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Poseidon Nickel (ASX: POS, the Company) is pleased to provide an update on gold exploration programs at Black Swan and Lake Johnston.
- Gold bearing bedrock confirmed at Black Swan
- Multiple anomalous gold rock chip samples (grading up to 1.25g/t Au) returned from highly weathered quartz bearing shears exposed at surface
- Soil sampling program completed as well as additional rock chip samples collected across the tenement portfolio
- Assay results expected early next quarter with any defined anomalies to be followed up with high priority drilling programs
- Geological setting shown to be very similar to nearby gold mines including Kanowna Belle and Gordon Sirdar
- Lake Johnston copper-gold anomaly extended
- Initial soil results have successfully extended the Billy Ray Cu-Au soil anomaly into the largely untested Mantis tenement and the anomaly remains open to the North-East
- High priority soil sampling program to continue with completion expected this quarter
- Billy Ray Cu-Au soil anomaly and likely link to the mineralised Cu-Au drill intersection nearby supports the prospectivity of a larger Cu-Au system
- Planning for Flora and Heritage Surveys for drill testing at Billy Ray has commenced
CEO, Brendan Shalders, commented, “Ongoing exploration works focused on gold prospectivity at Black Swan and Lake Johnston continue to generate positive results.
Rock chip samples collected on a recent site visit to Black Swan have returned anomalous gold from quartz bearing shear zones that are located in the same area as the recovered gold nuggets.
Today’s rock chip assay results are an important step forward given the potential source of the recovered gold nuggets has now been identified and these auriferous shear zones are located well within our tenement package.
To progress the gold targeting along these prospective shear corridors, the Company completed a wide spaced reconnaissance soil sampling program last week across the entire landholding at Black Swan which will be assayed for the full suite of elements. We look forward to receiving the assay results early next quarter and will commence planning drilling programs for any defined gold anomalies.
Recently received soil sample assay results testing the extension of the Billy Ray Prospect at Lake Johnston have confirmed the continuation of the large Cu-Au anomaly. The anomaly remains open to the North-East, with geological structures suggesting the potential for further Cu-Au anomalism over the newly acquired Mantis tenement.
The Company intends to extend soil sampling across the Mantis tenement and will use the assay results and any Cu-Au anomalies identified to plan drilling programs to test the Billy Ray Prospect.
The Company is pleased with the recent series of exploration results as they continue to enhance the prospectivity for gold at both Black Swan and Lake Johnston. The low-cost exploration programs that are underway are important to defining drill targets to efficiently test the gold potential in these areas.”
Black Swan - Located in Geological Setting Prospective for Gold
The Black Swan project is situated within the Boorara Geological Domain which hosts a number of gold mines including the nearby Kanowna Belle, Mungarra and Gordon Sirdar projects, refer Figure 1, as recently announced in ASX announcement “Gold Prospectivity Enhanced at Black Swan and Lake Johnston” re-released 16 August 2024.
Figure 1: Black Swan Regional Geology Map & Tenement Locations
Bedrock Gold Confirmed
Results from 17 rock chip samples recently collected from Black Swan have confirmed gold mineralisation in bedrock units located close to some of the recently announced gold nugget discoveries. The best rock chip returned 1.25g/t Au from a gossanous quartz vein hosted within felsic volcanic, see Figure 2. Additional rock chips with anomalous gold (>0.5g/t Au) were returned from ferrous quartz veining and within felsic volcanics (refer Table 1).
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Poseidon Nickel Limited, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
Sun Summit Minerals: Advancing District-scale Gold and Copper Projects in British Columbia
Sun Summit Minerals (TSXV:SMN,OTCQB:SMREF) is a Canadian mineral exploration company advancing district-scale gold and copper projects in British Columbia. Its flagship JD Project, located in the prolific Toodoggone district, is the focus of an aggressive 5,000-meter drill program in 2025 targeting a potential multi-million-ounce epithermal gold-silver system.
