Diamond Drilling Hits 2141.9 g/t Silver Equivalent in Orient East Intercept

Outstanding Drill Results at Orient East

Iltani Resources Limited (ASX, ILT) has announced spectacular results from its recent diamond drilling program at the Orient East segment of its flagship Orient Silver-Indium Project, located near Herberton in North Queensland. Two diamond drillholes, ORD004 and ORD005, have returned some of the highest-grade silver-indium and base metal mineralisation recorded at the project to date.

Notably, drillhole ORD005 intersected a remarkable 1 metre zone grading 2141.9 grams per tonne (g/t) silver equivalent, including 805 g/t silver, 174.1 g/t indium, 20.73% lead, and 10.35% zinc, marking the highest-grade mineralisation encountered at Orient so far. This high-grade zone is part of a broader 46-metre interval averaging 198.5 g/t silver equivalent from 67 metres downhole, highlighting both grade and width at accessible depths.

Implications for Resource Growth

The results from ORD004 and ORD005 not only confirm the continuity of mineralisation but also validate Iltani’s belief that Orient is Australia’s largest and highest-grade known silver-indium deposit. The wide intercepts, such as 24 metres at 215.5 g/t silver equivalent in ORD004 and the multiple high-grade zones exceeding 1,000 g/t silver equivalent, suggest significant potential for an open-pittable resource.

These findings come ahead of an eagerly anticipated JORC Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) for Orient East, which Mining One Consultants is preparing. The MRE is expected to be released by late September or early October 2025 and aims to convert the current exploration target, estimated between 12 to 18 million tonnes at 110 to 130 g/t silver equivalent, into a formally classified resource.

Robust Methodology and Project Context

Iltani’s drilling program employed oriented diamond core techniques, allowing precise structural measurements and accurate density assessments critical for resource modelling. The company’s rigorous sampling and assay protocols, including four-acid digest ICP-MS and ICP-AES analyses, underpin the reliability of the reported grades.

The Orient Project already hosts a substantial JORC resource at Orient West, comprising 21.6 million tonnes at 100.5 g/t silver equivalent. The recent drilling at Orient East complements this, potentially expanding the overall resource base. The project’s mineralisation style, massive sulphide veins rich in silver, indium, lead, and zinc, positions it as a strategic asset in the supply of critical metals for low-emission technologies.

Looking Ahead

With the upcoming resource estimate and ongoing drilling planned for 2025, Iltani Resources is advancing its development pipeline at a measured but confident pace. The company’s Managing Director, Donald Garner, emphasised the excitement around these results and the structural insights gained from oriented core, which will refine future exploration and resource modelling efforts.