NovaRed Mining (CSE:NRED) plans to use geophysical surveys to investigate two iron carbonate-silica alteration zones at the Plume grid within its Wilmac Copper–Gold Project in British Columbia, Canada.
The zones, covering about 115 hectares and 133 hectares, were mapped by British Columbia Government geologists in 2009. NovaRed notes it has not independently verified the mapping.
The company interprets the alteration as a potential shallow expression of a hydrothermal system associated with a large magnetic anomaly beneath the project, which it previously identified as a possible buried intrusive complex.
However, NovaRed says iron carbonate-silica alteration is not diagnostic of a porphyry system. Alternative explanations include structurally controlled carbonate-silica alteration or younger epithermal activity.
CEO Brian Goss says the mapped alteration and underlying magnetic feature warrant further investigation.
“There are really two possibilities. Either this is the shallow expression of an older porphyry system at depth, or it is a much younger epithermal system sitting in the cover rocks above it,” Goss says.
Eight historical analyses of grab samples from the eastern zone returned copper values of 8–133 parts per million (ppm) and gold values of 0.9–12.1 parts per billion (ppb). Arsenic returned 63–156ppm.
NovaRed also collected 45 soil samples from the western zone in 2025, which returned portable X-ray fluorescence readings of 30–168ppm copper. The semi-quantitative results have not been verified by an accredited laboratory, with laboratory analysis proposed during the 2026 field program.
Subject to financing, NovaRed says it plans to complete induced polarisation (IP) and audio-magnetotelluric (AMT) surveys over the zones. IP is expected to investigate depths of about 250m, while AMT could provide subsurface imaging beyond 1,000m.
The work is one of four proposed geophysical surveys for 2026 and remains subject to financing, contractor availability, access, and permitting. No drilling or mineralisation has been reported within the alteration zones.
The company says the survey is one of four proposed for 2026 and remains subject to financing, contractor availability, access, and permitting. No drilling or mineralisation has been reported within the alteration zones.
Write to France Pinzon at Mining.com.au
Images: Mining.com.au
