Solstice Minerals (ASX:SLS) reports significant ‘high-grade’ copper-gold intercepts from ongoing reverse circulation (RC) drilling at its Nanadie Copper-Gold Project in Western Australia.
The company’s latest drilling has identified previously unrecognised ‘high-grade’ zones within and adjacent to the current 40.4 million tonne (Mt) mineral resource estimate (MRE).
‘Standout’ results include 83m @ 0.96% copper (Cu) and 0.44 grams per tonne gold (Au) to end of hole from 143m in NANRC058, and 18m @ 2.29% Cu and 1.12g/t Au to end of hole from 292m, including 5m @ 6.88% Cu and 3.6g/t Au in NANRC057.
NANRC058 returned a broad combined intercept of 172m @ 0.69% Cu and 0.3g/t Au from 54m to end of hole, defining a wide, near‑surface body of disseminated copper sulphide mineralisation.
The company immediately extended this hole with a diamond tail following visual logging.
Step‑out RC drilling beyond the southern MRE limit has extended the system, with copper sulphides logged in all holes.
Results include 14m @ 0.53% Cu and 0.15g/t Au from 21m in NANRC052, and 23m @ 0.40% Cu and 0.13g/t Au from 226m, and 12m @ 0.73% Cu and 0.24g/t Au from 260m in NANRC054.
These results have extended the Nanadie deposit to at least 1.3km of strike, with the system remaining open to north, south, and at depth.
Assays from diamond tail NANRCD024 returned 60.6m @ 0.64% Cu, 0.33g/t Au, and 11.75g/t silver (Ag) from 381m, including 10m @ 1.34% Cu, 1.52g/t Au, and 22.18g/t Ag from 407m. Silver mineralisation is noted in this intercept and in several nearby holes, coincident with copper and gold.
CEO and Managing Director Nick Castleden says the results confirm the company’s interpretation that significant zones of valuable near‑surface ‘high‑grade’ mineralisation exist both within and adjacent to the current resource.
“Any mineralised zones at a significantly higher-grade than the MRE have considerable strategic and commercial significance to the project — and we are now starting to open up a particularly strongly mineralised near-surface position,” Castleden notes.
The company will extend NANRC057 with a diamond tail, with additional drilling ongoing in this area.
Nanadie includes an existing inferred MRE of 40.4Mt @ 0.4% Cu and 0.1g/t Au, containing 162,000 tonnes of copper and 130,000 ounces of gold.
Solstice Minerals is an Australian explorer advancing a portfolio of copper, gold, and nickel assets in Western Australia, led by its flagship Nanadie copper-gold project and Yarri gold project.
Write to JC Villarba at Mining.com.au
Images: Solstice Minerals
