Encounter uncovers gold alongside high-grade niobium at Aileron

Gold emerges inside Aileron’s niobium zones

Encounter Resources Limited (ASX:ENR) has found an unexpected second mineral in its latest Aileron drilling, with gold anomalism appearing within carbonatites that also carry high-grade niobium. The company has reported 7 metres at 0.5 grams per tonne gold and 2.7% Nb₂O₅ from 63 metres in hole EAL1421 at Green, alongside 11 metres at 0.4g/t gold and 1.4% Nb₂O₅ from 73 metres in EAL1483.

“Green Deposit – Gold – The majority of drillholes have not been assayed for gold.”

At Emily, hole EAL259 returned 2 metres at 1.1g/t gold and 2.8% Nb₂O₅ from 56 metres. Encounter says only a limited number of holes have been analysed for gold so far, and it has not yet established the mineralisation’s source, extent or economic significance. A re-assay program and TIMA mineralogical analysis are now planned, with future metallurgical work to examine whether gold could be recovered as a co-product.

Green drilling continues to find high-grade niobium

“Green Deposit – Niobium – AEM Layered Earth Inversion (LEI) DS551 – 2026 Green drilling results.”

The more established part of the announcement is the strength of the niobium results at Green. Aircore drilling returned 9 metres at 5.6% Nb₂O₅ within 25 metres at 3.3% from 80 metres in EAL1491, 19 metres at 4.3% within 49 metres at 2.3% from 48 metres in EAL1483, and 14 metres at 3.3% within 33 metres at 1.7% from 33 metres in EAL1470.

Another hole, EAL1605, returned 10 metres at 3.9% Nb₂O₅ within 43 metres at 1.7%. The results add to the earlier high-grade Green drilling reported by Encounter, including a 51-metre interval at 5.0% Nb₂O₅ with a 13-metre section at 10.4%. That earlier result was reported outside the existing Green resource boundary and helped frame the current focus on infill and extensional drilling.

Emily mineralisation extends below the resource wireframe

At Emily, diamond hole EAL2220 intersected weathered carbonatite approximately 40 metres below the previous aircore drilling limit and finished in primary mineralisation. The hole returned 45.8 metres at 0.7% Nb₂O₅ from 51.2 metres, including 2.6 metres at 2.5% from 59.4 metres. Fresh-rock assays below 109.87 metres remain pending.

Encounter’s current Inferred resource at Emily is 3.5 million tonnes at 1.9% Nb₂O₅ above a 1% cut-off, within a broader 14Mt inventory at 0.93% above a 0.25% cut-off. The company says the deeper intersection sits below the current resource wireframe and could provide scope to expand tonnage, although the reported intervals are downhole lengths and true widths have not yet been established.

Drilling and development work remain active

“These results demonstrate the substantial upside to the existing MRE, with potential to increase both tonnes and grade within the existing deposit areas with infill and…”

Green has an Inferred resource of 19Mt at 1.6% Nb₂O₅ above a 1% cut-off, contained within 100Mt at 0.71% above a 0.25% cut-off. The latest work is targeting high-grade zones that could support potential starter pits, while diamond drilling continues into primary mineralisation and areas requiring tighter definition.

“Conceptual Site Layout for the Aileron Project.”

Encounter has also completed geotechnical and hydrogeological drilling, flora, fauna and heritage surveys, with metallurgical test work, engineering and other study streams continuing. The company recently reported that the broader Aileron Inferred resource had reached 120Mt at 0.77% Nb₂O₅, but the latest results still need to be converted into a revised resource, mine plan or demonstrated gold recovery case. The next meaningful evidence will come from the pending diamond assays, Green gold re-assays, TIMA work and fresh-rock results from Emily.