PolarX Limited’s initial drilling at the Ridgeline prospect in Nevada’s Humboldt Range reveals wide, high-grade gold mineralisation from surface, signalling a major discovery with significant expansion potential.
- First drilling program at Ridgeline intercepts multiple wide gold zones
- Grades up to 37.29 g/t gold over significant widths from surface
- Mineralisation open along 800m strike and at depth within a 3.6km anomaly
- Silver assay results pending amid laboratory delays
- Follow-up drilling planned to extend mineralisation and test historical veins
A Promising Start at Ridgeline
PolarX Limited (ASX: PXX) has announced compelling results from its maiden drilling campaign at the Ridgeline prospect, part of the Humboldt Range project in Nevada. The company’s reverse circulation drilling intersected multiple wide zones of gold mineralisation starting from surface, with assays revealing grades as high as 37.29 grams per tonne (g/t) gold. These results highlight the potential for a significant new gold discovery in a region already known for its prolific mining operations.
Significant Widths and Grades
The initial 13-hole program, covering approximately 800 metres of the 3.6-kilometre-long Ridgeline anomaly, returned several standout intercepts. Notably, hole SP25-005 delivered 9.1 metres at 6.38 g/t gold including a high-grade 1.5-metre section at 37.29 g/t. Other holes confirmed broad mineralised zones with grades suitable for bulk tonnage mining, such as 25.9 metres at 0.78 g/t gold in SP25-009 and 30.5 metres at 0.51 g/t in SP25-010. The mineralisation remains open both along strike and at depth, with geophysical data suggesting the vein system extends well beyond the drilled depths of around 100 metres.
Strategic Location and Regional Context
Ridgeline sits within the Black Canyon project, adjacent to major operating mines including the Florida Canyon gold mine and the Rochester silver-gold mine. These nearby operations are large-scale, heap-leach open-pit mines processing low to moderate grade ore, underscoring the commercial viability of mineralisation hosted in the same geological formations. The presence of extensive epithermal quartz veins within the Rochester rhyolite host rock at Ridgeline aligns with the styles of mineralisation that have supported these successful mines.
Pending Silver Assays and Laboratory Delays
While gold assay results have been impressive, silver assays from the same drill holes are still awaited due to laboratory delays in Reno, Nevada. PolarX has taken steps to mitigate these issues going forward, including changing laboratories to avoid further reporting delays. The silver results could add significant value to the project given the known silver mineralisation in the region.
Next Steps and Exploration Outlook
Encouraged by these early results, PolarX is preparing a major follow-up drilling program scheduled to commence in mid-April, weather permitting. This program aims to extend mineralisation at depth and along the strike of the Ridgeline anomaly. Additionally, the company is pursuing permits to drill test several historical high-grade veins nearby, which were mined in the early 1900s but remain largely unexplored with modern techniques. The combination of wide mineralised zones, high-grade intercepts, and strategic location near established mines positions Humboldt Range as a compelling exploration story to watch.
Bottom Line?
PolarX’s Ridgeline discovery is shaping up as a significant gold project in Nevada, with upcoming drilling and silver assays set to define its true scale and value.
Questions in the middle?
- What will the pending silver assay results reveal about the overall mineralisation?
- How deep and extensive is the mineralised vein system beyond the current 100m drill depth?
- What impact will the follow-up drilling and historical vein testing have on resource estimates?