Estrella Resources is steadily advancing its Ira Miri project in Timor-Leste, successfully intersecting the targeted manganese horizon as extraction activities accelerate. The company aims to deliver up to 30,000 tonnes of high-grade manganese ore as a market sample, marking a significant milestone for the project and Timor-Leste’s first minerals export under its new mining code.
A recently signed agreement with the national mineral authority, Autoridade Nacional dos Minerais, I.P., permits Estrella to mine bulk samples for sale, potentially generating the first mining royalty revenue for the government in modern times. Earth movers have struck the distinctive red-brown clay horizon overlying the manganese mineralisation, validating the exploration model from drilling completed in 2025.
The mineralised horizon is close to the surface, aligning with earlier drilling results. The manganese is hosted in clay units with layered manganese oxides, enabling simple extraction and grade control. Additional manganese-bearing material has been identified outside the initial sample area, suggesting broader mineralisation potential.
Estrella has mobilised additional heavy equipment, installed lighting for night shifts, and now operates a fleet including excavators, dump trucks, bulldozers, and graders. Two mine supervisors oversee excavation, while geologists conduct grade control sampling to optimise extraction and create a product specification sheet for potential buyers. Discussions with international end-users have intensified.
Initial manganese ore has been stockpiled at the pithead. A new road network improves access, and material will be transported 17 km to the former Lautem airstrip, then loaded onto barges for transfer to bulk carriers. The market sample of up to 30,000 tonnes represents Timor-Leste’s first minerals export since the new Mining Code was adopted.
Beyond manganese, Estrella is advancing its Werumata limestone prospect. A 3,717-metre drilling program across 42 holes targeted a potential high-purity limestone resource, with an exploration target of around 500 million tonnes. At Baucau, limestone units reached up to 87 metres thick, and at Batu Putih, chalk horizons up to 38 metres. Assay results are pending. As manganese gains recognition for steelmaking and battery cathode chemistry, Estrella’s progress positions Ira Miri as a country-building project and a new entrant in the global critical-minerals supply chain.
