Encounter Resources has returned further high-grade niobium assays from aircore drilling at the Emily and Green deposits within the Aileron Project in Western Australia’s West Arunta region, while diamond drilling has commenced at Emily to test the depth extent of mineralisation.

Infill drilling at the Green deposit delivered standout intercepts, including 19.7 metres at 5.3% Nb2O5 from 76.2 metres within a broader 92.4-metre intercept at 2.0% Nb2O5 in hole EAL1370. Additional high-grade results at Green included 33.7 metres at 3.8% Nb2O5 from 39 metres in EAL1372 and 45 metres at 2.9% Nb2O5 from 75 metres in EAL1396. Resource definition and infill drilling at Green are ongoing as the company aims to expand and deliver an upgrade to the resource classification in areas that have the potential to support high-grade starter pits.

At the Emily deposit, recent aircore drilling continued to intersect high-grade mineralisation to the end of the hole, returning intervals such as 7 metres at 3.1% Nb2O5 from 41 metres in hole EAL2005, 16 metres at 2.4% Nb2O5 from 93 metres in EAL2012, and 12 metres at 1.8% Nb2O5 from 83 metres in EAL2018. Diamond drilling is now underway at the site of EAL1995 to test depth extents below aircore holes that have consistently ended in mineralisation and to collect samples for metallurgical test work.

“High-grade niobium intersections at Green and Emily continue to build, with Green delivering some of our highest grades to date within potential starter-pit areas. At Emily, drilling continues to expand the footprint of near-surface, high-grade mineralisation ahead of the next resource estimate update, and these results support the potential to bring Emily forward in the development schedule.

Diamond drilling is now underway at Emily to test depth extent below aircore holes that have consistently ended in mineralisation. With three rigs operating and a substantial drilling program ahead of us, we expect a strong pipeline of results through 2026 and into 2027 as we advance Aileron towards development.” 

— Will Robinson, Executive Chairman

The company has drilled over 40,000 metres at Aileron in 2026 across three operating rigs, with a further 30,000 metres of infill and regional exploration planned to generate a steady flow of assay results through 2026 and into 2027.

Read the full announcement: Further High-Grade Niobium at Emily and Green