Solstice Minerals (ASX:SLS) has obtained “very encouraging” gold and multi-element assay results have been received for a recently undertaken soil sampling programme over the Nippon Licence (Nippon or the Licence), E39/2184 in Western Australia.
The Nippon Licence is located approximately 200km northeast of Kalgoorlie, within the Duketon Domain of the Burtville Terrane at the southeast margin of the Yilgarn Craton.
Initial reconnaissance UltraFine fraction (UFF) surface sampling was conducted over the licence in 2021.
The initial sampling targeted discrete northern and central aeromagnetic anomalies, interpreted to have been either ineffectively tested or untested by historical drilling. The sampling was conducted at 200m x 400m grid spacing with interpretation of the results defining several subtle but coherent gold-in-soil anomalies which warranted infill sampling.
Further UFF sampling was conducted in April 2022, with infill sampling reducing the grid spacing to 100m x 200m in areas of interest and extension of the sample grid where gold anomalism remained open.
An extensive 1.7km x 0.5km zone of significant gold anomalism (Nelson Prospect) up to 19.3ppb has been identified in the north of the Licence and correlates closely with the northern aeromagnetic anomaly.
The Nelson Prospect gold anomaly is broadly supported by multi-element assay data including bismuth, copper, molybdenum, and lead.
A second significant 1.8km x 0.8km zone of gold anomalism (Trafalgar Prospect), up to 14.8ppb, has also been identified 6km to the south of Nelson Prospect along the central aeromagnetic anomaly.
The Trafalgar Prospect gold anomaly is strongly supported by elevated silver, copper and lead multi-element anomalism. The nature of the coarse aeolian sand sample medium and dunal landform setting are expected to typically generate only very subtle gold-in-soil anomalies, with gold assay values >4x the background value considered highly anomalous and extremely encouraging from a regional targeting perspective.
Follow-up work for Nippon will include detailed geological and structural interpretation of airborne magnetic and radiometric data, landform mapping and planning for an aircore drill programme to determine thickness of the post-Archaean cover and test for gold anomalism in the basement rock.
We are very encouraged by the definition of the Nelson, Trafalgar and Swordsman Gold Prospects from the grassroots reconnaissance exploration at Nippon,” Executive Director, Alastair Morrison, said
“We believe the area represents an exciting frontier opportunity, with limited previous exploration for gold and base metals. Further exploration is required to test the coincident gold and magnetic anomalism for significant mineralisation.”
For further information please visit: https://solsticeminerals.com.au/
