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Highlights
- New High-Grade Zone: Discovery of a mineralisation zone north of the RPM deposit with rock chip samples registering up to 52.3 g/t gold.
- Comprehensive Sampling: Regional surface sampling yielded multiple rock chip, soil, and glacial till samples with significant gold grades.
- Expansive Drilling Target: Mapping of a glacial debris lobe across 1.7 km of strike length offers a promising area for further exploration.
A new phase of exploration at the Estelle Gold and Critical Minerals Project in Alaska has revealed an emerging high-grade gold zone, adding to the growing exploration potential of Nova Minerals (NVA). The latest field program has identified a significant area of mineralisation located to the north of the established RPM deposit. Detailed surface sampling across the regional area has uncovered rock chip samples with gold contents surpassing 1 g/t in half of the 40 samples collected. Notably, standout assays include values of 52.3 g/t, 18.4 g/t, and 17.5 g/t gold, suggesting a strong geochemical anomaly within this newly identified zone.
Alongside the rock chip program, a systematic collection of 100 soil samples was conducted. Among these, 11 samples exhibited gold grades exceeding 0.5 g/t, with the highest result reaching 4.8 g/t gold. Complementary to these findings, a comprehensive glacial till sampling campaign produced 138 samples. Out of these, 34 samples returned grades of at least 1 g/t gold, with 10 samples achieving more than 2 g/t and one sample recording up to 3.6 g/t gold. These diversified sampling techniques have provided a multi-faceted view of the gold dispersion in the area and reinforced the prospectivity of the region.
Exploration efforts have been strategically designed to target mineralisation analogous to the RPM deposit. Field observations indicate that the mineralised material may have been redistributed by a small pocket glacier actively eroding the deposit. The presence of gold within glacial till, extending from the deposit along the hillside and down into the adjacent valley, underscores the dynamic processes affecting ore migration. Such evidence supports the hypothesis that fine and dense gold particles have migrated through the entire thickness of unconsolidated till, potentially broadening the footprint of the high-grade zone.
Further adding to the geological interest in the area, the mapping of a glacial debris lobe has delineated a strike length of approximately 1.7 kilometres. Analysis of 68 till samples along this lobe has produced an average gold grade of 1.1 g/t. The continuity of the till and its association with RPM-style mineralisation suggest that the lobe represents an extensive and viable target for subsequent drilling campaigns. Additional geological observations have noted early indications of mineralisation within hornfels formations, which are believed to cap the RPM-style intrusives. This feature may offer further insights into the structural controls and depositional environment of the mineral system.
A methodical approach to sampling has been applied in this phase of exploration, emphasizing detailed mapping and geochemical analysis without venturing into speculative estimates of contained gold volumes. Emphasis has been placed on understanding the distribution and behavior of mineralisation within both the unconsolidated tills and the bedrock context. The systematic collection of rock chip, soil, and glacial till samples provides a robust dataset that will inform future drilling programs aimed at delineating the geometry, continuity, and grade distribution of the newly identified zone.
In summary, the recent discovery of a high-grade zone at the Estelle project enhances the geological model of the area and expands the exploration targets available within the regional landscape. Ongoing efforts will focus on drilling to define the thickness, composition, and continuity of the mineralised bodies. This comprehensive exploration program is expected to yield further insights into the structural controls on mineralisation and the potential for broader economic significance within this Alaskan district.
