South Australian explorer Marmota (ASX: MEU) has fast-tracked follow-up drilling at its promising Muckanippie heavy minerals (HM) titanium discovery.

Marmota first grabbed attention in November 2024 when it revealed the discovery of “exceptional” thick rich titanium mineralisation at Muckanippie.

Initial assay results earlier this month from metallurgical test work at the project returned bonanza HM concentrations and intercept thicknesses.

Thick wide intervals

The outstanding HM concentrate percentages were found in every discovery hole featuring bonanza grades over thick wide intervals from surface.

A geological review of Muckanippie has already identified a regional-scale palaeochannel that has been assessed to transect both Marmota’s recent discovery at Muckanippie and Petratherm’s (ASX: PTR) discovery of thick rich titanium mineralisation at the same site.

That interpretation of the Mesozoic palaeochannel has been supported by work published as recently as November 2024 by the Geological Survey of South Australia’s GP2 project.

Extensive program

Marmota’s aircore drill program features 89 planned holes, with an average hole depth of approximately 30 metres.

Chair Dr Colin Rose said the hole depths are intentionally shallow as the titanium-bearing mineral sands from surface is the program’s target.

“Those assays confirm Marmota’s discovery at Muckanippie as a highly significant new HM sands discovery,” Dr Rose said.

“Marmota is progressing with full speed a major follow-up drill program to rapidly advance, grow and develop this outstanding titanium HM discovery.”

Significant land holding

Marmota holds a section approximately 28km in length of the highly prospective titanium-bearing palaeochannel on its tenements.

Of this, approximately 10km lies within Marmota’s tenements to the west and the rest lies to the east.

The palaeochannel is interpreted to be up to 5km in width over Marmota’s tenements, as defined by the GP2 project.