Perpetual’s high-grade tin, niobium, titanium rock chips show potential for multiple commodities at Itinga

Perpetual’s reconnaissance sampling has outlined the potential to advance multiple high-value commodities such as tin, niobium and titanium at its Itinga project.

Rock chip sampling at Itinga has returned high-grade tin, tantalum, niobium and titanium results with many assays exceeding laboratory detection limits. Pic: Getty Images

• Perpetual Resources’ rock chip sampling returns high-grade tin, tantalum, niobium and titanium

• Multiple assays returned results of >20% tin, >50% niobium and >33% titanium, which are above detection limits

• Results highlight opportunity to advance multiple high-value commodities alongside its lithium projects

Special Report: Perpetual Resources’ reconnaissance sampling at its Itinga project in Brazil's Jequitinhonha Valley has returned high-grade results with many exceeding laboratory detection limits.

Rock chips returned multiple assays with tin above 20% and up to 5.51% tantalum, a stunning niobium result of >50% with 13.15% tantalum, and a >33% titanium oxide result.

This is well above previous assays that confirmed high-grade tin of up to 7% and titanium oxide up to 14.5%.

Perpetual Resources (ASX:PEC) noted that the high-grade mineralisation coincides with multiple coarse cassiterite (tin oxide), columbite (niobium/tantalum) and titanium (rutile/ilmenite) pegmatites with strike extent corridors extending up to 750m by 299m.

This is significant as the large, underexplored pegmatite systems at Itinga have never undergone modern exploration, presenting a compelling opportunity for the company to unlock their full potential through targeted exploration.

Artisanal mine within Itinga where new results have exceeded detection limits. Pic: Perpetual Resources

Exciting opportunity

“With strong progress at Perpetual’s lithium exploration assets in the region, we are also advancing our broader exploration portfolio,” exploration manager Allan Stephens said.

“These latest results from Itinga are exceptional in grade and reaffirm the project’s potential within a tier-1 mining jurisdiction.

“The confirmation of high-grade niobium oxide (>50%) alongside high-grade tin mineralisation (>20%) has prompted us to expand our exploration focus and include this exciting area for follow-up work.

“With niobium and tin recognised as critical minerals for the future, these results present an exciting opportunity to advance multiple high-value commodities alongside our rapidly developing lithium projects.”

The reconnaissance fieldwork at Itinga was carried out in October 2024 to follow up on previously identified anomalies in tin, titanium, lithium and tantalum.

More recently, PEC re-targeted ‘garimpos’ (artisanal mines) where previous sampling recorded anomalous results.

Testing of coarse, dense metals within highly weathered pegmatites in these garimpos has now confirmed high-grade mineralisation.

Looking ahead, the company is well advanced with drill preparations for lithium, which is on track to start in Q2 2025.

It will also deploy a dedicated exploration team to follow up on recent high-grade results and assess the scale of new mineral occurrences.

Meanwhile the next phase of exploration is scheduled to begin in March/April, which aligns with the transition from the wet to dry season in northern Minas Gerais.

This article was developed in collaboration with Perpetual Resources, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing.

This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.

Originally published as Perpetual’s high-grade tin, niobium, titanium rock chips show potential for multiple commodities at Itinga