Nova Minerals Limited (Nova or the Company) (ASX: NVA, NASDAQ: NVA, FRA: QM3) is pleased to announce the engagement of world renowned mine optimization experts, Whittle Consulting (“Whittle”) for optimisation of its upcoming project wide economic studies and focused RPM starter mine Pre-Feasibility Study, within its over 500km2 flagship Estelle Gold Project, located in the prolific Tintina Gold Belt in Alaska. In support of the project, Whittle have agreed to take ~18% of their consulting fees in Nova shares.
Project Optimisation
The advancement of the Estelle gold and critical minerals project provides significant leverage to gold and antimony at a time when both commodities are currently at record high prices. The Company has now commenced its activities with Whittle for the purposes of advancing the project optimization with the primary objective being to establish the potential scope and scale of an early small-scale operation at Estelle to produce revenue from near-surface high-grade areas at minimum capital cost and time to permit. While the study will focus on the early small-scale operation, it will also dovetail with the plan for realising the value of the complete resource across the project area in the longer term, and in particular will direct future activities for engineering, test work, and drilling whilst moving towards a PFS in 2025.
Nova Minerals CEO, Mr Christopher Gerteisen commented: “Nova consists of a small team working on the very large Estelle Project and I am pleased with what we have been able to accomplish to date. Now is the time take the next step by engaging high caliber consultants like Whittle Consulting to accelerate the PFS which will be initially focused on RPM as a scale-able low capex/high margin project with future expansion plans achieved through cashflow as soon as possible. Completion of a PFS will put us in a position to submit our permit applications, a major step in the path to project development. In parallel, we are also focused on the commercial aspects including financing and/or strategic partners which early discussions indicate may yield significant reductions in capital and operating costs. We look forward to updating on these fronts as we continue to progress.
Estelle is a major mineralized trend, hosting gold, antimony, silver, copper, and other critical elements and we are working to begin production as early as possible and operate for decades supplying the minerals the world needs.
In addition, we are very aware of the value of a domestically sourced critical mineral antimony, and we are looking at these discoveries from many angles with multiple parties to potentially establish and fully secure the US supply chain. We are excited to keep you updated on this as the year progresses.
To date, we have achieved our goals and are on a path to commercial production while minimizing dilution to our existing shareholders. We will keep our shareholders updated as relevant studies are ongoing and completed.”
Whittle Consulting CEO, Mr Gerald Whittle commented: “We like Nova Mineral’s open minded approach and agility. The Estelle project presents near surface high-grade ore which lends itself to a highly profitable small-scale selective-mining approach to get into production and cash flow early, to contribute to a large expansion later to exploit the full potential of the ore body.”
Click here for the full press release published by Nova Minerals, 2 October 2024
WATCH BELOW a short 4 minute video where Nova Minerals CEO, Christopher Gerteisen, and Whittle Consulting CEO, Gerald Whittle talk about optimisation of the Estelle Gold Project
With an already defined multi-million ounce gold resource across 4 deposits, the Estelle Project has development optionality in terms of initial project size and scale. The PFS currently underway is considering a strategy to achieve production with a scalable operation, subject to market conditions and strategic partners, by;
1. Establishing an initial lower capex smaller scale operation at the high-grade RPM deposit for potential near term cashflow at high margins to self-fund expansion plans; and/or
2. Develop the higher capex larger mining operation with increased gold production, cash flow, and mine life, which is of interest to potential future large gold company strategic partners.
3. With China announcing export restrictions on antimony, the Stibium Antimony-Gold Prospect is being advanced and investigated as an additional small scale, stand-alone, quick start up cash flow opportunity, with potential US Dept. of Defense (DoD) support.
The above information has been extracted from a press release published by Nova Minerals on the 2 October 2024. Click here for the full press release published by Nova Minerals
About Nova Minerals
Nova Minerals Limited is a Gold, Antimony and Critical Minerals exploration and development company focused on advancing the Estelle Project, comprised of 514 km2 of State of Alaska mining claims, which contains multiple mining complexes across a 35 km long mineralized corridor of over 20 advanced Gold and Antimony prospects, including two already defined multi-million ounce resources, and several drill ready Antimony prospects with massive outcropping stibnite vein systems observed at surface. The 85% owned project is located 150 km northwest of Anchorage, Alaska, USA, in the prolific Tintina Gold Belt, a province which hosts a >220 million ounce (Moz) documented gold endowment and some of the world’s largest gold mines and discoveries including, Barrick’s Donlin Creek Gold Project and Kinross Gold Corporation’s Fort Knox Gold Mine. The belt also host significant Antimony deposits and was a major historical North American Antimony producer.
About Whittle Consulting
Whittle Consulting Pty Ltd is a leading consultancy firm specialising in Integrated Strategic Planning via the application of Enterprise Optimisation for the mining industry. With over 35 years of experience, Whittle Consulting is known for its innovative solutions that optimise complex, multi-variable problems in mining, unlocking significant value for their clients.
Attend - an online mining seminar to learn more about how Whittle Consulting is helping mining projects & operations worldwide to increase their NPV by 5-35% and in some cases significantly more.
Watch - 10 minute video for a high level overview of the Whittle Integrated Strategic Planning approach.