Solstice Minerals has pushed the Nanadie Copper-Gold Project’s mineralised system deeper by completing its longest diamond drillhole to date, intersecting extensive visible copper sulphides well below the current resource boundary.
- Diamond drillhole NANRCD005 reaches 840.4m depth
- Visible chalcopyrite mineralisation extends 500m below 2022 resource
- Concurrent 10,000m Phase 2 RC drilling underway
- First assay results expected within 2-6 weeks
- Company plans to accelerate infill and step-down drilling
Deepest Drillhole at Nanadie Confirms Significant Vertical Extension
Solstice Minerals (ASX:SLS) has delivered a major milestone in its Nanadie Copper-Gold Project in Western Australia by completing the deepest diamond drillhole yet at 840.4 metres. The follow-up hole, NANRCD005, was drilled some 60 metres west and 180 metres below the previous diamond hole NANRCD004, intersecting extensive zones of visible chalcopyrite copper sulphide mineralisation down to at least 800 metres. This pushes the mineralised system roughly 500 metres below the boundary of the 2022 Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE), suggesting a substantial vertical extension to the deposit.
These visual observations of copper sulphides, while pending laboratory assay confirmation, reinforce the continuity and scale of Nanadie’s mineralisation. The sulphide styles and concentrations logged in NANRCD005 broadly mirror those in NANRCD004, with disseminated and veinlet chalcopyrite occurring in altered gabbro and mafic host rocks. The hole ended in fresh host geology at the rig's operational limit without reaching the targeted footwall, indicating potential for further depth extensions.
Ongoing Drilling Campaign Targets Lateral and Depth Extensions
The diamond rig is continuing a systematic program of deeper tests along the 1.1-kilometre strike length of the mineralised footprint, following up strong mineralisation encountered near the end of recent reverse circulation (RC) drillholes. The company has also completed diamond tails on other holes such as NANRCD026 and NANRCD018, with observed geology consistent with earlier RC drilling.
Alongside diamond drilling, a concurrent 10,000-metre Phase 2 RC drilling program is underway, comprising step-out exploration, resource delineation, and pre-collars for diamond tails. Eight RC holes have been completed to date, with geology broadly consistent with previous results. Assay results from these Phase 2 holes are expected within 2-3 weeks, while first assays from diamond core are anticipated in 4-6 weeks. This drilling momentum builds on the recent strong start to diamond drilling and follows earlier breakthrough drilling results backed by $48m that have positioned Nanadie for a potential resource upgrade.
Nanadie’s Resource Base and Geological Setting
The Nanadie deposit currently hosts an inferred Mineral Resource of 40.4 million tonnes at 0.4% copper and 0.1 grams per tonne gold, containing 162,000 tonnes of copper and 130,000 ounces of gold. The mineralisation is hosted within a layered mafic intrusive complex, with copper predominantly as chalcopyrite associated with pyrrhotite and pyrite. The deposit remains open at depth and along strike, with the recent drilling campaign designed to define the geometry of higher-grade zones and extend the known mineralised footprint.
Solstice’s CEO Nick Castleden highlighted the significance of the new drillhole, stating that while assay results are awaited, the visual logging of mineralisation to at least 800 metres downhole confirms Nanadie’s vertical and lateral potential well beyond current resource limits. The company plans to accelerate infill and step-down diamond drilling as assays quantify the geological observations, aiming to enhance the grade profile and resource confidence.
Bottom Line?
Assay results from NANRCD005 and Phase 2 RC drilling will be pivotal in confirming the economic potential of these substantial visual mineralisation extensions.
Questions in the middle?
- Will assay results validate the extensive visible chalcopyrite observed at depth?
- How will the new drilling data influence the next Mineral Resource Estimate update?
- What metallurgical characteristics will the core samples reveal about Nanadie’s copper-gold mineralisation?