With funding in place, a five-year exploration permit secured, and an on-site camp established, Sun Summit is executing a disciplined strategy to build scale, unlock resource value, and deliver returns to shareholders. Reinvigorated by a revamped leadership team and a refined vision, the company is leveraging high-grade, strategically located assets to drive long-term growth.
The JD and Theory projects cover over 25,000 hectares in the heart of British Columbia’s Toodoggone mining district, one of Canada’s most prospective regions for epithermal gold-silver and porphyry copper-gold systems. The district hosts several significant deposits, including Thesis Gold’s Ranch and Lawyers projects (4.7 Moz gold equivalent, ~C$250 million market cap), Centerra Gold’s Kemess underground development, and TDG Gold’s Shasta-Baker project. The area is well supported by infrastructure, including hydroelectric grid access, all-season roads, and the nearby Sturdee airstrip.
Company Highlights
- Aggressive Discovery Strategy: Sun Summit Minerals is actively advancing the JD and Buck projects in BC, targeting epithermal gold-silver and porphyry copper-gold systems. A fully funded 5,000-meter drill program at JD underway in 2025, aiming to define a multi-million-ounce resource.
- Strategic Location: Both assets are situated in prolific and mining-friendly regions of British Columbia. The flagship JD project lies in the Toodoggone district—home to Thesis Gold and Centerra’s Kemess Mine, while Buck is near the Blackwater, Huckleberry, and Equity Silver mines in central BC.
- Re-rate Potential Opportunity: Trading at just ~$7/oz gold equivalent (EV/oz) based on Buck alone, with no value currently ascribed to JD, the company represents a deep value opportunity compared to the next-door neighbour Thesis Gold trading at ~$50/oz. Success at the drill bit from the ongoing drill program at JD could drive the potential re-rating.
- Fully Funded for 2025: A recent C$10M raise (May 2025) enables a robust exploration program, including drilling, geophysics, and soil sampling. The company is well-positioned to achieve its 2025 and 2026 exploration milestones without further dilution.
- Experienced, Capital Markets-Savvy Leadership: CEO Niel Marotta brings capital markets acumen from Fidelity and Orezone. The broader team includes senior geologists and advisors with decades of success in gold discoveries and mine development in BC.
- Positioned for Consolidation: With majors like Freeport, Centerra, and Skeena investing heavily in adjacent properties, Sun Summit is strategically located and advancing at the right time in the Lassonde Curve to benefit from industry-wide M&A and consolidation trends.
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Sun Summit Minerals
Investor Insight
Sun Summit Minerals is targeting the delineation of a multi-million-ounce gold-silver resource at its flagship JD project. With strategic positioning in an emerging consolidation hotspot, compelling valuation metrics, and a track record of discovery, Sun Summit is primed to deliver substantial value creation in the coming quarters.
Overview
Sun Summit Minerals (TSXV:SMN,OTCQB:SMREF) is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on developing its district-scale gold and copper projects in British Columbia. The company’s flagship JD Project, located in the Toodoggone district, is undergoing an aggressive 5,000-meter drill campaign in 2025 aimed at delineating a multi-million-ounce epithermal gold-silver system.
Complementing JD is the company’s Buck project, a large, bulk-tonnage gold-silver system near Houston, BC, with an initial NI 43-101 resource estimate and significant exploration upside.
With capital in hand, a five-year exploration permit secured, and a camp established at JD, Sun Summit is executing a focused strategy to build scale, unlock resource potential and drive shareholder value. The company has taken lessons from its past and re-emerged with a sharpened vision, an overhauled team and assets that are not only high-grade but strategically located to create shareholder value.
Company Highlights
- Aggressive Discovery Strategy: Sun Summit Minerals is actively advancing the JD and Buck projects in BC, targeting epithermal gold-silver and porphyry copper-gold systems. A fully funded 5,000-meter drill program at JD underway in 2025, aiming to define a multi-million-ounce resource.
- Strategic Location: Both assets are situated in prolific and mining-friendly regions of British Columbia. The flagship JD project lies in the Toodoggone district—home to Thesis Gold and Centerra’s Kemess Mine, while Buck is near the Blackwater, Huckleberry, and Equity Silver mines in central BC.
