Nelson Resources Advances Metallurgical Testing and Drilling at High-Grade Orleans Mine

Metallurgical Testing Targets Processing Viability

Nelson Resources (ASX:NES) has commenced metallurgical testwork on four composite samples from its Orleans Mine, part of the Gold Point Project in Nevada. The samples, submitted to Kappes, Cassiday & Associates in Reno, include both high-grade vein material and lower-grade remnant mineralisation left behind by historical mining. This testing aims to assess how amenable the mineralisation is to conventional extraction methods, a key step in evaluating the project's economic potential.

Underground Rehabilitation Unlocks Follow-Up Drilling

Rehabilitation of the upper levels of the historic Orleans Mine is now complete, with drill platforms established and Bazooka core drilling equipment mobilised. This infrastructure upgrade supports Nelson’s plan to drill up to 15 diamond core holes targeting extensions of the Orleans vein approximately 40 metres beyond existing workings. The follow-up program aims to test interpreted high-grade vein extensions outside the current mine development, building on an initial maiden drilling campaign of eight short holes whose assay results are pending.

Sampling Reinforces High-Grade Gold-Silver Potential

Recent underground sampling during rehabilitation continues to confirm the presence of high-grade gold and silver mineralisation. Notably, chip samples from the 300-foot level returned grades as high as 77.9 g/t gold and 46.1 g/t silver over one metre. Additional samples collected from collapsed stopes across multiple levels yielded assays up to 7.27 g/t gold and 215 g/t silver, reinforcing the potential for significant mineralisation at depth and near existing underground workings.

Integrating Data into Advanced Geological Models

Nelson plans to integrate assay results, geological observations, alteration data, drill cuttings, and underground survey information into a comprehensive 3D geological model. This model will refine priority drill targets within the Orleans Mine and support exploration planning at the nearby Great Western Mine, where rehabilitation efforts have also commenced. The company’s strategy combines underground mapping, sampling, LiDAR, and geophysics to systematically explore the Gold Point district.

Gold Point’s Historical Significance and Multi-Frontier Potential

The Gold Point Project sits in Nevada’s Walker Lane District, a prolific mining region with over 40 million ounces of gold produced within a 90-kilometre radius. Historical production at Gold Point includes approximately 75,000 ounces of gold at high grades of 20-30 g/t, mainly from four of fifteen mapped veins. Nelson’s consolidation of the district under a single owner allows for a unified exploration approach targeting multiple mineralisation styles, including epithermal gold-silver veins, intrusion-hosted deposits, skarn mineralisation, and porphyry copper-molybdenum-gold systems.

With metallurgical test results and maiden drilling assays still awaited, Nelson’s upcoming core drilling and model integration will be critical in defining the scale and economic viability of the high-grade mineralisation at Orleans. The company’s focus on underground access and targeted drilling could provide a cost-effective pathway to resource delineation at this historically significant project.