Estrella Resources Limited has expanded its Timor-Leste footprint with the award of two 50 square kilometre exploration and evaluation licences while securing conditional regulatory approval for its maiden manganese export.

The Autoridade Nacional des Minerais awarded the MEL2025-CA-ZE002 concession in the south-west region and the MEL2025-CA-ZG001 concession in the Oecusse administrative area. A technical review of the ground identified copper and gold mineralisation potential across the Lolotoi Complex and the Manamas Volcanics.

“The award of two new licences sees our company gain exposure to the Lolotoi Complex and Manamas Volcanics, which are two highly prospective, largely unexplored units with potential to enhance our copper-gold exploration.” — Robert Mencel, Managing Director

The licence awards coincide with conditional approval from the regulator for an initial 100-tonne bulk sample of high-grade manganese from the Ira Miri open pit. The material will be hauled by road to a West Timor-based customer for trial processing in a manganese smelter.

The 100-tonne road haulage approval complements a separate application currently under review by the Timorese Government to export approximately 27,000 tonnes of material by sea from the operation, where the company previously defined a Stage 1 surveyed stockpile inventory of 27,371 tonnes of manganese.

“At the same time, we're taking real steps toward commercialising Ira Miri. Conditional approval for our maiden 100 tonne export is an important milestone as we work to broaden our customer base, alongside our ongoing application to export the larger ~27,000 tonne parcel by sea.” — Robert Mencel, Managing Director

Subject to final regulatory clearances, Estrella plans to start a 3,000-metre reverse circulation and diamond drilling campaign to test targets identified by mobile magnetotelluric surveys.

The exploration push runs alongside development work at the Werumata Limestone Project, where Estrella reported a maiden Inferred Mineral Resource of 621 million tonnes of limestone in May 2026. The company is currently reviewing existing drill core density data to assess whether a portion of that resource can be upgraded to the Indicated category.

Regional activity in the jurisdiction has also accelerated, with Tivan Limited securing approval from the Government of Timor-Leste for an enlargement of its licence at the Baucau Project to add approximately 50 square kilometres.

Estrella expects to receive final Timorese Government export approvals for its larger shipment shortly.

Read the full announcement: ESR extends Timor-Leste tenure