WA1 Resource (ASX: WA1) Unveils Exceptionally High-Grade 35Mt Core at West Arunta

Key Highlights:

• WA1 upgrades Luni’s Indicated resource to 93Mt at 1.32% niobium oxide
• High-grade core delivers 35Mt at 2.57% Nb₂O₅
• More than half of contained niobium now sits in the higher-confidence Indicated category
• Luni remains open in multiple directions with drilling continuing beyond the current footprint
• WA1 advances toward future Ore Reserve studies at one of the West’s largest niobium discoveries

WA1 Resources has tightened its grip on one of Australia’s most significant critical minerals discoveries, unveiling a major upgrade at its Luni Niobium Project in Western Australia’s remote West Arunta region.

The latest Mineral Resource Estimate lifted the project’s Indicated resource to 93 million tonnes grading 1.32 per cent niobium oxide, while the total resource now stands at 220 million tonnes at 1.0 per cent Nb₂O₅.  

Buried within that update is a much richer section drawing increasing market attention.

WA1 has outlined a high-grade core containing 35 million tonnes at 2.57 per cent niobium oxide, positioning Luni among the higher-grade undeveloped niobium deposits globally.  

The company’s shares were trading around $16.31 on Thursday afternoon, valuing WA1 at roughly $1.21 billion.

Source: MarketIndex 

The update comes as governments and manufacturers continue searching for secure supplies of critical minerals used in steelmaking, aerospace and emerging battery technologies.

Niobium remains a tightly controlled market. Roughly 91 per cent of global supply currently comes from Brazil, according to company data.  

That concentration has elevated projects like Luni beyond the usual exploration story.

Western economies are increasingly seeking alternative supply chains for strategic materials tied to industrial manufacturing and energy transition technologies. Niobium is widely used in ferroniobium alloys that strengthen steel while reducing overall weight, particularly in transport, infrastructure and pipeline construction.  

Meanwhile, niobium oxide is emerging as a growth area in lithium-ion battery research, particularly for technologies aimed at improving charging speed and battery lifespan.  

WA1 managing director Paul Savich said the latest update reflected a “methodical increase in resource confidence” as the company pushes deeper into development studies.  

“The scale and grade of Luni makes it a globally significant niobium resource with the potential to support a long-life operation,” Mr Savich said.  

More than 57 per cent of contained niobium is now classified in the higher-confidence Indicated category, up from 45 per cent in 2025.  

Across the mining sector, that shift is closely watched because Indicated resources form the backbone of future mine planning, feasibility work and project financing.

WA1 said the updated estimate is based on more than 52,000 metres of drilling across over 450 holes.  

Elsewhere, the geology continues to expand.

The resource remains open toward the east, northeast and northwest, with exploration drilling tracing extensions up to 400 metres beyond the current footprint.  

The company is now targeting a future Measured resource in the eastern zone, where initial mining activity is expected to begin.  

The broader economics of the deposit are also beginning to sharpen.

Mineralisation starts relatively close to surface, generally between 30 and 80 metres deep, and sits largely within weathered material considered suitable for conventional open-pit mining.  

That combination can significantly reduce mining complexity and upfront development costs compared with deeper underground operations.

WA1 also noted the current resource estimate only covers weathered domains, leaving potential for additional mineralisation at depth in fresh rock systems not yet included in the model.  

The market focus now shifts toward reserve conversion, metallurgy and long-term development planning as WA1 moves further away from discovery drilling and deeper into the economics of building what could become one of the West’s largest future niobium operations.