Estrella Resources reports it is on track to define a 500-million-tonne limestone resource at its Werumatamata project in Timor Leste, after drilling intersected high-purity limestone sheets up to 87 metres thick. The company says the average width logged within the limestone blanket is 55 metres, and it also encountered unexpected calcite beneath the target zone, potentially adding significant tonnage.
Drilling at the nearby Ira Miri Manganese prospect is now complete, with thicknesses of the targeted Noni Formation reaching up to 12.87 metres of 80% manganese oxides from just 5.13 metres depth. Of 45 holes drilled for manganese in 2025, 29 showed colour, and thick high-grade supergene mineralisation was hit. Samples from selected intervals have been collected for assessment of premium quality mineralisation.
The Werumata limestone sits directly atop the manganese-rich Noni Formation, which hosts extensive supergene enriched manganese mineralisation typically covered by clean limestone. Weathering has developed thick concentrations of manganese visible at surface, meaning every hole drilled for limestone could also shed light on underlying manganese.
In May, Estrella signed an exclusive marketing and offtake deal with Indonesian energy and mining group PT Raka Energi Mandiri, opening the door to Southeast Asia's industrial minerals market. The agreement could see up to 500 million tonnes of limestone exported from Timor Leste over five years.
Estrella's foothold in Timor Leste stems from management's long involvement in the nation's mineral development strategy. In 2023, Timor Leste launched its first minerals tender; Estrella was one of four successful applicants and secured three of four exploration concessions and eight reconnaissance permits, covering prime ground across the country's limestone and manganese belts.
