Encounter Resources Ramps Up 70,000m Drill Program at Aileron Project in WA

Encounter Resources (ASX: ENR) has two aircore rigs operating at its Aileron project in Western Australia’s West Arunta region as part of a planned 70,000-metre exploration and pre-development drilling program for 2026.

One rig is completing infill drilling across potential high-grade starter pit areas at Green, while the second is testing priority regional targets across the company’s broader tenure.

A third multi-purpose diamond and mud-rotary rig is scheduled for mobilisation in the September quarter to support geotechnical, hydrogeological, and metallurgical drilling for project development studies.

The work follows a major resource upgrade and strong metallurgical progress, along with the lodgement of a mining lease application over the proposed mining, processing, and infrastructure area.

Aileron Momentum Builds

Encounter is advancing Aileron as a globally significant niobium-rare earth element (REE) discovery in the emerging West Arunta province.

Following a single season of drilling after Encounter released its maiden Aileron Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) in May 2025, the company increased the combined inferred MRE in April by 54% to 120 million tonnes at 0.77% niobium pentoxide (Nb2O5) above a 0.25% Nb2O5 cut-off, including a high-grade component of 26Mt at 1.7% Nb2O5 above a 1.0% Nb2O5 cut-off.

Encounter is undertaking approximately 30,000m of infill drilling across potential starter-pit locations at Green to support an upgrade to indicated status and enable more detailed technical studies.

Metallurgical work at Green has already demonstrated strong recoveries at high concentrate grades across multiple composites representing sections of the anticipated starter pits.

The company has also started detailed environmental surveys and studies across the proposed development footprint to support future regulatory approvals.

Regional Exploration Drilling

The second active aircore rig is undertaking approximately 40,000m of regional exploration drilling across Aileron, where Encounter has defined a series of high-priority niobium-REE and copper-gold targets for testing during 2026.

The regional program is designed to use rapid and cost-effective aircore drilling to assess further discovery opportunities across the company’s highly prospective tenure.

Encounter has determined a conceptual site layout for potential future mining and processing operations following the recent technical progress.

The mining lease application area has been selected to accommodate potential modifications for operational, engineering, environmental or cultural heritage requirements as further survey work advances.

The proposed layout includes areas for processing infrastructure, tailings storage, return water ponds, evaporation ponds, stockpiles, an airstrip, camp facilities, a solar farm, and access roads.

‘Growing Niobium Industry’

Executive chair Will Robinson said the work program had maintained strong momentum at Aileron.

“In recent months Encounter has increased its resource base by more than 50%, demonstrated strong metallurgical results at Green, and executed a partnership agreement to help foster expansion of the growing niobium oxide industry,” Mr Robinson said.

Mr Robinson said Encounter was also advancing permitting and stakeholder engagement around the project.

“An initial baseline study identified the optimal location for processing infrastructure and a Mining Lease has been applied for over this area.”

“We continue to have positive engagement with multiple government bodies and Traditional Owner groups around the advancement of Aileron and the West Arunta region.”