Nordic Resources Surges Past 1 Million Ounces with Hirsikangas Boost

A Significant Resource Upgrade

Nordic Resources Ltd (ASX, NNL) has announced a substantial upgrade to its gold resource inventory following an updated Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) for its Hirsikangas gold project in Finland. The new estimate adds 264,000 ounces of gold, representing a 34% increase in the company’s total gold equivalent resources, which now stand at 1.23 million ounces AuEq. This milestone marks a key step in Nordic’s regional gold strategy within the Middle Ostrobothnia Gold Belt (MOGB).

Project Highlights and Geological Context

The Hirsikangas deposit hosts a near-surface JORC (2012) compliant resource of 7.29 million tonnes at 1.13 grams per tonne gold, comprising 101,000 ounces in the Indicated category and 163,000 ounces Inferred. The mineralisation is open at depth and along strike, with only 2.5 kilometres drilled out of a 10-kilometre prospective trend, indicating significant exploration upside. Drill results reveal wide, continuous gold zones starting close to surface, including standout intersections such as 71.3m at 1.12g/t Au and 80.2m at 1.71g/t Au at depth.

Geologically, Hirsikangas is a Paleoproterozoic orogenic gold deposit hosted mainly in felsic schist within a northwest-trending shear zone. This structural setting is consistent with Nordic’s other projects in the region, Kopsa and Kiimala Trend, which together form a cluster of advanced gold assets with potential synergies in development and processing.

Metallurgical and Operational Insights

Historical metallurgical testing conducted by Belvedere Resources indicates an average gold recovery rate of 93% using cyanide bottle roll tests, a promising figure that supports the economic viability of the deposit. The presence of existing processing plants within accessible distance, including the Pyhasalmi copper-zinc plant and the care-and-maintenance Laiva gold plant, offers potential processing options that could accelerate project development.

Nordic’s Executive Director, Robert Wrixon, highlighted the unexpected scale and quality of the Hirsikangas resource, emphasizing its contribution to the company’s growing gold inventory and regional development options. With 66% of the total 1.23Moz AuEq resource classified as Measured and Indicated, Nordic is well positioned to advance feasibility studies and exploration.

Looking Ahead, Exploration and Development

Beyond the resource upgrade, Nordic is preparing to mobilize a drill rig to the Kopsa gold-copper project within two weeks, aiming to further expand its resource base and advance project development. The company’s extensive landholding in the MOGB, combined with the underexplored nature of the region, suggests considerable potential for additional discoveries.

Environmental permitting and regulatory processes remain key considerations as Nordic progresses towards potential mining operations. The company’s strategic focus on near-surface, open-pit amenable deposits with strong metallurgy aligns with industry best practices for sustainable development.