Encounter Resources (ASX: ENR) Reports Highest-Grade Niobium Intersection at Green

Encounter Resources has reported its highest-grade niobium intersection to date at the Green deposit in Western Australia’s West Arunta province.

Aircore hole EAL1513 returned 51 metres at 5.0% niobium pentoxide from 63 metres. This included 6 metres at 9.1% from 66 metres. A second included interval returned 13 metres at 10.4% from 80 metres.

The hole’s broader mineralised interval returned 93 metres at 3.03% niobium pentoxide from 48 metres. Reported results are downhole lengths because the mineralisation’s true width remains unknown.

Beyond the Current Resource

EAL1513 was drilled on Green’s northern margin. Its main reported intersection sits entirely outside the existing Inferred Mineral Resource estimate.

The result provides Encounter with a new area for follow-up drilling as it tests the deposit’s northern extension. The company plans further work around EAL1513 to determine the zone’s extent.

Green contains an Inferred Mineral Resource of 100 million tonnes at 0.71% niobium pentoxide. That estimate uses a 0.25% cut-off grade.

Within that resource is a higher-grade subset of 19 million tonnes at 1.6%. The subset is reported using a 1.0% cut-off.

The broader Aileron project contains 120 million tonnes at 0.77% niobium pentoxide on an Inferred basis. Its higher-grade subset totals 26 million tonnes at 1.7%.

Aileron’s current resource spans the Green, Emily and Crean deposits. Encounter is also drilling the nearby Joyce prospect.

Closing the Drilling Gaps

Existing drilling at Green uses relatively broad spacing. Drill lines are 200 metres apart, while holes are generally spaced between 40 and 80 metres.

Encounter’s 2026 program is designed to increase geological confidence across the four-kilometre-long deposit. It is also testing extensions beyond the current resource boundary.

Previous 2026 results included 53 metres at 2.9% from 79 metres to the end of hole in EAL1452. That interval included 20 metres at 3.8% from 107 metres.

EAL1454 returned 75 metres at 2.4% from 43 metres to the end of hole. It included 21 metres at 3.4% from 43 metres.

Meanwhile, EAL1456 intersected 72 metres at 2.0% from 47 metres. This included 19 metres at 3.4% from 63 metres.

Encounter is continuing infill and extensional drilling across Green. The work targets areas that the company considers capable of supporting higher-grade starter pits.

Assay Flow Extends into 2027

Three rigs are operating across Aileron. Assays remain pending from numerous aircore and diamond holes listed in the announcement.

Results from the first diamond hole at Emily are expected in October 2026. The 140-metre hole followed up high-grade niobium reported at the end of an aircore hole in August.

Further Joyce aircore results are also expected in October. Encounter is targeting a regional aircore drilling update by November.

Additional holes are planned at Emily before the end of the 2026 drilling season. Work at Green will continue across potential starter-pit areas.

The company is also undertaking geotechnical and hydrogeological drilling. Other activities include metallurgical testwork, environmental and heritage surveys, and project studies.