Northstar Gold Corp. (CSE:NSG) has started new exploration work on its Miller copper-gold property in Kirkland Lake, Ontario.
The company has gotten to work on a borehole electromagnetic (BHEM) and surface electromagnetic (EM) survey at the Cam Copper Mine area on the project.
The Cam Copper Mine is a small-scale, past producer of high-grade 'direct shipping' copper ore situated on the historic Boston Creek Copper Trend.
A recent four-hole diamond drill program conducted by Northstar in the area confirmed the presence of Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide (VMS) mineralization, with each hole intersecting massive chalcopyrite.
Previous exploration identified high-grade copper horizons with grades of up to 14.8% copper over 2.5 meters.
The surface EM survey aims to define Cam Copper VMS horizon extensions and conductors over a 900-meter strike length towards the southeast, with priority given to identifying areas with thicker accumulations of copper-rich massive sulphides.
Northstar will also conduct a borehole BHEM survey on the four Cam Copper diamond drill holes completed in 2023.
Similar Pulse-EM technology and surveys have led to several previous VMS discoveries across Canada, including Hudbay Minerals' 2003 Lalor VMS deposit discovery in Manitoba, Northstar noted.
The company will compile and model historic geophysical survey data to further enhance copper-rich VMS drill target definition. This includes the digitization of historic near-surface VLEM conductors and strongly chargeable and conductive I.P. anomalies, 3D plate model airborne EM conductors, and complete 3D inversions of historic magnetic data.
In late fall 2023, Northstar conducted a limited prospecting and sampling program in the southeast extension of the Cam Copper VMS/exhalite trend, despite snow cover. They collected 15 grab samples, some of which, located near magnetic anomalies and historic EM conductors, returned anomalous values in gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc, indicating potential extensions of VMS Zones 1 and 2 up to 900 meters southeast of the Cam Copper Mine site.
The company plans to follow up on the 2023 surface samples and 2024 EM survey targets this spring, with prospecting, geological mapping, sampling, and a Phase II diamond drill program.