European Lithium flags strong assay validation at Tanbreez Hill Zone as 2026 drilling plans advance
European Lithium Ltd (ASX:EUR, OTCQB:EULIF) has highlighted encouraging resampling results from the Hill Zone Deposit at the Tanbreez rare earths project in Greenland, with Critical Metals Corp (Nasdaq: CRML), in which it holds a 37.5% stake, reporting consistent total rare earth oxide plus...
European Lithium Ltd(ASX:EUROTCQB:EULIF) View Price & Profile European Lithium flags strong assay validation at Tanbreez Hill Zone as 2026 drilling plans advance
Published: 23:13 17 Feb 2026 EST
European Lithium Ltd (ASX:EUR, OTCQB:EULIF) has highlighted encouraging resampling results from the Hill Zone Deposit at the Tanbreez rare earths project in Greenland, with Critical Metals Corp (Nasdaq: CRML), in which it holds a 37.5% stake, reporting consistent total rare earth oxide plus yttrium (TREO+Y) grades across 33 historical drill holes.
The results stem from a comprehensive resampling program of 2010 diamond drilling at the Hill Zone, forming part of an ongoing quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) review and data gap analysis. While the announcement does not alter the existing mineral resource estimate, it is designed to validate and expand the project’s elemental dataset ahead of further drilling in 2026.
Diamond Drilling Hill Zone 2010
TREO+Y grades up to 0.94% with strong heavy rare earth component
Critical Metals re-analysed 1,014 pulp samples from 33 drill holes originally completed in 2010. The resampling returned a weighted average TREO+Y grade of 0.44%, with grades ranging from 0.31% to 0.94%.
Importantly, the rare earth mineralisation continues to show a substantial heavy rare earth oxide (HREO) component, averaging 24.1% of TREO+Y across the dataset — a feature often viewed favourably given the relative scarcity and strategic value of heavy rare earths.
Additional assay results included:
Gallium oxide (Ga₂O₃) between 87 ppm and 117 ppm Zirconium oxide (ZrO₂) ranging from 1.04% to 3.81% Elevated associated elements including cerium oxide (CeO₂) at 1,684 ppm, niobium pentoxide (Nb₂O₅) at 986 ppm, tantalum pentoxide (Ta₂O₅) at 60 ppm and hafnium oxide (HfO₂) at 248 ppm (weighted averages)
All intercepts of 2 metres or greater were reported using a 3,000 ppm TREO+Y cut-off, with no top-cut applied.
According to the company, the new assays demonstrate strong reproducibility and correlation with the original 2010 results, with TREO grades falling within a tight 2–5% precision range. A small number of outlier samples are being investigated, but the program overall has reinforced confidence in the historical dataset.
Project Drilling Summary Plan (WGS84 zone 23N)
European Lithium executive chairman Tony Sage said the results provide “strong validation” of the original drilling and a “solid foundation as we continue to progress technical studies and plan further drilling in 2026”.
“The excellent repeatability and high correlation between the original and repeat assays confirm TREO grades within a tight 2–5% precision range, underscoring the robustness of the rare earth mineralisation previously reported for the Hill Zone Deposit,” he said.
He noted that the work also broadens the geochemical dataset by testing for individual rare earth elements and other associated critical metals, strengthening and de-risking analytical controls.
Supporting resource confidence ahead of 2026 field season
The Hill Zone forms part of the broader Tanbreez project in southern Greenland, which is being advanced by Critical Metals. The resampling program is intended to underpin future geological modelling, metallurgical work and potential resource updates.
Hill Deposit Drill Hole Summary Plan (WGS84 zone 23N)
Planning is now under way for the 2026 field program, which is expected to include priority infill drilling at the Hill Zone. The objective is to increase confidence in the existing mineral resource — currently classified as Indicated and Inferred — and assess whether parts of the resource could qualify for higher classification in future updates.
The proposed campaign is also expected to include extension and tie-in drilling between the Hill Zone, Upper Fjord and Area B, along with open-space extension drilling to further define mineralised zones across the project area.
Recent 2025 drilling at Area B and Upper Fjord identified additional mineralisation potential adjacent to the Hill Zone, providing further impetus for the next phase of work.
Hill Deposit Cross Section (6748300mN) Summary Plan (WGS84 zone 23N)
Strategic exposure through Critical Metals stake
European Lithium holds 45,536,338 ordinary shares in Critical Metals, representing a 37.5% stake. Based on Critical Metals’ most recent closing share price of US$9.33, European Lithium’s investment is valued at about US$424.9 million (A$599.0 million), subject to market fluctuations.
Critical Metals’ flagship Tanbreez project is regarded as a large rare earth deposit with year-round shipping access via deep-water fjords to the North Atlantic, positioning it within Western supply chain discussions around critical minerals.