Santa Anna’s Resource Potential Grows as Drilling Confirms High-Grade Critical Minerals

Exploration Momentum Builds at Santa Anna

Power Minerals Limited (ASX, PNN) has delivered another tranche of encouraging assay results from its ongoing auger drilling program at the Santa Anna carbonatite project in Goiás State, Brazil. The latest results from drillholes MN-TM-020 to MN-TM-025 reveal multiple intervals of high-grade niobium and rare earth elements (REE) within the top 15 metres of a weathered clay-rich zone. Notably, several intervals exceed 1% total rare earth oxides (TREO), underscoring the project's potential as a significant critical minerals resource.

The Santa Anna project, discovered in 2021 and wholly held by Power Minerals, is situated within a geologically complex alkaline carbonatite complex known for hosting niobium and REE mineralisation. The recent auger drilling results validate and enhance the company's exploration model, confirming the scale and grade continuity of the near-surface weathered zone that is amenable to cost-effective extraction methods.

High-Grade Intervals Highlight Resource Potential

Among the standout results, drillhole MN-TM-021 returned 15 metres at 5,686 ppm TREO from surface, including 7 metres at 8,429 ppm TREO and 2 metres at 13,034 ppm TREO near the top of the hole. Similarly, MN-TM-020 intersected 16 metres at 4,462 ppm TREO, with a 2-metre interval grading 12,261 ppm TREO. Niobium grades were also significant, with MN-TM-022 reporting 7 metres at 2,221 ppm Nb2O5, including 2 metres at 3,226 ppm Nb2O5. These results reinforce the presence of a REE-rich phase within the carbonatite complex and suggest a robust mineralised footprint near surface.

Upcoming Drilling Campaign to Expand Footprint

Building on these positive results, Power Minerals is poised to commence a substantial 10,000-metre reverse circulation (RC) drilling campaign. This program aims to extend the known mineralised zones east and southeast of the initial drilling areas, targeting both niobium-rich and REE-rich phases at greater depths. The first phase, comprising approximately 2,000 metres of drilling, is scheduled to start imminently, with the company anticipating systematic assay releases over the coming months.

The drilling campaign is a critical step toward delivering the project's maiden Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE), expected in the first quarter of 2026. This MRE will provide a formal quantification of the resource size and grade, essential for advancing the project toward development and attracting further investment.

Strategic Importance and Operational Readiness

Santa Anna's location in Goiás State, approximately 335 kilometres northwest of Brasilia, benefits from established infrastructure and good access via state highway GO-156. The project permits are in good standing, with no known impediments to exploration or future development. Power Minerals has acquired the permits from EDEM, the original project vendor, and is progressing through due diligence and exploration milestones to secure full ownership.

With global demand for critical minerals like niobium and rare earth elements intensifying; driven by their essential role in clean energy technologies and advanced electronics; Santa Anna represents a strategically valuable asset. Power Minerals’ methodical approach, combining shallow auger drilling with deeper RC drilling, positions the company well to delineate a high-grade, near-surface resource that could be developed efficiently.

Looking Ahead

Power Minerals’ ongoing exploration at Santa Anna is a compelling example of how targeted drilling programs can rapidly build confidence in a project's resource potential. The consistent high-grade results to date, coupled with the planned extensive drilling campaign, suggest that Santa Anna could emerge as a significant supplier of critical minerals. Investors and industry watchers will be keenly awaiting the maiden resource estimate and subsequent updates as the company advances this promising Brazilian asset.