Nordic Resources (ASX:NNL) expands Finnish gold operations with senior appointments, resource growth, and upcoming drilling

Nordic Resources Limited (ASX:NNL) is fast-tracking operaitons in Finland’s Middle Ostrobothnia Gold Belt with a significant gold resource increase, the appointment of highly experienced in-country personnel and preparations for an extensive drill program at its flagship Kopsa gold-copper project.

In this Q&A, Executive Director Robert Wrixon discusses the significance of these developments, how they support the company’s strategy, and what shareholders can expect in the coming months.

What is the significance of appointing Henrik Grind as Country Manager in Finland?

Henrik Grind’s appointment represents a major step for Nordic Resources, as it adds an exceptional level of operational and leadership experience directly relevant to our business in Finland.

Henrik is from Finland and has accumulated 35 years of experience in mining and exploration, with the majority of his career spent in Finland and Sweden.

Most recently, he served as General Manager of Boliden’s Kevitsa open pit nickel-copper mine and processing plant in Finnish Lapland, a large-scale open pit operation that mines and processes 10 million tonnes of ore each year.

Before that, he held the position of Boliden’s Manager for International Exploration.

His skill set covers the entire mining lifecycle, from exploration through to production, while also encompassing essential functions such as environmental compliance, stakeholder engagement, and working with multiple levels of government.

“In addition, Henrik’s background as a geologist and mineralogist aligns further with our technical requirements across the three recently-acquired gold projects in the Middle Ostrobothnia Gold Belt, as well as the Pulju nickel-copper project.”

With drilling having recently commenced at Kopsa, Henrik’s local expertise and deep industry relationships will be invaluable in advancing our operations, permitting processes, and development activities.

How does the latest Mineral Resource Estimate for Hirsikangas impact the company’s overall gold inventory?

The release of the first JORC (2012) compliant Mineral Resource Estimate for Hirsikangas has provided a significant boost to our gold inventory, adding 264,000 ounces of contained gold and increasing our combined gold equivalent resource inventory across all three gold projects to 1.23 million ounces AuEq at an average grade of 1.11g/t AuEq.

Of this, 1.04 million ounces is contained gold, and a notable 66% of the gold equivalent resources are in the Measured and Indicated categories, which reflects the relatively advanced nature of our asset base. Nevertheless, all three gold projects maintain enormous exploration upside.

“With Hirsikangas, for example, the resource currently spans only 2.5 kilometres of a highly prospective, but mostly undrilled, 10 kilometre trend, offering significant scope for further expansion via drilling.”

Its proximity to both Kopsa and the Kiimala Trend project adds to the strategy for a “regional gold production hub”, whether through standalone processing or by leveraging nearby infrastructure.

What role will the new Exploration Manager, Simo Piippo, play in advancing Kopsa and other projects?

The appointment of Simo Piippo ensures continuity and momentum in our gold exploration activities, particularly at Kopsa.

Simo has a proven track record with the project, having managed three previous exploration and drilling campaigns for Northgold AB between 2022 and 2024.

During this period, the project’s attributable resources grew from 333,000 ounces AuEq to 814,800 ounces AuEq from just 6,600 metres of drilling, which equates to an average addition of 73 ounces AuEq per metre drilled.

His professional experience spans over a decade, covering gold and copper projects in Finland with companies such as Dragon Mining, First Quantum Minerals, and Rio Tinto.

“Working closely with the other Finland geological team members, Simo will oversee the upcoming 4,500 metre drill program at Kopsa, coordinate further drilling at the Kiimala Trend project, and support exploration initiatives across our wider Finnish portfolio, while maintaining strong engagement with local stakeholders.”

In addition, he is completing his PhD at the University of Turku on structural geology and controls on orogenic gold systems, which is directly relevant to our assets in the Middle Ostrobothnia Gold Belt.

Can you outline the objectives of the upcoming drill program at Kopsa?

The upcoming diamond drill program at Kopsa, which totals approximately 4,500 metres, has been designed assess potential for resource growth and technical data to support development planning.

The program will test near-surface extensions along strike to potentially expand the existing mineralisation, while also targeting deeper geophysical anomalies beneath the current resource for the first time.

Additional drilling will assess geophysical anomalies further along strike for potential near-surface satellite deposits at Kopsa.

“The great thing about Kopsa is that it is already large enough to support a significant operation, the Company’s understanding is that even without any further ounces, there should be a viable gold-copper project at Kopsa, but there is no harm in growing it further, and we need to drill anyway to progress the development options.”

A key component of the program will be the collection of mineralised samples for a metallurgical process optimisation study, which will provide important input for future project design.

Beyond Kopsa, between 500 and 1,000 metres of drilling is planned to test at least two known gold prospects within the Kiimala Trend project, ensuring that our exploration efforts continue across the broader regional portfolio.

How does Kopsa fit into Nordic Resources’ broader regional gold strategy?

Kopsa is currently at the heart of our regional gold strategy in the Middle Ostrobothnia Gold Belt.

It is the largest of our three gold resources, containing 23.2 million tonnes at 1.09g/t AuEq for 814,800 ounces AuEq, with 69% of that in the Measured and Indicated categories.

Over 90% of the gold equivalent ounces are located within 150 metres of surface, which supports the potential for cost-effective open pit development.

“This concentration of resources in one mining belt allows for multiple development pathways, including potential for shared infrastructure and processing solutions.”

Kopsa is situated within 75 kilometres of our Kiimala Trend and Hirsikangas projects, creating a cluster of assets that together host 1.23 million ounces AuEq.

The region is further enhanced by its proximity to existing processing plants at Pyhasalmi and Laiva, both of which are accessible by road or rail from our projects, providing potential optionality for future production scenarios.

Building a Strong Finnish Gold and Nickel-Copper Portfolio

These combined developments reflect our clear focus on advancing a robust portfolio of gold-copper and nickel-copper assets in Finland through the integration of experienced leadership, targeted resource growth, and well-planned exploration.

The appointments of Henrik Grind and Simo Piippo strengthen our operational and technical capabilities on the ground, the updated Mineral Resource estimates have lifted our total gold equivalent inventory to over one million ounces, and the upcoming drill program at Kopsa is designed to unlock further value and provide the technical data required for the next stages of project planning.

Nordic Resources are excited to update shareholders as results are received and as our projects continue to move forward.

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