Iltani Resources Extends Orient West Beyond Resource Boundary
Key Takeaways
- Three of six new RC holes at Orient West returned four intercepts exceeding 1,000 g/t Ag Eq. grade-metres, with the standout result of 25m @ 146 g/t Ag Eq. including a 1m high-grade hit of 849 g/t Ag Eq.
- Holes ORR191, ORR193, ORR195, and ORR197 sit on the margins of or outside the current Mineral Resource Estimate grade shell, meaning these results directly support a resource boundary expansion.
- Mineralisation now extends 100–200m south of ORR137, with 1,200m of strike drilled at 50m spacing and a further 700m of strike defined only by historic workings — representing significant untested upside.
- Shallow mineralisation under 100m depth in the northeastern zones is flagged as open-pit amenable, with Tomra ore sorting beneficiation test work expected to commence within weeks.
- The 110-hole RC programme is on hole 103 and expected to finish by September 2026, feeding directly into a Q4 2026 resource update and an early 2027 Scoping Study — both hard milestones investors can track.
High-grade drilling extends Orient West mineralisation footprint
Iltani Resources (ASX: ILT) has received assay results from six new reverse circulation (RC) drillholes completed at Orient West, part of the Orient Silver-Indium Project in North Queensland, described as Australia’s largest and highest-grade known silver-zinc-indium project. The results confirm strong grade and width continuity both down dip and along strike, with three of the six holes delivering four intercepts exceeding 1,000 g/t Ag Eq. grade-metres (silver equivalent grade-metres, a measure combining all metal values into a single comparable figure).
The standout intercepts from the program include:
- ORR195: 25m @ 146 g/t Ag Eq. from 114m, inc. 4m @ 327 g/t Ag Eq. from 116m, inc. 1m @ 849 g/t Ag Eq. from 116m, plus 3m @ 335 g/t Ag Eq. from 127m
- ORR193: 21m @ 100 g/t Ag Eq. from 101m, inc. 1m @ 669 g/t Ag Eq. from 104m
- ORR189: 18m @ 62 g/t Ag Eq. from 45m, inc. 3m @ 108 g/t Ag Eq. from 45m, plus 19m @ 67 g/t Ag Eq. from 138m, inc. 1m @ 298 g/t Ag Eq. from 146m
- ORR187: Multiple mineralised intervals across a 28m–257m depth range
Critically, holes ORR191, ORR193, ORR195, and ORR197 sit on the margins of or outside the current Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) grade shell. That positioning is what makes these results material to the investment case.
When big ASX news breaks, our subscribers know first
What these results mean for the Orient mineral resource
Step-out drilling that returns high grades outside the boundaries of the existing resource signals genuine potential to expand the resource estimate. Here is what the geology is telling investors.
Extending beyond the current resource boundary
The six new holes follow up ORR137, drilled in late 2025 to test a geophysical target east of the then-known Orient West mineralisation. That hole was not included in the current Orient West Mineral Resource, yet it returned a compelling result: 28m @ 165 g/t Ag Eq. from 48m, including 1m @ 1,105 g/t Ag Eq. (385 g/t Ag, 169 g/t In, 8.2% Pb & 6.9% Zn) from 71m.
The new holes are located 100–200m south of ORR137, demonstrating that mineralisation extends well beyond the current resource footprint. To put the scale in context: 1,200m of strike has now been drilled at 50m section spacing, with a further 450m tested at 100m spacing. A further 700m strike extent remains defined only by historic workings and gossanous outcrop with minimal drill coverage.
Mineralisation remains open at depth and along strike. More tonnes and more metal are expected as drilling continues.
Shallow depth adds open-pit potential
Not all value here sits at depth. The announcement notes that shallow mineralisation (less than 100m from surface) in the northeastern zones indicates the zones will be economic for open-pit extraction. Iltani also states these zones will “significantly benefit from upgrading through an ore sorter”, with beneficiation test work with Tomra expected to commence within the coming weeks.
Ore sorting test results at Orient have already demonstrated meaningful grade uplift potential using XRT technology, providing the technical basis for management’s confidence that shallow mineralisation in the northeastern zones will respond well to beneficiation ahead of the planned Tomra programme.
Open-pit amenable, shallow, high-grade mineralisation outside the current resource boundary is a meaningful combination for any pre-resource-update stage project.
