Nova Minerals Corp (ASX:NVA, NYSE-A:NVA) is accelerating its 2026 field season at the Estelle Gold and Critical Minerals Project in Alaska, with 3 diamond drill rigs operating around the clock alongside antimony bulk sampling, infrastructure development and permitting work.
Estelle property map with 2026 field season progress highlighted.
Antimony development gathers pace
At the Styx prospect, Nova has completed 2 diamond drill holes targeting the down-dip extent of a 1-metre-thick quartz-stibnite vein.
More than 50 tons of stibnite-rich material has also been transported to camp for processing through the Whiskey Bravo ore sorter, with the resulting coarse concentrate intended to provide initial feed for the Port MacKenzie antimony pilot plant.
The company has separately produced military-grade antimony trisulfide and antimony metal at laboratory scale using a proprietary hydrometallurgical process, with samples submitted for independent analysis.
More than 40 containers of process equipment are in transit and being consolidated in Seattle ahead of a scheduled late-August shipment by barge to Port MacKenzie. Construction of the plant is expected to begin during 2026.
Gravel quarrying for the Stibium trail, airstrip expansion and ore sorter site.
Drilling targets gold and critical minerals
Drilling is continuing across several prospects at Estelle.
At RPM, Nova has established drill pads along the ridgeline and eastern valley to test more than 3 kilometres of strike. Drilling completed so far this year has intersected several newly identified mineralised intrusives, with assays pending.
Additional pads at RPM Valley have been established for infill and resource expansion drilling.
At Stibium, drilling has shifted to a new pad on the southern face of the prospect, around 200 metres closer to the target zone, after difficult drilling conditions were encountered from the top of the ridge.
Nova has also completed 2 further exploratory holes at Train, targeting the depth and extent of outcropping mineralised quartz-arsenopyrite-chalcopyrite veining. Previous surface sampling at Train returned gold assays of up to 128 g/t.
Stibium drilling.
Infrastructure and permitting progress
Nova has submitted a detailed plan of operations for the antimony project to the Alaska Department of Natural Resources for final review and approval.
Civil, wetlands and cultural resource surveys have also been completed along the Korbel and RPM trails, supporting permitting for around 30 miles of additional access trails.
Infrastructure work is continuing across Estelle, including gravel quarrying, construction of the Stibium trail and an extension of the Whiskey Bravo runway. The Stibium trail has reached mile 6, while the first half-mile of road sub-base has been laid.
A project-wide ZTEM electromagnetic survey has also been completed, with data under evaluation to refine future drilling and reconnaissance targets.
Next steps
Nova is awaiting assay results from its 2026 drilling, while continuing drilling at RPM and Stibium, evaluating geophysical data and progressing permitting and infrastructure work.
The company is also preparing for the arrival of antimony processing equipment at Port MacKenzie as it works toward its stated target of domestic US antimony production in 2027.
About Nova Minerals
Nova Minerals is focused on exploration and development of the Estelle Gold and Critical Minerals Project in Alaska.
Estelle contains 2 defined multi-million-ounce gold resources and more than 20 prospects across a 35-kilometre mineralised trend in the Tintina Gold Belt. Alongside gold development, Nova is advancing a US antimony supply chain backed by a US$43.4 million US Department of War award.