Estrella greenlights limestone drilling program in Timor-Leste

Estrella Resources is ready to roll at its Werumata limestone project in Timor-Leste’s Baucau municipality, with all approvals locked in from the Timor-Leste Minerals Authority. 

The company’s environmental impact statement and management plan have been given the green light, paving the way for its maiden drilling campaign to kick off in about two weeks. 

Track and pad building is already underway, with a Desco MP650 drill rig set to probe the region’s high-quality limestone.

The initial program includes 26 reverse circulation holes targeting extensive limestone plateaus. Estrella is planning follow-up diamond drilling and infill holes to firm up a JORC-compliant inferred resource of at least 500 million dry metric tonnes. 

This hefty target is a key milestone in a master agreement with an international mining services partner, which could secure exclusive marketing and offtake rights for Estrella. 

Estrella Resources managing director Chris Daws said: “Estrella continues to aggressively pursue exploration drilling in Timor-Leste. We have a first-mover advantage within this virtually unexplored region and are set upon building our very exciting targets.” 

The limestone, primarily from the Baucau and Batu Putih formations, is a standout with assays showing it is predominantly pure calcite with minimal impurities. Its purity makes it ideal for industrial and environmental uses, such as acid neutralisation. There is good demand for limestone across Asian markets. 

The project’s geology is a bonus: the limestone sits above the manganese-rich Noni Formation, meaning drilling for one commodity could unlock insights into the other, neatly optimising exploration costs. 

Estrella is also planning a bathymetric survey off Werumata’s coastline to explore marine and shore access, which could support port and infrastructure planning.

Meanwhile, the company is continuing step-out drilling at its nearby Ira Miri manganese prospect.

Estrella has hit the ground running at Werumata and is poised to tap into its massive limestone resource. 

With approvals sorted and a potential offtake deal on the horizon, this could be a game-changer for the company.

Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: matt.birney@businessnews.com.au