St George Mining (ASX:SGQ) announced a major high-grade niobium discovery 400m northwest of its existing mineral resource estimate at the 100%-owned Araxá Rare Earths and Niobium Project in Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Expansion drilling has returned results, including 81.5m at 1.27% Nb₂O₅ from surface, with standout intervals of 43m at 2.01% Nb₂O₅ and 10.5m at 3.41% Nb₂O₅.
The discovery lies within the world-renowned Barreiro Carbonatite, adjacent to CBMM’s leading niobium operation.
Executive Chairman John Prineas described the results as "outstanding," highlighting the continuity and scale of the mineral system, with mineralisation open in all directions.
The discovery's surface-level high grades offer a potential commercial advantage, supporting future open-pit mining.
Niobium, a critical metal used in superalloys, aerospace, and electronics, is dominated by Brazil, which produces over 90% of global supply, with neither the US nor China having domestic sources.
St George is continuing 24/7 diamond core drilling to further define and expand the resource, with 29 drill holes pending assay.
The new niobium zone also contains high-grade rare earth elements, with recent results showing 100.15 metres at 2.16% TREO from surface.
The company plans a mineral resource upgrade in Q1 2026, reflecting the growing scale of the high-grade niobium and REE system at Araxá.
At the time of reporting, St George Mining's share price was $0.11.