Solstice Minerals has intersected copper-gold mineralisation across the entire 629.1m length of a drillhole at its Nanadie project in Western Australia, reinforcing the deposit’s potential to grow substantially beyond its existing resource.

The combined reverse circulation (RC) and diamond-tail hole NANRCD004 returned 629.1m at 0.50 per cent copper and 0.17 grams per tonne (g/t) gold from surface to the end of the hole, including unmineralised intervals.

The result extended mineralisation more than 300m below the current mineral resource estimate (MRE) boundary and included several higher-grade zones.

These comprised 30.7m at 1.41 per cent copper and 0.34g/t gold, including 15m at 2.12 per cent copper and 0.47g/t gold, as well as 37.8m at 0.87 per cent copper and 0.25g/t gold, including 22.5m at 1.10 per cent copper and 0.31g/t gold.

Solstice chief executive officer and managing director Nick Castleden said the company’s Phase 2 campaign was continuing to strengthen its understanding of the project’s scale.

“Our Phase 2 RC and diamond drilling campaign at Nanadie continues to reinforce our view that Nanadie represents a much larger copper-gold system than previously recognised,” Castleden said.

“The deposit remains open at both ends and recent drilling, particularly NANRCD004, shows that significant higher-grade positions extend well beyond the current MRE boundary and can be incorporated into future resource upgrades.”

Phase 2 drilling completed during the June quarter comprised 26 RC holes for 7650m and 13 diamond tails for 3084m.

Initial RC results also extended mineralisation at least 160m north of the existing resource boundary. Standout intersections included 44m at 0.52 per cent copper and 0.14g/t gold, and 32m at 0.60 per cent copper and 0.18g/t gold to the end of the hole.

Assays remain pending from another 12 diamond holes and 26 RC holes, with results expected progressively over the coming months.

Nanadie, located northwest of Sandstone on a granted mining lease, currently hosts an inferred MRE of 40.4 million tonnes at 0.4 per cent copper and 0.1g/t gold. It contains an estimated 162,000 tonnes of copper and 130,000 ounces of gold.

“With approximately $45 million in cash and no debt, Solstice is in an enviable position to maintain sustained drilling at Nanadie and unlock its full potential as a significant, high-volume copper-gold deposit on granted mining tenure and in a favourable WA Goldfields location,” Castleden said.

“We have the targets and the financial capacity to vigorously explore this open-ended system and with the goal of materially expanding the MRE over time.”

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