Stelar Metals has completed its initial fieldwork at the Hill of Leaders Tungsten Project, confirming broad tungsten mineralisation and setting the stage for drilling campaigns starting in July.
- Phase 1 fieldwork identifies widespread scheelite and wolframite mineralisation
- 18 rock chip samples dispatched with assays expected late June 2026
- Mineralisation extends over 2km with multiple quartz vein corridors
- Phase 1 Reverse Circulation drilling planned for July 2026
- No prior bedrock drilling at Hill of Leaders presents first-mover opportunity
Phase 1 Fieldwork Confirms Extensive Tungsten Mineralisation
Stelar Metals (ASX:SLB) has reported successful completion of its Phase 1 field program at the Hill of Leaders Tungsten Project in the Northern Territory, revealing broad tungsten mineralisation across multiple historic workings and quartz vein systems. The reconnaissance program collected 18 rock chip and grab samples, which have been dispatched for assay with results anticipated in late June 2026.
The mineralisation predominantly occurs as scheelite and wolframite, hosted within stacked quartz veins and greisen alteration zones developed in the Hill of Leaders Granite. These mineralised corridors extend over widths of approximately 100 metres and stretch more than 2 kilometres in length, marking a significant footprint for early-stage exploration.
Geological Setting and Structural Controls
The Hill of Leaders Tungsten Field lies within a multiphase, highly fractionated granite intrusion of the Tennant Creek Supersuite. Tungsten mineralisation is closely associated with late-stage intrusive dykes and structural shear zones trending northwest-southeast, which appear to have channelled mineralising fluids and influenced vein distribution.
While copper mineralisation was noted in northern workings such as Makinsons, it was absent in the Hill of Leaders area samples, suggesting possible mineral zonation within the system warranting further investigation. Bedrock exposure is limited, but historic workings indicate steeply dipping quartz veins remain open at depth, highlighting exploration upside.
Upcoming Drilling Campaigns to Test Mineral Continuity
Stelar is on track to commence Phase 1 Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling in July 2026, targeting approximately 3,000 metres across three sections to better understand the orientation and grade continuity of the mineralisation. This will be followed by Phase 1 diamond drilling planned for the third quarter, with further RC and diamond drilling phases scheduled into 2027 to advance resource definition.
The project is under a binding earn-in agreement with F&H Brothers Metals Pty Ltd, giving Stelar the option to acquire 100% ownership within 12 months. Notably, no bedrock drilling has been conducted previously beneath the mineralised vein swarms, presenting a genuine first-mover opportunity in a well-serviced region near Tennant Creek and Darwin Port.
Visual Mineral Estimates and Assay Anticipation
Visual estimates from the fieldwork indicate scheelite and wolframite mineral abundances ranging from trace amounts up to 10% in some samples, with individual scheelite grains observed up to 8 mm in size under UV light. However, Stelar cautions that these visual estimates are not substitutes for laboratory assays, which remain the principal economic indicators.
Executive Chair Stephen Biggins highlighted the significance of confirming tungsten mineralisation in outcrop and historic workings, with assays expected to provide the first quantitative grades from the project later this month. The company’s experienced team is preparing for the next phase of exploration, aiming to unlock the project's scale and critical mineral potential.
Bottom Line?
June assays and July drilling will be pivotal in defining the Hill of Leaders’ tungsten potential amid a strategic critical minerals push.
Questions in the middle?
- Will Phase 1 assays confirm the high-grade surface mineralisation suggested by visual estimates?
- How continuous and economically viable are the tungsten-bearing quartz veins at depth?
- What implications does the observed mineral zonation have for resource targeting and metallurgy?