Power Minerals (ASX:PNN) surges ahead in Brazil’s niobium and rare earths race
In a pivotal set of drill results from central Brazil, Power Minerals (ASX:PNN) has intersected multiple wide zones of high-grade niobium and rare earths at its Santa Anna Project, an early sign the company may be sitting on a globally relevant critical minerals system.
Key Highlights:
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87m at 2,124ppm Nb₂O₅ from 24m, including 3m at 10,117ppm
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60m at 9,202ppm TREO from surface, including 14m at 18,768ppm
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35m at 8,050ppm TREO from 11m, including 7m at 17,163ppm
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76m at 3,424ppm Nb₂O₅ to end of hole, open at depth
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89.3% of the 5.8km² alkaline complex remains untested
The 29-hole, 2,272-metre program is the company’s first on the ground since executing an exclusive option to acquire the Santa Anna Alkaline Complex in Goiás State.
Importantly, the results confirm mineralisation across both the upper weathered horizon and the deeper carbonatite zones an outcome that bolsters Power Minerals geological model and exploration thesis.
Managing Director Mena Habib says the results tick several strategic boxes:
“The positive results are in line with our exploration model for the Project, as it shows that mineralisation occurs at surface and at depth… This is an important step in the determination of a significant niobium and REE carbonatite deposit.”
While REE hits of over 18,000ppm TREO will rightly catch investor attention, the company is also awaiting gallium assays, which could confirm a rare trifecta of critical metals in one system.
Notably, gallium results from earlier due diligence revealed values up to 232.7g/t Ga₂O₃.
Santa Anna spans 17.05km², yet nearly 90% of its known prospective footprint has never been drill-tested.
Previous exploration was mostly shallow, with 78% of historical holes less than 30 metres deep a contrast to Power’s broader, deeper approach.
With niobium’s growing role in battery technologies and REEs central to magnet production, the project has all the ingredients to become a strategic asset.
Brazil’s supportive infrastructure, proximity to export routes, and emerging focus on critical minerals only add to the opportunity.
For a company better known for its lithium holdings in Argentina, Power’s push into Brazilian REEs and niobium may mark the start of a broader evolution one that aligns with global supply chain priorities and investor appetites for scalable, diversified exposure.