Solstice Minerals (ASX: SLS) has further extended the mineralised system at its Nanadie copper-gold project in Western Australia with strong zones in a follow-up diamond drill hole.
The diamond tail was drilled approximately 60 metres to the west of the first hole and ended 180m below it, revealing extensive zones of visible chalcopyrite (copper sulphide) in multiple locations downhole.
The zones contain sulphide styles and concentrations broadly comparable to those observed in the first hole, extending the interpreted system to approximately 500m below the boundary of the current mineral resource estimate (MRE).
Geological logging and core processing continues, with first laboratory assay results from core expected in four to six weeks.
Higher-Grade Material
Diamond drilling continues to test depth, strike, and lateral extensions across a 1 kilometre-long mineralised footprint.
This should provide the company with information on the distribution of mineralised rock, as well as the geometry of higher-grade material.
The rig will also follow up and extend any emerging higher-grade copper-gold intercepts at or near the operational limit of previous reverse circulation (RC) drill holes.
A concurrent 10,000m Phase 2 RC campaign is progressing, with the geology observed in the eight holes completed to date broadly consistent with previous RC work.
The program consists of step-out exploration tests, MRE delineation holes, and ‘pre-collar’ holes designated for diamond tails.
Nanadie Scale and Continuity
Managing director Nick Castleden said the new zones reinforced the scale and continuity of the Nanadie system.
“We are delighted to have logged significant runs of disseminated and veinlet copper sulphide mineralisation to at least 800m depth in this follow-up drill hole,” he said.
“This hole confirms that the Nanadie system continues well beyond the limits of current drilling, [and] demonstrates very meaningful vertical and lateral scale potential.”
Situated approximately 100km northwest of Sandstone in central WA, Nanadie includes an existing Inferred MRE of 40.4 million tonnes at 0.4% copper and 0.1 grams per tonne gold, containing 162,000t of copper and 130,000 ounces of gold.
Solstice believes the project represents a substantial base of strategic metals with strong demand profiles.