Understanding silver equivalent — what the grades really mean
Orient produces four economically significant metals: silver, indium, lead, and zinc. Because each metal carries a different price and has a different recovery rate in processing, geologists combine them into a single “silver equivalent” (Ag Eq.) figure so results across different holes can be compared on a like-for-like basis.
The formula Iltani uses is: Ag Eq. = Ag + (Pb × 35.5) + (Zn × 50.2) + (In × 0.47)
Put simply, a higher Ag Eq. grade means more combined metal value per tonne of rock drilled. The table below shows the pricing and recovery assumptions applied, as disclosed in Table 10 of the announcement.
Note on indium pricing: The announcement contains a discrepancy. Section 2 (JORC Table 1) states an indium price of US$300/kg, while Table 10 (Metal Equivalent Calculation) states US$350/kg. The table below uses the Table 10 figure, which is the more detailed dedicated disclosure.
| Metal | Price/Unit | Recovery | Role at Orient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silver | US$20/oz | 87% | Primary precious metal |
| Lead | US$1.00/lb | 90% | Lead-silver concentrate |
| Zinc | US$1.50/lb | 85% | Zinc-indium concentrate |
| Indium | US$350/kg | 85% | Critical mineral, AI/tech demand |
Indium deserves particular attention. It is classified as a critical mineral and is used primarily in touchscreens as indium tin oxide (ITO). Demand is growing rapidly from AI data centres, where indium phosphide (InP) is required to manufacture the laser chips powering high-speed optical transceivers. Orient has the potential to become one of the world’s largest sources of indium-rich concentrate, according to the announcement. That critical mineral profile adds a dimension to Orient that a pure silver or zinc project simply does not carry.
What Iltani’s Managing Director said
Donald Garner, Managing Director, Iltani Resources
“Step-out drilling at Orient West continues to return excellent results. The latest six RC holes along the eastern base of the northeast ridge have again confirmed strong grade and width continuity down dip and along strike, reinforcing the potential to materially grow the Orient West Mineral Resource.
“Three of the new holes returned four intercepts above 1,000 silver-equivalent grade-metres, including high-grade zones up to 849 g/t Ag Eq. These results build on the success of ORR137 drilled late last year, and the new holes – located 100-200m south – show mineralisation extends well beyond the current resource footprint.
“We are really excited by the potential of these areas to deliver a material uplift to the overall Orient Mineral Resource, plus the mineralisation remains open (depth and strike) – so more tonnes, more metal and we are planning much more drilling!”
The next major ASX story will hit our subscribers first
What comes next — resource update and scoping study timeline
The 110-hole initial drilling programme is nearing its conclusion. At the time of the announcement, the rig was on hole ORR243, the 103rd hole of the planned 110, with the programme expected to finish within two weeks.
The two-rig drilling campaign that accelerated the programme pace is what allowed the 110-hole sequence to advance at the rate reflected in the current hole count, with ORR243 representing the 103rd completed hole at the time of this announcement.
The key milestones from here are:
- Complete the initial 110-hole RC drilling programme, expected by September 2026
- Orient Mineral Resource update, expected Q4 2026
- Orient Scoping Study, expected early 2027
- Additional drilling planned prior to the wet season to further grow the resource
Once the 110-hole programme wraps up, further holes may be added based on assay results. The current Orient Mineral Resource, for context, stands at 62.5 Mt @ 81.5 g/t Ag Eq. (23 g/t Ag, 12 g/t In, 0.6% Pb & 0.7% Zn), classified as Indicated plus Inferred. The resource update expected in Q4 2026 will incorporate the extensional drilling results reported here, alongside recently released Link Zone results, and will feed directly into the Scoping Study due in early 2027.
The combination of high-grade step-out holes outside the current resource shell, shallow open-pit amenable zones, and a planned ore sorter beneficiation test programme with Tomra sets up what management expects will be a material resource upgrade. The milestones are clear. Investors will be watching Q4 2026 closely.
Don’t Miss the Next ASX Silver and Critical Minerals Breakout
Big News Blast delivers FREE breaking ASX mining news directly to your inbox within minutes of release, complete with in-depth analysis already done. Join 30,000+ subscribers staying ahead of the market on silver, indium, and critical minerals stocks. Click the “Free Alerts” button at Discovery Alert to get the next major announcement the moment it drops.