Stelar Metals Secures Approvals and Driller for Hill of Leaders Tungsten Program
Stelar Metals has cleared all statutory hurdles and locked in an experienced driller to launch its maiden 3,500m RC drilling campaign at the Hill of Leaders Tungsten Project within weeks, targeting exceptionally high-grade tungsten mineralisation.
- Authority Certificate obtained from Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority
- Experienced RC driller engaged with drilling to start in ~3 weeks
- Maiden 3,500m program to test high-grade tungsten zones up to 15.69% WO3
- Project benefits from strong tungsten sector tailwinds and geopolitical supply constraints
- Drilling to provide first-ever bedrock data beneath historic shallow workings
Regulatory Green Light for Maiden Drilling
Stelar Metals (ASX:SLB) has completed the statutory approvals required to kick off its first-ever drilling program at the Hill of Leaders Tungsten Project in the Northern Territory. The Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority (AAPA) has issued an Authority Certificate, finalising the approval pathway following the Northern Territory Government’s Environmental Licence. This clearance enables Stelar to commence ground-disturbing activities within the project area, a significant milestone just three months after acquiring the asset.
Experienced Driller Mobilising for RC Campaign
With approvals in hand, Stelar has secured an experienced reverse circulation (RC) driller who is set to mobilise to site imminently. Drilling is scheduled to begin within approximately three weeks, pending final site preparation and access works. The upcoming program plans to drill up to 3,500 metres, marking the first bedrock drilling beneath the extensive historic shallow tungsten workings at Hill of Leaders.
High-Grade Tungsten Targets Underpin Drilling
The maiden drill program will focus on testing the depth continuity and strike extent of high-grade tungsten mineralisation identified through recent surface sampling. Notably, assays from Phase 2 sampling have returned spectacular grades up to 15.69% WO3 (12.45% W), confirming and expanding on earlier discoveries. These surface results delineate a mineralised zone exceeding 2,000 metres in strike length and hundreds of metres in width, which remains open at depth and along strike.
Sector Tailwinds Amplify Project Potential
Stelar’s timing aligns with robust macroeconomic and geopolitical factors bolstering tungsten’s strategic importance. China’s ongoing export controls persist, while the US Department of War’s prohibition on Chinese-sourced tungsten imports takes effect from January 2027. These supply constraints, combined with historically high ammonium paratungstate (APT) prices, create a favourable backdrop for development. Executive Chairman Stephen Biggins highlighted the potential transformational impact of a successful drilling campaign amid these dynamics.
Next Steps and Market Watch
Stelar is now finalising site access and preparation before drilling begins. Assay results from the program will be released progressively, providing the first-ever bedrock data from Hill of Leaders. This information will be crucial to defining the project’s resource potential and guiding subsequent development decisions. Investors will be keen to monitor assay outcomes and how the company navigates the evolving tungsten market landscape.
Bottom Line?
Stelar’s swift regulatory progress and operational readiness set the stage for a potentially pivotal drilling campaign in a tungsten market rife with supply disruptions and price strength.
Questions in the middle?
- Will the maiden drilling confirm depth continuity of the high-grade tungsten mineralisation?
- How will assay results influence Stelar’s resource definition and development timeline?
- What impact will impending US import restrictions have on tungsten supply-demand dynamics?
