Iltani Resources Delivers Maiden JORC Resource at Orient West Silver-Indium Project
Iltani Resources (ASX: ILT) has announced its Maiden JORC Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) at the Orient West Silver-Indium deposit in Northern Queensland, establishing a foundation for what could become Australia's largest silver-indium project.
Substantial Silver-Indium Resource Established
The company has delivered a Maiden JORC Resource of 21.6 Mt @ 100.5 g/t Ag Eq. with 18.7 Moz contained silver at a 60 g/t Ag Eq. cut-off grade. Notably, the majority of this resource (56% by tonnes) sits in the higher-confidence Indicated Resource category, demonstrating the quality of the exploration work completed since the company's ASX listing in June 2023.
A larger resource envelope using a lower cut-off grade (30 g/t Ag Eq.) shows 42.7 Mt @ 73.8 g/t Ag Eq. with 27.0 Moz contained silver, highlighting the project's scale potential.
| Resource Parameters (60 g/t Ag Eq. cut-off) | Contained Metal |
|---|---|
| Category | Tonnes (Mt) |
| Indicated | 12.1 |
| Inferred | 9.6 |
| Total | 21.6 |
Significant Exploration Upside Remains
The MRE covers just a portion of the total Orient West potential, with a substantial Exploration Target still remaining along strike to the northeast. This additional target is estimated at 25-30 Mt @ 53-65 g/t Ag Eq., indicating significant potential to expand the resource with further drilling.
"This is a fantastic result for lltani, delivering our first JORC Resource estimate for the Orient Silver-Indium Project, approximately two years after listing on the ASX in June 2023 and starting exploration at Orient. Delivering the Maiden Orient West JORC Resource is just the start for Iltani," commented Managing Director Donald Garner.
The Orient Silver-Indium System – Understanding the Geology
The Orient deposit represents an extensive epithermal vein system extending over at least 6km² and hosted primarily in porphyritic rhyolite. The mineralisation occurs in primary vein systems up to 3m wide containing argentiferous galena, sphalerite, pyrite, and other minerals.
At Orient West, the mineralised zones comprise a massive sulphide core of galena-sphalerite-pyrrhotite-pyrite surrounded by crackle breccia and polymetallic sulphide veinlets. The stacked sulphide vein system strikes east-northeast with veins dipping between 35° to 60° south-southeast.
What Is Indium And Why It Matters
Indium is a critical metal used in semiconductors, touch screens, solar panels, and other high-tech applications. It is a silvery-white metal that is soft, malleable, and easily fusible. Classified as a post-transition metal, indium shares properties with both metals and metalloids.
The metal is relatively rare in the Earth's crust, with an abundance similar to silver, making it one of the least common commercially used metals. Most global indium production comes as a by-product of zinc mining, where it is found in trace amounts within zinc sulphide ores.
Indium's importance stems from its unique properties:
- High thermal conductivity: Makes it valuable for heat-dissipation applications
- Excellent electrical conductivity: Essential for semiconductor applications
- Low melting point: Useful for solders and alloys
- Transparency when oxidised: Critical for transparent conductive coatings
The most significant application for indium is in the form of indium tin oxide (ITO), which forms a transparent, electrically conductive coating used in virtually all LCD screens, touchscreens, and thin-film solar cells. Other applications include semiconductor materials, solders, nuclear reactor control rods, and specialised mirrors.
With the global push toward renewable energy and advanced electronics, demand for indium has increased substantially. This makes the Iltani Resources Silver Indium Project particularly valuable, as indium is relatively rare and typically recovered as a by-product of zinc processing.
Previous metallurgical test work has confirmed that two separate high-quality concentrates can be produced:
- A lead-silver concentrate grading approximately 48% Pb and 2,250 g/t Ag
- A zinc-indium-silver concentrate grading 47-48% Zn, 2,000 g/t In and 200 g/t Ag
Next Steps: Orient East Resource and Further Exploration
With the Orient West MRE completed, Iltani is now focused on:
- Completing the Maiden Orient East JORC Resource estimate, targeted for September 2025
- Restarting Orient East drilling activities to test extensions to the mineralisation
- Drilling Orient VTEM targets to demonstrate the system's broader potential
Once the Orient East resource is completed, the company will have a global Orient Silver-Indium Project Mineral Resource (combining Orient West and East) that will better demonstrate the project's true scale.
Why Investors Should Take Notice
Iltani Resources has rapidly advanced from exploration to resource definition in just two years since listing. The maiden resource at Orient West is merely the first step in establishing what could become Australia's largest silver-indium project.
The combination of:
- A substantial maiden resource with 56% in the Indicated category
- Significant exploration upside with additional targets
- Critical metal content (indium) adding strategic value
- Positive preliminary metallurgical results
- Consistent execution on exploration programs
positions Iltani as an emerging player in the critical minerals space. With silver demand rising due to both industrial applications and its traditional role as a precious metal, and indium's importance in technology manufacturing, the Orient project represents a compelling investment case in the critical minerals sector.
As the company progresses toward defining the global Orient Silver-Indium Project resource, investors should watch for further drilling results, metallurgical test work, and the upcoming Orient East resource announcement as potential catalysts.
Ready to Capitalise on Australia's Emerging Silver-Indium Opportunity?
Discover how Iltani Resources is advancing what could become Australia's largest silver-indium project with its impressive maiden JORC resource at Orient West. With 21.6 Mt @ 100.5 g/t Ag Eq. already established and significant exploration upside remaining, Iltani offers investors exposure to both precious metals and critical technology minerals. To learn more about this compelling investment opportunity and stay updated on the company's progress toward defining the global Orient Silver-Indium Project resource, visit Iltani Resources' website today.
