Power Minerals Limited has reported further high-grade niobium and rare earth element results from its Santa Anna project in Brazil, setting the stage for a significant 10,000m drilling campaign aimed at delivering a maiden resource estimate in early 2026.
- High-grade niobium and rare earth element assays from recent auger drilling
- 20m at 2,006 ppm Nb2O5 and 20m at 4,757 ppm TREO from surface in drillhole MN-TM-018
- Upcoming 10,000m reverse circulation drilling campaign to expand mineralised footprint
- Maiden Mineral Resource Estimate targeted for Q1 2026
- Power Minerals holds binding option to acquire entire Santa Anna alkaline carbonatite complex
Exploration Momentum Builds at Santa Anna
Power Minerals Limited (ASX, PNN) has released compelling new assay results from its ongoing exploration at the Santa Anna carbonatite project in Goiás State, Brazil. The latest 1,000m auger drilling program targeting the upper 15 metres of weathered material has returned further high-grade intercepts of niobium (Nb) and rare earth elements (REE), reinforcing the project's potential as a critical minerals hub.
Among the standout results, drillhole MN-TM-018 delivered 20 metres at 2,006 ppm Nb2O5 from surface, including a peak 1 metre interval grading 8,616 ppm Nb2O5 at 15 metres depth. Concurrently, this hole returned 20 metres at 4,757 ppm total rare earth oxides (TREO), with a 1 metre sample hitting 1.40% TREO near surface. Adjacent hole MN-TM-019 also showed robust REE grades, including 13 metres at 6,774 ppm TREO.
Strategic Drilling Campaign to Expand Footprint
Building on these encouraging results, Power Minerals is poised to commence a substantial 10,000-metre reverse circulation (RC) drilling campaign. The initial phase of 2,000 metres is scheduled to start imminently, aiming to extend the mineralised zones east and southeast beyond the initial drilling footprint. This program is designed to test previously unassessed areas of the Santa Anna Alkaline Carbonatite Complex and deepen the understanding of the deposit's geology and grade continuity.
The company’s Managing Director, Mena Habib, highlighted the significance of the results and the upcoming drilling, "Our ongoing auger drilling continues to validate our exploration model and strengthens confidence in the project's potential. The forthcoming RC campaign will be critical in delivering a maiden Mineral Resource Estimate, which we anticipate will be substantial."
Project Context and Tenure Security
Santa Anna sits within a large alkaline carbonatite complex discovered in 2021 by EDEM, the current permit holder. Power Minerals holds a binding option to acquire the entire project area, covering 1,705 hectares, with no known impediments to tenure transfer or operations. The project benefits from a comprehensive exploration dataset, including historic drilling and geophysical surveys, which Power is systematically building upon.
The exploration to date has revealed a near-surface REE-rich clay layer and confirmed mineralisation extending to greater depths. The auger drilling program, conducted on an 80-metre grid, has provided valuable geochemical data to guide the upcoming deeper drilling phases and resource modelling.
Looking Ahead
With assay results continuing to demonstrate consistent high grades of critical minerals, Power Minerals is advancing rapidly towards defining a maiden Mineral Resource Estimate for Santa Anna, targeted for release in the first quarter of 2026. This milestone will be pivotal in positioning the project within the global critical minerals supply chain, particularly for niobium and rare earth elements, which are essential for emerging technologies and clean energy applications.
Bottom Line?
Santa Anna’s evolving high-grade profile and upcoming drilling campaign mark a critical juncture for Power Minerals’ ambitions in the critical minerals sector.
Questions in the middle?
- How will the maiden Mineral Resource Estimate quantify the scale and grade continuity of Santa Anna?
- What are the potential metallurgical characteristics and processing pathways for the niobium and REE mineralisation?
- How might global demand dynamics for niobium and rare earths influence project development timelines and financing?