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Highlights
- Nova initiates 15,000m drilling campaign at Estelle Project in Alaska
- Targets include RPM, Korbel, and maiden resource at Stibium
- Project aligned with soaring gold and antimony demand
Nova Minerals (ASX:NVA) has kicked off a high-impact, 15,000-metre drilling campaign at its flagship Estelle Gold and Critical Minerals Project in Alaska, reinforcing its long-term development vision as it taps into the global momentum surrounding gold and antimony. The program, spanning key prospects—RPM, Korbel, and the newly advancing Stibium—marks a strategic step for the company as it seeks to grow resources amid historically strong commodity prices.
Site mobilisation is well underway, with helicopters, geologists, drill rigs, and support crews onsite to take advantage of the Alaskan summer’s near 24-hour daylight. Drilling is expected to ramp up shortly and continue over a three-month campaign window, forming a crucial part of Nova’s broader feasibility and permitting objectives.
The RPM deposit will be the core focus, accounting for nearly 10,000 metres of the drilling. Activities will include definition drilling, resource upgrades, exploration of strike extensions, and installation of hydrology wells to support environmental studies. Additional targets in the RPM region include geochemical anomalies to the north and the glacial debris lobe, where 2024 sampling produced standout results—rock samples up to 52.3 g/t gold and till samples averaging 1.1 g/t gold.
Meanwhile, the Stibium prospect emerges as a compelling new frontier. With 3,000 metres of drilling planned, Nova aims to define a maiden resource across its 800 x 400 metre high-grade zone. Rock and soil samples have already delivered notable grades, including up to 60.5% antimony and 141 g/t gold. Success in a pending application for U.S. Department of Defense funding could potentially supercharge this program.
Korbel will also see targeted activity, with 2,000 metres of drilling planned to assess a potential higher-grade starter pit and other regional targets within the Korbel Valley.
Complementing drilling, a regional mapping and geochemical sampling campaign will run in parallel, focusing on target areas such as Styx, Portage Pass–Tomahawk, and West Wing—boosting the project's long-term exploration pipeline.
Nova’s move aligns with rising investor interest in strategic commodities and fits into the broader thematic of resource-backed companies within the ASX200 index, which continue to shape Australia’s economic footprint. Investors tracking sector movements are also eyeing opportunities among emerging ASX dividend stocks, where resource firms like Nova could carve out future relevance.
As the 2025 field season gains pace, Nova’s campaign positions it to deliver a wave of resource updates, feasibility milestones, and regional growth potential in the heart of Alaska’s resource-rich terrain.
