Mining

Nova Minerals unlocks more potential at Estelle gold project with Block D showing encouraging signs

Go to Lorna Nicholas author's page
By Lorna Nicholas - 
Nova Minerals ASX NVA polymetallic vein Estelle gold

Rock chip samples from Nova’s Alaskan prospects have returned high-grade gold, silver and copper results.

Copied

Alaskan-focused gold explorer Nova Minerals (ASX: NVA) has identified more potential at its flagship Estelle gold project in the country’s Tintina gold belt.

Drilling has been ongoing a the Korbel deposit within the project and recently started at the Block D target.

Nova noted that drilling had encountered arsenopyrite-quartz veining at Block D, which has been described as “encouraging”.

Chief executive officer Christopher Gerteisen said the Korbel deposit was continuing to grow as Block D and Block C offer expansion upside.

These targets have been drilled to uncover further feeder systems to the primary Block A and Block B targets at Korbel.

“We have extended drilling on Block A laterally and to depth – mineralisation remains open in all directions with limits yet to be defined,” Mr Gerteisen said.

He added he believes Nova had achieved its next goal of adding “significant tonnes and ounces” through the current drilling program, with even more to come when next year’s 80,000m campaign kicks off.

“The initial 25,000m drill program is now complete.”

Advancing Estelle

Although the initial 25,000m program has finished, drilling has continued with a diamond rig testing the high-grade zone southeast extension of Block B.

“In addition, the second rig is drilling at pad eight on Block D. We are also drill-testing Block C with the RC rig,” Mr Gerteisen said.

While drilling continues, Nova is awaiting assays for 30-holes from Blocks A and B.

Previous notable assays from these primary blocks were 250m at 0.4g/t gold, including 52m at 0.5g/t gold; and 149m at 0.4g/t gold, including 24m at 1g/t gold and 3m at 3.7g/t gold.

Earlier this week, Nova debuted an interim gold resource for Blocks A and B, with an update expected in 2021.

At present, the resource stands at 290Mt at 0.4g/t gold for 3.3Moz.

With drilling aiming to firm up a large-scale bulk mining operation, Nova has ore sorting test work and begun a preliminary economic assessment.