Osmond Resources has confirmed high-grade seam continuity in the Southern Block of the Orión EU Critical Minerals Project in Spain, intersecting 1.2 metres at 0.369% total rare earth oxides and 1.62% zirconium dioxide from drill hole SOR-07A.

The drill hole is situated 1.63 kilometres west of hole SOR-02 and 1.34 kilometres east of hole SOR-08A within the Jaén Province project area. The intercept, encountered at a downhole depth of 312.7 metres, included a higher-grade interval of 0.6 metres grading 0.512% total rare earth oxides and 2.23% zirconium dioxide from 313.3 metres. Indicative heavy mineral grades for the 1.2-metre interval reached 0.55% monazite, 2.4% zircon, 4.5% rutile and 1.7% ilmenite.

Petrographic studies conducted by the University of Oviedo on outcrop and drill core samples from Zone 1 demonstrated that surface and core materials are essentially equivalent in mineral assemblage and textural framework. Subsequent testwork using Holman table gravity separation showed no significant difference in collective zircon and titanium mineral responses, supporting the use of surface samples for ongoing flowsheet design.

Engineering firm Wood Australia has completed a nominal 2.0 million tonnes per annum processing flowsheet designed to recover three separate products. The circuit targets a dried zircon concentrate grading 64.1% zirconium dioxide with a 63.6% net recovery, a mixed titanium-mineral flotation concentrate grading 71.3% titanium dioxide with a 36.1% net recovery, and a filtered monazite-rich rare earth element concentrate grading 22.6% total rare earth oxides plus yttrium oxide with a 60.4% net recovery. Initial testwork indicated the monazite stream is enriched in magnetic rare earth oxides.

Osmond expects to deliver a maiden Mineral Resource Estimate for the Orión project within the coming four weeks, with the broader Scoping Study remaining on track for completion in the third quarter of 2026. The company expects the second drill program at Orión to recommence in late September or early October 2026, followed by an updated Mineral Resource Estimate supported by additional drilling targeted for completion in December 2026.

Read the full announcement: Further Progress Towards Scoping Study Completion