Solstice Minerals has pushed the known limits of its Nanadie Copper-Gold Project with Phase 2 drilling confirming mineralisation 160m beyond the 2022 resource boundary and over a 1.2km strike length. The ongoing campaign includes diamond tails probing depth extensions, with assays pending to quantify promising visual sulphide zones.
- Phase 2 RC drilling extends mineralisation 160m north of 2022 resource
- Wide copper-gold zones intersected, including 44m at 0.52% Cu and 0.14g/t Au
- Mineralisation open along 1.2km strike and correlates with large IP anomaly
- 11 diamond tails completed to test depth, assays pending from key holes
- Further step-out and infill drilling underway to refine resource and grade profile
Step-Out Drilling Pushes Nanadie Limits
Solstice Minerals (ASX:SLS) has significantly expanded the footprint of its Nanadie Copper-Gold Project in Western Australia, with Phase 2 Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling intersecting broad zones of mineralisation approximately 160 metres north beyond the 2022 Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) boundary. Highlights include a 44-metre intercept grading 0.52% copper and 0.14 grams per tonne gold from 93 metres in hole NANRC030, alongside other substantial zones such as 32 metres at 0.60% copper and 0.18g/t gold in NANRC029.
The drilling campaign has confirmed mineralisation continuity over a strike length of about 1.2 kilometres, which remains open to the north. This extension aligns strongly with a large Induced Polarisation (IP) chargeability anomaly first identified in 2025, suggesting that the system’s mineralised envelope is larger than previously understood and encouraging further exploration along strike.
Diamond Tails Probe Depth and Grade
Complementing the RC drilling, Solstice has completed 11 diamond drill tails totaling over 2,500 metres of core to test the deposit’s depth and structural complexity beyond the typical 300-metre operational limit of RC drilling. These diamond tails are designed to provide detailed geological and mineralisation data, including the geometry of higher-grade zones.
Visual observations from diamond hole NANRCD004 reported significant disseminated and vein sulphides, including chalcopyrite, with assay results expected within the next 3-4 weeks. A follow-up diamond tail, NANRCD005, has similarly shown promising visual mineralisation, with assays pending. These deeper holes could unlock substantial down-plunge extensions and potentially higher-grade domains that may enhance the overall grade profile of the deposit.
Ongoing Drilling and Resource Implications
Phase 2 drilling continues at pace, with two rigs operating on site. The RC program includes step-out tests beyond known mineralisation, infill holes for resource delineation, and pre-collars for future diamond tails. The southern extent of the deposit is also being tested with ongoing step-out drilling targeting untested IP anomalies.
Solstice’s CEO Nick Castleden emphasised the significance of the results, noting that the mineralisation occurs in the same geological setting as the existing resource and is coincident with a large IP anomaly that remains only partially tested. He highlighted that the consistent geology observed between Phase 1 and Phase 2 drilling reinforces the potential for Nanadie to emerge as a larger copper-gold system than previously recognised.
The existing Nanadie deposit hosts an Inferred Mineral Resource of 40.4 million tonnes at 0.4% copper and 0.1g/t gold, containing 162,000 tonnes of copper and 130,000 ounces of gold. The new drilling results, if confirmed by assays and subsequent resource updates, could materially increase this resource base and improve grade profiles, factors critical to advancing the project’s development potential.
Technical Rigor and Next Steps
The drilling and sampling programs adhere to rigorous industry standards, including systematic QAQC protocols and detailed geological logging. Assays are being processed by Intertek laboratories, with data management overseen by Core Geoscience Pty Ltd. The company plans continued infill and extension drilling, alongside metallurgical testing on core samples to inform future resource and feasibility studies.
Pending assay results from both RC and diamond drilling will be key to confirming the extent and grade of the mineralisation, particularly at depth. These data will underpin potential updates to the Mineral Resource Estimate and guide further exploration targeting.
Bottom Line?
Nanadie’s expanding mineralised footprint and ongoing diamond drilling assays could reshape Solstice’s resource profile, but confirmation awaits forthcoming assay results.
Questions in the middle?
- Will the upcoming assay results confirm the visual sulphide observations and lead to a resource upgrade?
- How will the mineralisation continuity along the untested IP anomalies influence future drilling priorities?
- What impact might emerging higher-grade zones have on the project’s economic viability and development timeline?