Power Minerals ready to fire up third round of Santa Anna REE drilling

• PNN poised to begin 10,000m of drilling at Santa Anna project in Brazil
• Drilling will target extensions of rare earth and niobium mineralisation
• High potential at depth with only 10% of 5.8km2 structural target tested to date

Special Report: Power Minerals is preparing to put drills to ground in a third round of drilling at the Santa Anna project targeting high-grade rare earth element and niobium mineralisation.

An initial 2000m RC stage of the 10,000m program will follow up some of the highest REE grades ever returned at the project, including 1m at 62,027ppm total rare earth oxides (TREO) within 14m at 17,944ppm.

The remainder of the campaign will follow a staged, systematic program based on an 80m grid, complementing an auger rig that is drilling on site.

PNN hopes to expand the project’s mineralised footprint with the drill bit, testing extensions to the east and southeast of initial drilling, and targeting deeper REE and niobium in untested areas of the Santa Anna Alkaline Complex.

Power Minerals (ASX:PNN) managing director Mena Habib said the company was excited to begin the next round of drilling to follow up on strong REE results.

“The initial 2000m of this program is expected to commence in November and be completed by the end of the calendar year, which will enable us to examine the results and prepare for the next phase of drilling – expected to be RC and diamond drilling – in early 2026 – with a geophysical survey also planned to help us better define the best areas for follow up work.”

Santa Anna Alkaline Complex

Power Minerals’ Santa Anna tenure encompasses the entire 5.8km2 Santa Anna Alkaline Complex Intrusive.

A combination of visual drill core examination, geophysical, geochemical and geological data was used by PNN to confirm the presence of a carbonatite-hosting model of REE within the Santa Anna complex.

The carbonatite alkaline complex appears to host REE and niobium at depth with mineralisation continuing into the hard rock carbonatite portion of the intrusion.

It is hoped that the third round of drilling will increase the company’s confidence in its geological model and provide continuous samples to assist in developing an exploration target and mineral resource estimate.

With an RC rig, Power intends to explore fresh rock at depth within the current target area, investigating below current auger drilling.

PNN will also fly a drone-based survey, the results from which will feed into another drilling program with the goal of extending grid-based resource drilling and testing new areas.

Power Minerals expects to drill up to 6000m of combined diamond and RC drilling early in calendar year 2026, once the survey’s data can be interpreted.

This article was developed in collaboration with Power Minerals, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing. 

This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.