Nelson Resources (ASX:NES) begins underground drill testing at Gold Point

Nelson Resources has commenced its maiden underground drilling program at the historic Orleans Mine within the Gold Point Gold Silver Project in Nevada, following successful rehabilitation of the upper Orleans workings and mobilisation of drilling equipment and technical crews.

The first phase of drilling is focused on high priority target positions close to existing underground workings within the Orleans vein system.

Highlights

• Maiden underground drilling has commenced at the historic Orleans Mine.
• Initial drilling is targeting interpreted high grade remnant and unmined vein positions adjacent to historic stopes
• Initial short underground drill holes are expected to be up to approximately 20m each.
• Drill chip samples will be collected during the preliminary phase.
• Follow-up underground diamond core drilling using a Bazooka drill is planned.
• Gold Point includes more than 5km of underground workings across 5 historic mines and more than 20 additional shafts.

The first phase of drilling includes areas adjacent to historic stopes where mineralised material may remain unmined or only partially depleted.

The work is designed to test remnant and unmined high grade gold silver vein positions and provide geological information to assist the company’s mine-scale 3D model, including vein position, structure, alteration, continuity and the relationship between historic workings and remaining mineralised zones.

The drilling program has commenced from underground positions established following rehabilitation of the upper mine levels.

The 300’ level provides a favourable underground drill platform because the Orleans vein zone dips moderately to the north-northeast and historical cross-cuts were developed into the footwall of the vein zone, allowing drill holes to be positioned closer to the target and oriented with improved geometry compared with surface collars.

Recent sampling from the 300’ level returned 77.9g/t Au and 46.1g/t Ag over 1m from fault breccia adjacent to a historic stope, approximately 150m below surface, while previous underground sampling at Orleans returned up to 7.34g/t Au and 574g/t Ag.

Earlier surface and underground sampling confirmed the broader WNW-trending high grade gold silver vein system at Gold Point over at least 2km of strike.

Nelson Resources Non-Executive Chairman Gernot Abl commented:

“This first program is designed to generate the information needed to refine our model, prioritise follow-up drilling and build a repeatable underground exploration approach across Gold Point.”

The initial drilling phase is expected to be followed by a diamond core program using an underground Bazooka drill to test extensions of the Orleans vein up to approximately 40m beyond existing underground workings, including interpreted high grade extensions and possible parallel structures in the footwall position.

The overall drill program is intended to assess continuity of the Orleans vein beyond areas of historic development, improve understanding of structural controls and vein geometry, and provide assay, geological and drill data for the company’s mine-scale 3D model.

Gold Point contains more than 5km of underground workings across 5 historic mines and more than 20 additional shafts.

Great Western is the next priority mine access area within the company’s staged underground exploration strategy, with rehabilitation planning underway as the Orleans drilling program progresses.

The company’s near-term work program is focused on completing the initial underground drill program, collecting drill chip samples for assay, logging and interpreting drill data, refining additional Orleans targets and advancing Great Western as the next priority underground access and drill target area.

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