Nova Minerals Ltd has identified a new zone of mineralisation north of the RPM deposit, part of the Estelle Gold and Critical Minerals Project in Alaska, US.
Surface sampling of the wider regional area north of the current RPM deposit generated rock chip samples above 1 g/t gold in 20 of 40 samples taken, with standout grades including 52.3 g/t gold, 18.4 g/t gold and 17.5 g/t gold.
Read: Nova Minerals hits bonanza gold at RPM ahead of resource update
The company also collected 100 soil samples, with 11 grading greater than 0.5 g/t gold up to a high of 4.8 g/t gold, and 138 glacial till samples with 34 grading at least 1 g/t gold, 10 greater than 2 g/t and a high of 3.6 g/t gold.
%20and%2017.5%20g.t%20gold%20(right).JPG)
Rock chip samples, 52.3 g/t gold (left) and 17.5 g/t gold (right).
Targeting RPM-style mineralisation
"While it may be more typical of geologists to sample glacial till in the hope of vectoring towards an ore deposit, here at RPM the ore deposit may have vectored us towards the glacial till,” Nova Minerals head of exploration Hans Hoffman said.
“We can see the deposit being actively eroded by a small pocket glacier and our till sampling program this year has revealed a portion of RPM spread along the hillside and down the valley below.
“While I love speculating how many ounces may be contained in one specific debris lobe, we will need to drill to confirm thickness, composition and grade continuity.
“With maximum observed surficial relief of nearly 40 metres, I will continue to be optimistic that the fine and heavy nature of gold has continued to migrate through the entire thickness of this unconsolidated till.
“In addition, we are seeing glimpses of mineralisation in the hornfels, which we believe may be capping RPM-style intrusives."
NVA has mapped a glacial debris lobe where 68 till samples averaged 1.1 g/t gold over 1.7 kilometres of strike, offering a sizeable drilling target for further investigation.