Estrella Resources Advances Manganese Production in Timor-Leste
Estrella Resources is making significant strides in transitioning its Ira Miri project in Timor-Leste from exploration to production. The company has successfully intersected the targeted manganese horizon, marking a pivotal moment as extraction activities accelerate. With plans to deliver up to 30,000 tons of high-grade manganese ore, this project not only represents a major milestone for Estrella but also signifies Timor-Leste’s first minerals export under its new mining code.
Key Developments in Manganese Extraction
Estrella Resources has recently secured an agreement with the Autoridade Nacional dos Minerais, I.P., allowing the company to mine bulk samples and prepare them for sale. This agreement is expected to generate the first mining royalty revenue for the Timorese government in modern history. The company has begun excavation, having struck the distinctive red-brown clay horizon that overlays the manganese mineralization, confirming the validity of its exploration model developed from drilling conducted in 2025.
The manganese mineralization is located close to the surface, aligning with previous drilling results. It is found within a sequence of clay units that contain layered manganese oxides, which facilitate straightforward extraction and effective grade control. Notably, Estrella has identified additional manganese-bearing material beyond the initial extraction area, indicating a broader mineralization potential that could extend beyond the current pit design.
With favorable weather conditions and ongoing progress at the site, Estrella has initiated its production ramp-up plan. The company has mobilized additional heavy equipment, installed lighting towers for night shifts, and is now operating a substantial fleet of excavators, dump trucks, bulldozers, and graders. Two mine supervisors are overseeing excavation activities, while geologists are conducting detailed grade control sampling to optimize the extraction sequence and create a formal product specification sheet for potential buyers. Concurrently, Estrella is engaged in discussions with several international end-users regarding the manganese ore.
Future Prospects and Additional Projects
Initial stockpiles of manganese ore have already been established at the pithead, with a new road network facilitating access to the stockpile. The ore will be transported approximately 17 kilometers to the former Lautem airstrip, adjacent to a decommissioned fish-processing facility. From there, it will be loaded onto barges and shipped offshore for transfer to bulk carriers.
In addition to the Ira Miri manganese project, Estrella is also advancing its Werumata limestone prospect. The company recently completed a 3,717-meter drilling campaign, which included 42 reverse circulation and diamond holes, aimed at delineating a potentially massive high-purity limestone resource. Preliminary estimates suggest an exploration target of around 500 million tons, sufficient to meet Timor-Leste’s domestic needs for generations.
Drilling results have revealed impressive thicknesses of limestone, with units at the Baucau prospect measuring up to 87 meters thick and Batu Putih returning chalk horizons of up to 38 meters. The combined carbonate-rich units could reach a total thickness of 112 meters, averaging about 57 meters across the project area. With drilling now complete, assay results from the limestone samples are anticipated soon, providing insights into the purity and industrial potential of Werumata’s carbonate sequences.
As manganese gains recognition as a crucial component for steelmaking and battery production, Estrella’s efforts to commence production position the Ira Miri project as a vital contributor to both the local economy and the global critical minerals supply chain.
