Nelson Resources has reported exceptional underground channel sampling results from its Orleans Mine in Nevada, revealing bonanza silver and high-grade gold mineralisation. The company is preparing to launch diamond drilling to test extensions beyond existing workings.
- Bonanza silver grades up to 3,840g/t Ag over 3m
- High-grade gold assays reaching 77.3g/t Au over 3m
- Thirty continuous channel samples define vein grade distribution
- Up to 15 underground diamond drill holes planned to test vein extensions
- Metallurgical testwork underway and further assay results pending
Bonanza Silver and High-Grade Gold Confirmed Underground
Nelson Resources Limited (ASX:NES) has delivered a striking update from its Orleans Mine at the Gold Point Project in Nevada, USA, with underground channel sampling revealing spectacular grades. The standout assays include a bonanza 3,840 grams per tonne (g/t) silver paired with 10.3g/t gold over a 3-metre interval, alongside other exceptional hits such as 1,865g/t silver with 2.72g/t gold, and a high-grade gold sample of 77.3g/t Au accompanied by 102g/t Ag over the same width.
These results come from a systematic program of thirty continuous channel samples collected along the exposed hematite-quartz breccia vein on the 300-foot level of the mine. The sampling, with intervals ranging from 2.6 to 4 metres, was designed to provide a three-dimensional picture of grade distribution and structural controls within the vein system.
Structural Controls and Mineralisation Patterns
The high-grade mineralisation is closely associated with brecciated quartz structures and subsidiary faults cutting through the main vein fault. Nelson’s geological team observed that these cross-cutting structures host some of the richest mineralisation, suggesting that the vein’s complexity may offer multiple high-grade targets along strike and at depth.
Previous underground sampling had already indicated promising grades, including hits of 64g/t Au with 110g/t Ag and 7.34g/t Au with 574g/t Ag. The recent channel sampling complements these by systematically evaluating grade variability along the vein, reinforcing the potential for significant extensions near existing underground workings.
Drilling Program to Test Vein Extensions
With rehabilitation of the upper levels now complete, Nelson is poised to advance exploration with an underground diamond drilling campaign. Up to 15 drill holes are planned using a Bazooka rig, targeting extensions of the Orleans vein up to 40 metres beyond current workings, focusing on remnant and unmined high-grade positions adjacent to historic stopes.
Metallurgical testwork on vein and remnant mineralisation has commenced, aiming to inform future processing strategies. Meanwhile, assay results from channel sampling on the 400-foot level and Nelson’s maiden underground aircore drilling program are expected within the next few weeks, which should provide further insights into the deposit’s continuity and grade distribution.
Integrated 3D Geological Modelling and Broader Project Plans
Nelson is integrating the new assay data, geological observations, alteration information, drill core, and underground survey data into a comprehensive 3D geological model. This model will refine drill targeting at Orleans and support upcoming rehabilitation and exploration at the nearby Great Western Mine, another historically mined high-grade gold-silver vein system within the consolidated Gold Point district.
Non-Executive Chairman Gernot Abl emphasised that the systematic sampling and upcoming drilling position Nelson well to progress the project’s evaluation phase. The Gold Point Project, located in a prolific Nevada mining district with over 40 million ounces of gold within a 90-kilometre radius, represents a significant opportunity with its multiple mineralisation styles and extensive underground infrastructure.
Bottom Line?
Nelson’s high-grade assays and imminent drilling mark a pivotal step in unlocking the Orleans vein’s potential, but upcoming assay releases and drilling results will be critical to confirming the scale and continuity of mineralisation.
Questions in the middle?
- Will the upcoming diamond drilling confirm extensions of high-grade mineralisation beyond existing workings?
- How will metallurgical testwork influence future processing and project economics?
- What insights will the pending 400-foot level assays and maiden aircore drilling provide about the deposit’s depth and strike continuity?