Black Bear Minerals (ASX: BKB; OTCQX: BKBMF) has delivered a strong start to drilling at Rebel Peak, returning multiple thick gold-silver intersections that extend mineralisation well beyond the current near-surface Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) at its Independence Project in Nevada.
The results mark a 280 metre northward strike extension of the Rebel Trend and confirm that gold-silver mineralisation continues across the northern half of the project area, remaining open both along strike and at depth.
Reverse circulation drilling at Rebel Peak returned a series of broad mineralised intervals that sit outside the existing near-surface MRE, with grades consistent with the current resource.
Key results include:
- JBRC016: 47.3 metres at 0.4g/t AuEq from 24.4m, including 4.6m at 1.3g/t AuEq
- JBRC017: 61.0 metres at 0.4g/t AuEq from 13.7m, including 3.1m at 2.3g/t AuEq
- JBRC018: 15.2 metres at 0.4g/t AuEq from 47.2m and 3.1m at 0.8g/t AuEq from 193.6m to end of hole
- JBRC019: 39.6 metres at 0.3g/t AuEq from 30.5m, including 1.5m at 1.0g/t AuEq, plus 36.6m at 0.3g/t AuEq from 178.3m
Drill hole assay results outside the near-surface MRE underlain by target mineralised trends.
These intercepts represent up-dip extensions of mineralised lodes previously intersected below the 419.6koz near-surface resource, reinforcing the continuity of mineralisation both vertically and laterally.
Rebel Trend now traced over hundreds of metres
The new drillholes sit 280 metres north of earlier Rebel Trend intersections, including previously reported hits such as 30.5 metres at 0.7g/t AuEq and 50.3 metres at 0.4g/t AuEq.
Black Bear said the Rebel Trend lodes are now defined across the northern half of the Independence Project, dipping west beneath the existing MRE and extending for at least 450 metres at North Hill and 560 metres at Yukon Hill. Importantly, mineralisation remains open down-dip and along strike in both directions.
The thickness of the intercepts and consistent grades highlight the potential to grow the near-surface resource footprint beyond its current boundaries.
Black Bear Minerals chief executive officer Dennis Lindgren said the drilling campaign was rapidly reshaping the company’s understanding of the project’s scale.
“Our drilling campaign at Independence is rapidly transforming our understanding of the project's scale. We are continuing to intercept thick, high-grade gold and silver mineralisation along the Rebel Trend, successfully pushing the known boundaries 280m further north. What is most exciting is that this system outcrops at the surface at Rebel Peak and remains open, tracking down-dip for over 560m. These results are very encouraging and demonstrate the potential to expand on our current 1.4Moz mineral resource estimate.”
Strategic location supports development potential
The Independence Project is located in Nevada’s prolific Battle Mountain district, directly adjacent to Nevada Gold Mines’ Phoenix Project. The near-surface gold-silver mineralisation is hosted within chert units amenable to heap-leach extraction, a well-established processing method in the region.
Independence Gold Project in relation to major infrastructure, mining operations and significant Gold Trends in Nevada.
The project currently hosts a 419.6koz AuEq near-surface epithermal resource and a 984.4koz high-grade skarn gold resource, giving Black Bear exposure to both near-term development and longer-term growth opportunities.
Next steps: resource update underway
With Phase 1 drilling at Rebel Peak now complete and all 2025 assays received, Black Bear is progressing geological modelling work over the winter period. The company plans to incorporate the newly defined Rebel lodes into an updated near-surface JORC Mineral Resource Estimate, targeted for Q2 2026.
Future drilling is expected to focus on extending mineralisation further along the Rebel Trend and testing additional lodes below the existing resource areas, as Black Bear continues to build scale at Independence while remaining well funded following its recent A$30 million capital raising.