Key Highlights

  • A binding sales agreement was signed with Repusource Pty Ltd for 27,000 tonnes of manganese ore.
  • The agreement follows receipt of an export authorisation for the Ira Miri manganese bulk sample.
  • The sale forms part of the Estrella Murak Rai joint venture's market appraisal programme.
  • The sale price was agreed at prevailing market rates, and specific pricing terms remain confidential.

Estrella Resources Limited (ASX:ESR) announced on 30 October 2026 that it has signed a binding sales agreement with private Australian company Repusource Pty Ltd. The agreement covers 27,000 tonnes of manganese ore from the company's Ira Miri Manganese Project in Timor-Leste. The company describes the contract as a major commercial milestone in the advancement of its bulk sample toward shipment.

Terms of the Sales Agreement

The agreement is binding and covers 27,000 tonnes of ore. The sale price was set at prevailing market rates, which means it reflects the level of demand for manganese at the time of signing rather than a fixed figure set in advance.

The company has kept the specific pricing terms commercially confidential, so the financial value of the contract cannot be calculated from the announcement alone.

The release also describes the Ira Miri ore as having been tested for quality and marketability, a view the company presents as the reason for confidence in the sale. Because the pricing terms are confidential, the buyer's assessment of the ore is not described in the announcement beyond the fact that the contract was agreed.

Export Authorisation and Shipment Path

The sale followed the receipt of an export authorisation, which the company describes as a key step in moving the existing manganese bulk sample towards shipment. Shipment and first sales receipts are the next expected milestones.

The release states that the agreement gives Estrella access to multiple processing customers across the Asia Pacific region, a point the company highlights as part of the commercial outcome.

Joint Venture Market Appraisal

The sale forms part of the market appraisal programme run by the Estrella Murak Rai joint venture, which Estrella manages. The programme is designed to test how the ore performs with buyers and processors.

The announcement describes the sale as reflecting the company's confidence in the quality and marketability of the Ira Miri ore. This view comes from the company itself, and the announcement does not include independent testing results.

Final Word

Estrella's binding agreement for 27,000 tonnes of Ira Miri manganese moves the project from sampling toward commercial sales. The next developments to watch in the company's disclosures are shipment and the receipt of first sales proceeds. Pricing remains confidential, so the financial effect will become clearer only once those steps are reported.