Nova Minerals has advanced its 2026 field season at the Estelle Gold and Critical Minerals Project in Alaska, operating three diamond drill rigs 24 hours a day, seven days a week across multiple prospects.

At the Styx prospect, Nova has completed two diamond drill holes from a newly constructed eastern drill pad to test the down-dip extent of a 1-metre-thick quartz-stibnite vein. The company has also transported more than 50 tons of stibnite-rich material to camp for processing through the Whiskey Bravo ore sorter to supply initial coarse concentrate feed for the Port MacKenzie antimony pilot plant. Parallel drilling is underway at the RPM prospect along a 3-metre [sic: 3-kilometre] strike, while at Stibium, drilling has moved to a lower pad on the southern face closer to the target zone. Nova also completed two exploratory holes at the Train prospect to test outcropping quartz-arsenopyrite-chalcopyrite veining at depth following surface sampling.

In metallurgical and processing work, Nova has successfully produced military-grade antimony trisulfide and antimony metal at laboratory scale using a proprietary hydrometallurgical method, with independent analysis pending. The detailed plan of operations for the antimony project is currently pending final review and approval by the Alaska Department of Natural Resources.

Logistics and infrastructure work are advancing ahead of upcoming operational milestones. Over 40 containers of process equipment are currently in transit and being consolidated in Seattle ahead of a scheduled late-August 2026 barge shipment to Port MacKenzie, Alaska, with plant construction at the site expected to commence in 2026. Infrastructure upgrades at Estelle include ongoing gravel quarrying, runway extension work, and road sub-base construction along the Stibium trail. Regional exploration is also continuing, supported by a property-wide ZTEM airborne geophysical survey and ongoing geological mapping.

Supported by a US$43.4 million U.S. Department of War award to develop a domestic antimony supply chain targeted for production in 2027, the Estelle project hosts two defined multi-million-ounce gold resources across a 35-kilometre mineralised trend in the Tintina Gold Belt. The spot price of gold was US$4,434.50 per ounce as of August 12, 2026, representing a 10.48% increase over the preceding 30 days.

“This field season is the clearest evidence yet that Estelle is moving from exploration into execution. With three rigs running around the clock, permitting advancing across our mine plans and processing facilities, and mill equipment already in transit, every workstream is converging toward Estelle' first antimony production.

“Having successfully produced military-grade antimony trisulfide and antimony metal at laboratory scale, we are taking tangible steps toward securing a domestic supply of antimony for the United States, positioning Nova at the centre of America’s critical minerals strategy.”

— Christopher Gerteisen, CEO

Read the full announcement: Nova Minerals Provides an Update on Its 2026 Field Season Activities