Nelson Resources has mobilised a specialised Bazooka diamond drill rig to the Orleans Mine site, part of its Gold Point Gold-Silver Project located in Nevada, US.
Underground diamond drilling at the site is due to begin in the middle of next week, with the programme aimed at exploring extensions of the Orleans vein system.
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The company’s current plans include drilling up to 15 diamond core holes from underground locations, targeting the principal vein as much as 40m beyond existing mining areas.
The drilling will focus on positions adjacent to historic stopes, and on an untested section of the vein measuring roughly 70m up-dip between the 300ft and 150ft levels.
According to Nelson Resources, this initiative follows the recent rehabilitation of upper mine levels, creation of underground drill platforms, and the completion of a short-hole drilling programme.
Nevada Rand has been appointed as the underground drilling contractor for the project.
Supporting this drilling campaign are recent results from underground channel sampling at the Orleans Mine.
Key findings previously reported by Nelson Resources include grades of 113.5 grams per tonne (g/t) gold and 119g/t silver over 1.83m, as well as 77.3g/t gold and 102g/t silver, and 10.3g/t gold with 3,840g/t silver, each over 3m.
Additional sampling indicated structural continuity of the mineralisation.
The results from past sampling, together with earlier short-hole drilling, have been used to refine geological modelling and to select new drill targets.
Nelson Resources has also lodged a notice of intent for a proposed 1,000-short-tonne bulk sample, which is pending approval.
The company holds an agreement to earn up to a 90% interest in the Gold Point Project, located near the historic town of Gold Point in a region reported to hold over 40 million ounces (moz) of gold within a 90km radius.
Nelson non-executive chairman Gernot Abl said: “Mobilisation of the Bazooka drill rig marks the start of the next important phase of underground exploration at the high-grade Orleans Mine.
“The systematic channel sampling has given us confidence that Orleans hosts a broader, structurally controlled vein system rather than isolated high-grade occurrences.”
