Could Lorraine’s Gold Discovery Shift Focus from Copper-Nickel Mining?

Historic Data Reveals Exceptional Gold Potential

Pivotal Metals Limited (ASX:PVT) has announced the discovery of bonanza-grade gold targets at its Lorraine prospect, part of the Belleterre-Angliers Greenstone Belt (BAGB) projects in Quebec, Canada. A comprehensive review of historical exploration data uncovered multiple high-grade gold occurrences, including an extraordinary underground channel sample grading 28 metres at 45.2 grams per tonne gold (g/t Au) alongside 3.2% copper (Cu). This finding highlights a significant gold-copper quartz vein system that had been largely overlooked due to the area's previous focus on copper-nickel mining.

Additional historical assays reinforce the scale and richness of the system, with results such as 9.5 metres at 14.1 g/t Au and 3.2% Cu, and diamond drilling intercepts including 0.97 metres at 56.2 g/t Au, featuring an ultra-high-grade zone of 0.15 metres at 233.9 g/t Au. Visible gold was also observed in drill holes above the 6 level underground workings, suggesting a complex and extensive mineralising event.

A Broad and Open Mineralised Corridor

The gold-copper mineralisation extends along a broad 600-metre strike corridor, traced from underground workings to surface channel samples exhibiting up to 6.4 g/t Au. This corridor remains open in all directions, indicating substantial exploration upside. The Lorraine prospect lies just 12 kilometres from the historic Belleterre Mine, which produced 750,000 ounces of gold at 10.7 g/t Au, where a major 100-kilometre drill program is currently underway by TSX-listed Vior Inc.

Historically, exploration and mining concentrated on copper-nickel sulphide mineralisation, leaving the gold potential underexplored. Surface sampling programs in the early 2000s were limited and only two drill holes have been completed in the eastern prospective corridor since mine closure in the 1960s, underscoring the untapped nature of the gold system.

Aggressive Exploration Program Underway

In response to these compelling findings, Pivotal Metals has launched an aggressive summer field program aimed at delineating the structural controls and continuity of the Au-Cu quartz vein system. This includes detailed surface mapping, systematic sampling, and a high-resolution unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) magnetic survey to refine drill targets. The company plans to re-analyse archived drill core to address assay inconsistencies likely caused by the nugget effect, enhancing confidence in the gold grades.

Managing Director Ivan Fairhall emphasized the strategic importance of this discovery: "The bonanza gold grades and their distribution over a broad area provide strong encouragement for new discoveries in a region historically focused on copper-nickel mining. This work complements our resource growth at the advanced Horden Lake Cu-Ni-PGE-Au deposit and broadens our exploration horizon within the BAGB projects."

Regional Context and Infrastructure Advantage

The Lorraine prospect is part of Pivotal's extensive BAGB project portfolio, which hosts multiple high-grade copper-nickel-platinum group metals (PGM) occurrences. The projects are strategically located near the prolific Abitibi mining camp, one of the world's most productive mineral regions, with excellent access to infrastructure including power, roads, rail, and skilled workforce.

This proximity to established mining and milling operations, such as Agnico Eagle’s Canadian Malartic Mine with spare milling capacity, positions Pivotal well for potential rapid development should exploration success continue. The BAGB projects also benefit from low-cost hydropower and closeness to major smelters, enhancing the economic prospects of any future discoveries.

Outlook

With the identification of these high-grade gold targets and a clear exploration pathway, Pivotal Metals is poised to unlock significant value from its Quebec assets. The ongoing fieldwork and geophysical surveys will be critical in defining drill targets and advancing the understanding of this potentially large mineralising system.