Northstar Gold completes drill program at Miller copper-gold property, Ontario
Northstar Gold Corp. [CSE: NSG] reported the recent completion of a seven-hole, 1,465-metre diamond drill program at the 100%-owned Miller copper-gold property, situated 18 km southeast of Kirkland Lake, northeast Ontario. Wiijiiwaagan Drilling Limited Partnership, a partnership between Boart Longyear and Matachewan First Nation, conducted the program between November 23Â and December 12, 2024.
Northstar drilling targeted near-surface copper-gold-silver volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) mineralization and associated EM, IP and magnetic geophysical anomalies over a 1,000-metre southeast strike extension of the historic, direct-shipping high-grade Cam Copper Mine. In late November 2023, Northstar drilling intersected a number of discrete high-grade VMS copper horizons at Cam Copper Mine, including 14.8% copper over 2.45 metres in Zone 2. The company expects to begin reporting preliminary drill results by late January 2025.
Northstar drill hole CC-07 discovered near surface, sub-seafloor replacement-style chalcopyrite mineralization in multiple horizons over a core length of 15.76 metres (47.24m to 63m), 500 metres southeast of Cam Copper Mine Zone 2. Chalcopyrite mineralization is observed to be associated with multiple gabbro intrusive contacts within a sequence of mafic to intermediate bedded tuffs. The CC-07 copper mineralization drill hole intercept occurs 45 metres below and 20 metres along strike from a recently sampled, historic 3-metre-wide surface trench with massive chalcopyrite and bornite mineralization assaying up to 17.9% copper and 16.2 g/t silver. This new copper zone remains completely open along strike and at depth.
While assay results from drill hole CC-07 are pending receipt, visual assessment of this important new style of copper mineralization south of Cam Copper Mine, on its own merit, warrants near-term follow-up and step-out drilling.
Almost every drill hole in the 2024 program intersected multiple bands of massive to semi-massive sulphide or stringer-type sulphide mineralization proximal (or in direct contact) with pervasive sericite-altered layers of intrusive gabbro sills and mafic/intermediate tuffs. This implies gabbro intrusives are the likely metal and heat source for most of the observed VMS sulphide mineralization on the Miller copper-gold property.
This newly recognized association between gabbro bodies of various dimensions and copper mineralization adds considerable geological potential to the property, as gabbro intrusives are known to be expansive and prolific along strike and at depth, including areas higher in the metavolcanic sequence that have yet to be explored.
Observations of chalcopyrite mineralization replacing magnetite in drill hole CC-07 is a common Besshi-type vent area/intrusive contact feature discovered in other locations globally. Examples include the world class Windy Craggy deposit in British Columbia, Shikoku Island deposit in Japan, and Outokumpu deposits in eastern Finland.
Re-logging of 2023 Cam Copper Mine drill holes CC-01 to CC-04 confirms broad, thick areas of lensoidal gabbro bodies in the footwall of Zone 2 exhibit a strong positive correlation with grade x thickness of overlying copper-rich VMS lenses. The gabbro lenses appear to be expanding with depth, with the primary Zone 2 lens extending a minimum of 100 metres along strike to the southeast of DDH CC-03 (14.8% Cu over 2.45m). The Zone 2 horizon and the underlaying 30-metre-wide gabbro body remain open in multiple directions.
Documented 2023 and visual 2024 Cam Copper diamond drill results confirm the combination of detailed ground geophysical surveys, prospecting and trenching is an effective means to define near-surface VMS and replacement-style copper drill targets and discoveries at the Miller Copper-Gold Property. Follow-up exploration will include detailed magnetic surveying, detailed MMI geochemical surveying and additional drilling in 2025.
Northstar’s primary exploration focus is to advance and expand the near-surface, Allied Gold Zone bulk- tonnage gold-telluride deposit and more recently discovered VMS copper mineral deposits on the flagship Miller property.
Northstar recently signed two MOUs to advance the Miller Intrusive Complex gold and Cam Copper Zone 2 VMS copper exploration and development projects, respectively, at the Miller property. On September 19, 2024, Northstar announced signing a MOU with China-based Hunan Nonferrous with intentions to possibly secure a minority stake in the Miller Intrusive Complex gold deposits by funding up to 10,000 meters of expansion diamond drilling.
On October 3, 2024, Northstar announced it had signed a MOU with Novamera Inc., setting terms for Novamera to secure the necessary financing to Surgically MineTMÂ high-grade copper at Cam Copper Mine, subject to the definition and permitting of an economic deposit. This includes a multi-staged program to test and extract material from the copper-rich, near vertical Zone 2 VMS horizon.
In late 2024, Northstar commissioned Chris Keech of CGK Consulting Services Inc., to develop a geological block model to provide the basis for Novamera’s Stage 1 mining estimation Scoping Study. Results of this study are expected next month.
Northstar has three additional 100%-owned exploration projects in northern Ontario, including the 1,150 ha Rosegrove property, situated 0.5 km from the Miller property, the 4,650 ha Bryce Gold Property (includes the recently optioned Britcanna Lease), an intrusive-gold/PME VMS project located along the projected east extension of the Ridout Break, and the Temagami-Milestone Cu-Ni-Co Critical Minerals Property located in Strathcona Township. Northstar is seeking exploration partners to advance all three properties.