Solstice Intercepts 83m at 0.96% Cu and 0.44g/t Au in High-Grade Nanadie Zone
Key Takeaways
- NANRC058 returned 83m @ 0.96% Cu, 0.44g/t Au from 143m — well above the current MRE grade of 0.4% Cu — within a broader 172m combined intercept starting at just 54m depth.
- NANRC057 ended in a high-grade sulphide zone returning 5m @ 6.88% Cu, 3.60g/t Au, with the hole immediately extended via diamond tail and additional drilling ongoing.
- Step-out drilling has extended the Nanadie system to at least 1.3km of strike, remaining open to the north, south, and at depth — and management notes Solstice has yet to drill a blank hole across the system.
- Diamond tail NANRCD024 added a silver dimension, returning 14.6m @ 31.32g/t Ag coincident with copper and gold adjacent to a local cross-fault, a style of mineralisation whose commercial significance is still being assessed.
- Solstice holds $45 million cash and no debt, with assays pending from 13 completed diamond holes and over 20 RC holes providing a sustained news flow pipeline through the balance of the year.
High-grade copper-gold zones take shape at Nanadie as drilling accelerates
Solstice Minerals has reported significant new RC and diamond drilling results from its 100%-owned Nanadie Copper-Gold Project, located northwest of Sandstone in Western Australia’s Goldfields. The results have identified previously unrecognised high-grade zones within and adjacent to the current Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate of 40.4 million tonnes at 0.4% copper and 0.1g/t gold.
Standout intercepts include 83m @ 0.96% Cu, 0.44g/t Au in NANRC058 and 5m @ 6.88% Cu, 3.60g/t Au within NANRC057. The mineralised system now extends to at least 1.3km of strike and remains open to the north, south, and at depth.
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Standout new RC intercepts confirm high-grade potential
Two headline RC holes have outlined significant near-surface copper-gold mineralisation on the northern side of a local cross-fault. NANRC058 delivered a broad combined intercept of 172m @ 0.69% Cu, 0.30g/t Au from 54m to end of hole (EOH), which includes internal low-grade zones and post-mineral dykes. This defines a wide, near-surface body of disseminated copper sulphide mineralisation.
Within that broader zone sits an impressive high-grade interval of 83m @ 0.96% Cu, 0.44g/t Au from 143m to EOH, alongside 42m @ 0.55% Cu, 0.20g/t Au from 54m and 21m @ 0.58% Cu, 0.25g/t Au from 113m. Following visual logging, this hole was immediately extended with a diamond tail.
NANRC057 ended in a high-grade copper-gold sulphide zone on the eastern side of the host gabbro package, returning 18m @ 2.29% Cu, 1.12g/t Au to EOH from 292m, which includes 5m @ 6.88% Cu, 3.60g/t Au. The hole also intersected 57m @ 0.60% Cu, 0.15g/t Au from 165m, further demonstrating the potential for high-grade zones in under-explored up-plunge positions.
| Hole ID | Intercept | Cu % | Au g/t | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NANRC058 | 83m from 143m (EOH) | 0.96 | 0.44 | High-grade zone |
| NANRC058 | 42m from 54m | 0.55 | 0.20 | Near-surface |
| NANRC058 | 172m from 54m (EOH) | 0.69 | 0.30 | Broad combined intercept |
| NANRC057 | 18m from 292m (EOH) | 2.29 | 1.12 | incl. 5m @ 6.88% Cu, 3.60g/t Au |
| NANRC057 | 57m from 165m | 0.60 | 0.15 | Eastern gabbro |
Nick Castleden, CEO & Managing Director
“The combined intercept in NANRC058 of 172m @ 0.69% Cu, 0.30g/t Au to EOH – starting at just 54m depth – is a beauty – a broad, strongly mineralised interval close to surface that includes all internal low-grade zones and post-mineral dykes. Within it sits an impressive intercept of 83m @ 0.96% Cu, 0.44g/t Au, highlighting the growing significance of this area.”
Nick Castleden, CEO & Managing Director
“Elsewhere, we are also pleased to see more high-grade mineralisation emerging on the eastern side of the host gabbro, with NANRC057 ending in a high-grade copper-gold sulphide zone including an outstanding 5m @ 6.88% Cu, 3.60g/t Au. This hole will immediately be extended with a diamond tail and additional drilling is ongoing in this area.”
Step-out drilling extends the system to 1.3km of strike
Continued step-out RC drilling beyond the southern MRE limit has extended the mineralised footprint. Copper-sulphides were logged in all holes, and significant results include:
- NANRC052: 14m @ 0.53% Cu, 0.15g/t Au from 21m
- NANRC054: 23m @ 0.40% Cu, 0.13g/t Au from 226m; 12m @ 0.73% Cu, 0.24g/t Au from 260m
The Nanadie system now extends to at least 1.3km of strike and remains open to the north, south, and at depth. Management noted that Solstice is “yet to drill a blank hole” across the system.
Core drilling adds silver dimension
Diamond tail NANRCD024 returned another broad copper-gold intersection well beyond the current MRE boundary, including 60.6m @ 0.64% Cu, 0.33g/t Au, 11.75 Ag from 381m. Within this interval sits 10m @ 1.34% Cu, 1.52g/t Au, 22.18 Ag from 407m and a high-grade silver zone of 14.6m @ 0.69% Cu, 0.10g/t Au, 31.32 Ag.
Silver mineralisation is noted in this intercept and in several nearby RC and diamond holes, all of which are immediately adjacent to a local cross-fault. In all cases, silver is coincident with copper and gold. The geometry and commercial significance of this style of mineralisation is yet to be determined.
The strong intercepts returned in NANRCD024 and in the adjacent hole NANRCD0018 will drive continued step-down exploration drilling in this part of the system.
Understanding Nanadie — a near-surface copper-gold system explained
Nanadie comprises disseminated copper sulphide (chalcopyrite) mineralisation hosted in a gabbro unit below a shallow weathering profile on a granted Mining Lease. Approximately 90% of the current MRE sits in fresh rock below less than 40m of weathering, with no deleterious sulphide species present.
The current resource base contains 162,000 tonnes of copper and 130,000 ounces of gold. High-grade zones above the current MRE grade of 0.4% copper and 0.1g/t gold matter to investors because higher grades can lift project economics and improve future mine-planning outcomes.
Why it matters:
- Shallow cover means potentially lower-cost future mining
- Grades above MRE deliver strategic and commercial upside
- System open in multiple directions creates resource growth runway
Nanadie sits in flat WA Goldfields terrain in a mining-friendly jurisdiction, representing a compelling copper-gold growth opportunity at a time of strong future demand outlooks for both metals.
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What’s next — accelerating drill programme and news flow
Assays are pending from a further 13 completed diamond holes and over 20 RC holes, which will provide a steady stream of results over the coming months. Drilling is set to accelerate following the completion of expanded camp and core processing facilities. Multiple RC and diamond rigs are expected to operate through the balance of the year, with a second RC rig due on site shortly.
Greenfield upside remains, with the nearby Stark Prospect and exploration corridors north of Nanadie under shallow cover still to be tested.
Solstice holds $45 million cash and no debt, positioning the company to fund continued drilling, IP and downhole EM geophysics without near-term capital requirements.
The investment thesis centres on a significant existing resource, demonstrated potential to expand both size and grade, strong cash backing, and steady news flow. That combination creates a compelling copper-gold growth story in a Tier-1 jurisdiction.
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