Shares in Mawson Resources Ltd (TSX:MAW) nudged higher as it told investors it had started its 2018 winter diamond drilling programme in northern Finland.
A 15,000-metre drill programme is planned for the Rajapalot gold project aimed in part to provide a maiden resource, while a 900-hole base-of-till drill (BOT) program is now underway at the nearby Rompas site.
"Following the success of our diamond drilling at Rajapalot last winter, our Finnish team is excited to start the 2018 drill season with a large programme testing both new and existing gold targets," said Michael Hudson, the chief executive.
"We will be drilling more than a dozen new targets defined within our extensive geophysical, geochemical and geological datasets, while also expanding multiple known prospects where thick, high-grade gold intersections have already been discovered."
Three diamond drill rigs have been sent to Rajapalot project for the work.
Approximately half of the diamond drilling programme is planned to increase the size of known gold prospects, with an aim to define a maiden resource, while the second half of the programme will test more than a dozen semi-regional structural targets
Meanwhile, eight diamond drill holes totalling 1,474 metres have been completed at East Rompas.
Assays from the first five holes show low tenor gold anomalism and locally nuggety visible gold in drill core.
Mawson shares added 1.09% in Toronto to C$0.46.