Estrella Ramps Up Timor Leste Drilling with Manganese and Limestone Push

Estrella Resources Limited (ASX: ESR) has stepped up its exploration efforts in Timor Leste with fresh trenching, drilling and a large bulk sample plan at its Ira Miri manganese project, alongside preparations to advance the Werumata limestone project.

The company’s latest trenching at Ira Miri has exposed primary manganese mineralisation within the Noni Formation, showing significant secondary enrichment. Mapping has tracked these primary beds along at least 450 metres of strike, still open in both directions. Managing Director Chris Daws described the confirmation of the geological model as “very encouraging,” noting that the first pass drilling has already defined formation orientation and weathering profiles.

The initial drilling phase comprised 16 diamond holes aimed at understanding stratigraphy. Angled drilling will now target the primary manganese beds and follow them into the weathering profile where supergene enrichment has developed. Several primary horizons have been identified, coinciding with thicker supergene blankets. The company expects this phase to concentrate on both northern and southern outcrop zones before progressively infilling the gaps.

Estrella is also planning to extract up to 30,000 tonnes of manganese oxide as a market appraisal sample. The material will be sourced from outcropping mineralisation near the EMDD001 area and shipped from Com Port to potential customers in India, Japan, China, Malaysia, Australia, Europe, the United States and Africa. The extraction will be followed by site rehabilitation and replanting.

Geophysical work is under consideration, including drone-based magnetotellurics using Expert Geophysics’ MobileMTd system, which would provide 3D imaging of resistivity and conductivity similar to ground-based induced polarisation surveys. CoreSearch, the drilling contractor, has added a second crew to maintain continuous diamond drilling, resulting in improved monthly drilling rates.

Sample processing has been delayed by transport and permitting issues, but a solution has now been secured, and core samples will be shipped to Jakarta for analysis. The company has opted to send entire samples rather than subsamples to ensure full compliance with JORC reporting standards. Assays from the first Ira Miri drillholes are expected before the end of the current quarter.

At Werumata, Estrella is finalising environmental applications to secure drilling permits for a limestone resource estimated at one billion tonnes in the Ueru Mata area of Baucau Municipality. The program will begin with about 40 reverse circulation holes with diamond tails. Only two culturally significant sites have been identified within the area, both on the southern fringe, and infrastructure will be located to the west of the resource. The RC/DD rig imported from Australia is now assembled in Dili and ready to operate, capable of switching rapidly between drilling methods and suited for hilly terrain.

The next steps for Estrella involve launching the angled drilling program at Ira Miri, securing approvals for Werumata drilling, and continuing mapping across other Baucau licences to locate buried primary mineralisation and preserved secondary zones.

With site visits from industry players World Metals and Alloys and REM already completed, and a market appraisal sample on the horizon, Estrella’s Timor Leste projects are moving quickly from geological model to tangible commercial prospects.