ASX Big Hits: Encounter, Nimy Resources and | Australian Markets

Bulls N’ Bears Big Hits examines some current notable drilling intercepts revealed on the ASX, together with Encounter Resources’ high-grade niobium hit at its Joyce project in Western Australia’s West Arunta area. Other attention-grabbing outcomes had been reported by Nimy Resources at its Mons gallium project, and Hyterra Limited landed a helium hit at its Nemaha gasoline area project within the US state of Kansas.

Company: Encounter Resources (ASX: ENR)

Project: Aileron project, West Arunta, WA

Hit: 9m @ 2.2% niobium pentoxide from 120m to end-of-hole (EOH)

Encounter Resources has reported high-grade niobium oxide mineralisation from an early air core drilling program at its Joyce prospect, half of the company’s Aileron project in WA’s West Arunta area.

The first line of regional drilling within the 2025 season intersected 9 metres at 2.2 per cent niobium oxide from 120m to the end-of-hole in a single gap, validating Encounter’s focusing on model for the carbonatite advanced.

At 6 kilometres east of the company’s Green deposit, which totals 12.1 million tonnes averaging 1.63 per cent niobium oxide, Joyce highlights the broader potential of the mineralised system.

In late 2024, two reconnaissance air core traverses spaced 1.6km aside at Joyce recognized a carbonatite advanced with robust niobium and uncommon earth anomalies.

The company’s 2025 air core drilling program kicked off with 800m-spaced drill strains. While the reported intercept gap terminated at 129m due to the limits of rig penetration, the opening intersected mineralisation within the higher saprolite zone, beneath transported sand and clay.

Preliminary pXRF evaluation flagged vital niobium, which was confirmed by expedited laboratory evaluation. The company’s systematic exploration consists of 15 precedence targets throughout its West Arunta tenure for 2025.

The air core rig has accomplished the primary move program at Joyce, with assays anticipated in August, and was then remobilised to Encounter’s Steller prospect, 15km north alongside the Elephant Island Fault. The Elephant Island Fault hosts the Crean deposit, which includes 3.5Mt of ore averaging 1.92 per cent niobium pentoxide.

Encounter’s subsequent steps at Joyce will contain mobilising a reverse circulation rig to check the depth and width of high-grade zones, alongside ground gravity and passive seismic surveys to map deeper weathering and metallic enrichment, following a trial on the Green prospect.

Encounter’s 40,000m drill program underscores its deal with uncovering main niobium and copper deposits in Australia’s potential mineral belts.

With niobium’s crucial position in superior applied sciences and Joyce’s high-grade outcomes, Encounter is well-positioned to capitalise on growing international demand for crucial minerals.

If profitable, the exploration may probably set up Encounter’s Aileron project as a vital contributor to the niobium provide chain.

Company: Nimy Resources (ASX: NIM)

Project: Mons Project, Block 3, gallium project

Location: 370km north-east of Perth

Hit: 240m at 55g/t gallium oxide from floor to EOH, together with 56m at 101g/t gallium oxide from 60m

Peak worth: 1m at 285g/t gallium oxide from 115m

Nimy Resources has reported distinctive gallium oxide outcomes from its Mons project, 140km north-northwest of Southern Cross in WA.

Gallium metallic and its oxide comprise a crucial but lesser-known commodity, more and more important on account of their roles in technology – significantly amid current provide constraints. China controls 98 per cent of international refined gallium merchandise however imposed export controls in August 2023, triggering price spikes and provide chain considerations.

Nimy’s section two reverse circulation drilling program at its Block 3 prospect delivered outstanding gallium oxide grades throughout 4 240m-deep holes.

The stand-out gap averaged 55 grams per tonne (g/t) gallium oxide – equal to 41g/t gallium metallic, utilizing a 1.3442 conversion issue – from floor to end-of-hole. The mineralisation stays open.

The gap included 56m at 101g/t gallium oxide from 60m, a peak 1m interval of 285g/t gallium oxide from 115m, and a 4m composite of 126g/t gallium oxide from 188m. The closing 20m averaged 30g/t gallium oxide throughout 5 4m composites.

The second gap yielded two high-grade zones: 20m at 102g/t gallium oxide from 40m, peaking at 141g/t gallium oxide over 4m from 56m, and 36m at 104g/t gallium oxide from 112m, with a peak 1m interval of 376g/t gallium oxide from 117m.

The third gap intersected 28m at 59g/t gallium oxide from 216m to end-of-hole.

The fourth gap returned 8m at 108g/t gallium oxide from 144m, with a peak 1m interval of 184g/t gallium oxide from 145m, and 20m at 63g/t gallium oxide from 220m to end-of-hole.

Average grades for the three different holes had been 57g/t, 37g/t, and 30g/t gallium oxide over their 240m lengths.

These outcomes, with mineralisation open in all instructions, spotlight Block 3’s potential to satisfy hovering international gallium demand.

Nimy plans to ship an initial mineral useful resource estimate within the December quarter, following assays from its section three program.

Ongoing exploration is focusing on extensions of the gallium-hosting chlorite schist, with mineralisation recognized past present limits, suggesting useful resource growth potential.

Despite gallium’s relative abundance within the Earth’s crust, extensively estimated at 19 components per million of the fundamental metallic, economically viable deposits are uncommon, making Nimy’s high-grade, coherent mineralised system a promising contributor to the West’s gallium provides.

Company: Hyterra Ltd (ASX: HYT)

Project: Nemaha project, Kansas, the United States

Hit: High helium concentrations up to 4.4% in mud gasoline samples at Blythe 13-20 properly.

Hyterra Limited reported an distinctive helium discovery at its Nemaha project in Kansas, with mud gasoline samples from its Blythe 13-20 properly displaying helium concentrations up to 4.4 per cent.

This is a vital discover, surpassing typical helium ranges within the area and marking a uncommon prevalence for Kansas, the place helium concentrations within the Hugoton gasoline area usually vary from 0.25 per cent to 2.5 per cent.

Helium, a colourless, odourless, non-toxic and inert noble gasoline, is the second most ample aspect within the universe, however it’s uncommon on Earth. Formed as a by-product of radioactive decay, it’s a non-renewable useful resource usually extracted from natural gasoline deposits.

Its distinctive properties, together with an extraordinarily low boiling level of -268.9°C, make it irreplaceable in semiconductors, aerospace, MRI technology and quantum computing.

The international helium scarcity underscores the worth of this discovery. Kansas is a strategic hub for US helium manufacturing, supported by a strong regulatory setting and a long time of experience from the Hugoton area.

The first vital helium discovery in Dexter, Kansas, in 1903 with a 1.84 per cent helium focus. Dexter lies south of Blythe 13-20 close to the Nemaha Ridge. Kansas at the moment hosts eight helium manufacturing plants, reinforcing its dominance in home provide.

The Blythe 13-20 properly will transition to an appraisal section within the coming weeks, with downhole monitoring gear put in to collect information for an initial testing program.

This discovery strengthens Hyterra’s place in assembly growing helium demand, significantly for healthcare, which quantities to 32 per cent of US consumption, primarily for MRI cooling.

With no viable substitutes, helium’s crucial position in superior industries highlights the importance of this high-grade discover.

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