay data presents a compelling case for further exploration. The upcoming drilling campaign will be pivotal in confirming the scale and grade of the mineralisation.
Bottom Line?
As Altitude Minerals prepares to drill, the Eromanga Basin’s heavy mineral sands potential could soon move from promising to proven.
Questions in the middle?
- Will the upcoming drilling confirm economically viable mineral concentrations?
- How might global titanium and zircon market dynamics influence project economics?
- What are the potential timelines and hurdles for advancing from exploration to development?
