Estrella makes history with manganese drill program in Timor-Leste

Estrella Resources has officially broken new ground by launching Timor-Leste’s first modern metallic mineral exploration program, punching-in the company’s maiden diamond drill hole at the highly prospective Ira Miri manganese prospect.

In mobilising a man-portable diamond rig from Dili to the Lautem region, Estrella says its joint venture (JV) with the East Timorese Government’s Murak Rai Timor and drilling contractor CoreSearch marks the beginning of an intrepid new era for resource development in the South East Asian nation.

The inaugural hole is now underway, targeting manganese mineralisation just below an outcropping unit. The company has also started initial trenching to pinpoint the key geological contact within the Noni Formation. 

The broader campaign will comprise an initial 3000 metres of diamond drilling and 10,000m of reverse circulation drilling, followed by a further 10,000m of reverse circulation drilling in a second phase after results start to roll in.

Estrella Resources managing director Chris Daws said: “With CoreSearch’s man-portable diamond drill now drilling, we’re hitting the ground running. This initial phase will give us valuable subsurface data to guide our broader drilling campaign.”

The campaign isn’t just a technical achievement. Cultural integration has played a central role, with local elders blessing the site through traditional ceremonies. More than 40 members of the local community were also engaged in hand-clearing tracks to the drill pad. 

Estrella has reinforced the tracks with machinery to ensure long-term access and erosion control. Follow-up drill sites have already been prepped 100m from the first line.

The project sits within Estrella’s northernmost Lautem project area and includes multiple drill targets across the Ira Miri, Sica and Lalena prospects. 

The initial drilling program will zero in on the manganese-rich zones mapped at Ira Miri.

Estrella has also set its sights on the region’s broader mineral potential, including a large limestone deposit lying above the manganese horizon.

Two weeks ago, Estrella unveiled a landmark deal that could see up to 500 million tonnes of premium limestone shipped from Timor-Leste over the next five years, targeting South East Asia’s surging industrial minerals demand.

The high-grade, coral-rich limestone sits atop the Baucau Formation within Estrella’s 195-square-kilometre concession and directly overlies its manganese targets. This makes exploration doubly efficient as both resources can be assessed in tandem during drilling.

Recent assays have proved the limestone is a high-purity calcite with few impurities, meaning it could be perfect for use in cement, glass production, agriculture and as a key neutralising agent in nickel processing and environmental remediation.

Since drilling at Ira Miri will offer Estrella a first glimpse beneath the surface of Timor-Leste’s largely untouched terrain, Estrella plans to release early manganese assays in June at the International Manganese Institute’s conference in Tokyo. 

The company and its government-backed JV partner see the event as a fantastic opportunity to spotlight Timor-Leste’s emerging role in the global critical minerals sector.

Operations have been fast-tracked under a special approval from the Timorese mining regulator and broader environmental clearances are pending. 

As the bit bites into fresh Timorese geology, Estrella is officially a first mover to unlock the nation’s untapped mineral wealth. With drills spinning, support entrenched and geology onside, the company’s Timor-Leste push could soon evolve into a game-changing discovery story.

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