Power Minerals Advances Santa Anna Project with New Discoveries

Power Minerals Strikes High-Grade Niobium and Rare Earth Elements in Brazil

Power Minerals Limited (ASX: PNN) has announced exceptional drilling results from its Santa Anna Project in Brazil, with intersections revealing high-grade niobium and rare earth elements (REE) that reinforce the project's potential for a significant mineral resource.

Impressive High-Grade Results Bolster Santa Anna's Potential

Power Minerals' second phase of auger drilling at the Santa Anna Project has returned remarkable results, with niobium grades reaching up to 14,711ppm (1.47%) Nb₂O₅ and rare earth elements as high as 13,700ppm (1.37%) TREO.

Key niobium highlights from the first three holes of the auger drilling program include:

• 4m at 10,023ppm Nb₂O₅ from 5m to end of hole
• 2m at 13,375ppm (1.34%) Nb₂O₅ from 6m in drillhole MN-TM03
• 12m at 2,342ppm Nb₂O₅ from surface to end of hole, including 1m at 14,711ppm (1.47%) Nb₂O₅

The REE results are equally impressive:

• 13m at 7,882ppm TREO from surface to end of hole, including 3m at 12,295ppm (1.23%) TREO
• 9m at 5,523ppm TREO from surface to end of hole, including 4m at 7,687ppm TREO

Significantly, many of these high-grade intersections were encountered at the end of the drillholes, suggesting the mineralisation continues at depth. For example, drillhole MN-TM-02 was abandoned while still in 14,711ppm Nb₂O₅, and drillhole MN-TM-01 ended while still within 10,164ppm TREO.

"The first results from our second phase drilling program at the Santa Anna Project provide further strong validation of our confidence in Santa Anna to deliver a significant Mineral Resources Estimate," said Power Minerals Managing Director Mena Habib.

Expanding the Project's Footprint

The current 1,000-meter auger drilling program (planned for approximately 60 holes) is designed to extend Santa Anna's mineralised footprint to the east and south-east of the initial drilling. This strategic expansion aims to build on Power's recently completed maiden 29-hole, 2,272-meter program, which previously intersected multiple wide zones of niobium and high-grade REE.

The Power Minerals Santa Anna Project is located in Goiás State, in the central region of Brazil. The drilling to date continues to build confidence towards achieving near-term goals of confirming a significant Mineral Resource Estimate at the project.

Understanding Ionic Clay Potential

An important aspect of the ongoing work at the Power Minerals Santa Anna Project is testing to confirm the presence of ionic clay REE in the shallow, weathered zone. Ionic clay deposits are particularly valuable as they can offer more cost-effective extraction methods compared to hard-rock REE deposits.

The company plans to use industry-standard AMSUL wash conditions to determine individual REE recoveries in the clay-rich portion of the intrusion, which could significantly impact the project's economic potential.

What Makes Santa Anna Unique?

The Santa Anna Alkaline Complex was discovered relatively recently in 2021 as a magnetic and radiometric anomaly from a regional aerial survey. Power's tenements cover the entire 17.05km² geophysical anomaly area.

Alkaline complexes like Santa Anna typically have a core zone near their centre with surrounding unsymmetrical zones that may host extensive local mineralisation. Power's drilling has confirmed this model, showing that the centre of the complex contains a core zone of high-grade rare earth and niobium mineralisation.

Understanding Niobium and Magnet Rare Earth Oxides

Niobium: Critical for Advanced Industries

Niobium is a critical metal used in high-strength, low-alloy steels and superalloys for applications ranging from construction to aerospace. When added to steel in small amounts (less than 0.1%), niobium significantly increases strength, toughness, and formability, making it essential for infrastructure projects, automotive manufacturing, and oil and gas pipelines.

The global niobium market is highly concentrated, with Brazil controlling approximately 90% of global production. This makes Power Minerals' Santa Anna Project strategically positioned in the world's dominant niobium-producing country.

Rare Earth Elements: Powering the Green Transition

The rare earth elements being explored at Santa Anna include significant quantities of Magnet Rare Earth Oxides (MREO), which include neodymium, praseodymium, terbium, and dysprosium. These elements are essential components in permanent magnets used in electric vehicles, wind turbines, and other clean energy technologies.

MREOs are particularly valuable among the rare earth family due to their critical role in the manufacture of high-performance permanent magnets. These magnets maintain their magnetic properties even in demanding conditions, making them irreplaceable in many high-tech and clean energy applications.

Their strategic importance has grown as countries seek to secure supply chains independent of China, which dominates global REE processing. The European Union, United States, and Australia have all classified both niobium and rare earth elements as critical minerals essential to economic and national security.

Future Plans and Investment Potential

Power Minerals has outlined a clear path forward at Santa Anna:

1. Complete the current auger drilling program (expected September 2025)
2. Conduct deeper reverse circulation (RC) drilling into fresh rock beneath the weathered zone
3. Establish an Exploration Target
4. Deliver a maiden Mineral Resource Estimate

The company's drilling to date continues to build confidence toward achieving these significant near-term goals, which could substantially increase the project's value.

Why Investors Should Pay Attention

Power Minerals presents a compelling investment case for several reasons:

1. Critical minerals exposure: The company provides direct exposure to niobium and rare earth elements, both considered critical minerals essential for clean energy transition and advanced manufacturing.

2. High-grade results: The exceptional grades reported (up to 1.47% Nb₂O₅ and 1.37% TREO) compare favourably with other exploration projects globally.

3. Strategic location: Brazil is already the world's dominant niobium producer, providing established infrastructure and expertise for potential future development.

4. Clear development path: With a structured approach to resource definition and a relatively quick timeline to potential resource announcement, investors can expect regular news flow and catalysts.

5. Diversified portfolio: Beyond Santa Anna, Power Minerals maintains lithium resources in Argentina and other critical mineral assets in Brazil and Australia, providing investors with exposure to multiple critical minerals across different jurisdictions.

As global demand for critical minerals continues to accelerate, especially those essential for clean energy technologies, Power Minerals' Santa Anna Project positions the company as a potentially significant player in the niobium and rare earths space.

The current drilling program is expected to be completed in September 2025, with results to be released as they become available. Following this, the company plans to conduct deeper drilling to test the continuity of mineralisation at depth. These upcoming catalysts provide multiple opportunities for market revaluation as the project advances toward resource definition.

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