- Re-rate Potential Opportunity: Trading at just ~$7/oz gold equivalent (EV/oz) based on Buck alone, with no value currently ascribed to JD, the company represents a deep value opportunity compared to the next-door neighbour Thesis Gold trading at ~$50/oz. Success at the drill bit from the ongoing drill program at JD could drive the potential re-rating.
- Fully Funded for 2025: A recent C$10M raise (May 2025) enables a robust exploration program, including drilling, geophysics, and soil sampling. The company is well-positioned to achieve its 2025 and 2026 exploration milestones without further dilution.
- Experienced, Capital Markets-Savvy Leadership: CEO Niel Marotta brings capital markets acumen from Fidelity and Orezone. The broader team includes senior geologists and advisors with decades of success in gold discoveries and mine development in BC.
- Positioned for Consolidation: With majors like Freeport, Centerra, and Skeena investing heavily in adjacent properties, Sun Summit is strategically located and advancing at the right time in the Lassonde Curve to benefit from industry-wide M&A and consolidation trends.
Key Projects
JD & Theory Projects
The JD & Theory projects span more than 25,000 hectares in the heart of the Toodoggone mining district in north-central BC, one of Canada’s most prospective belts for epithermal gold-silver and porphyry copper-gold systems. The district is home to Thesis Gold’s Ranch and Lawyers deposits (4.7 Moz gold equivalent, C$250 million market cap), Centerra’s Kemess underground development, and TDG Gold’s Shasta-Baker project. Infrastructure around the project includes hydroelectric grid access, the nearby Sturdee airstrip and all-season roads.
The JD project hosts a 4.5 km mineralized corridor, known as Creek-Finn, with multiple underexplored targets showing evidence of both high-grade veins and broad disseminated gold systems. Historic and recent drill highlights include:
- 2.1 grams per ton (g/t) gold over 122.5 m including 121 g/t gold over 1.5 m (CZ-24-004)
- 11.7 g/t gold over 22 m including 61.2 g/t gold over 4 m (CZ97-008)
- 7.3 g/t gold over 35.7 m including 215.4 g/t gold over 1 m (JD95-0472)
The Creek Zone features high-grade epithermal veins within broader disseminated zones, supported by strong IP anomalies and gold-in-soil results up to 12.2 g/t gold. The Finn Zone hosts near-surface mineralization with extensive historical drilling (~270 holes) and is open in all directions. Other targets include McClair (porphyry copper), East McClair (copper-gold skarn) and Moosehorn.
The 2025 program includes 5,000 meters of core drilling across 25 holes, 20 km of IP geophysics, 2,000+ soil samples, and full-scale camp operations. A five-year permit secured in April 2025 provides exploration continuity through 2030.
Camp setup at JD project
Sun Summit can earn 100 percent of the JD project by making staged cash/share payments and completing work commitments through 2029. With ~C$6 million earmarked for the project this year alone, Sun Summit is expected to fulfill its 2025 and 2026 earn-in obligations without additional equity raises.
Buck Project
The 100 percent owned Buck project spans 52,000 hectares and is located near key deposits, including Artemis Gold’s Blackwater (8 Moz gold), Imperial’s Huckleberry copper mine, and Newmont’s historic Equity Silver mine. Buck features near-surface bulk-tonnage gold-silver mineralization with porphyry copper-molybdenum potential at depth.
In February 2025, Sun Summit published its inaugural NI 43-101 mineral resource:
- Indicated: 1.15 Mt @ 0.519 g/t gold equivalent (19,100 oz)
- Inferred: 52.2 Mt @ 0.489 g/t gold equivalent (820,400 oz)
Mineralization remains open in all directions. Buck is considered a strategic asset providing leverage to rising gold prices and future transaction potential, but currently receives minimal capital allocation as JD is prioritized.
Management Team
Niel Marotta – Chief Executive Officer and Director
Niel Marotta has more than two decades of capital markets experience, including a successful tenure at Fidelity (FMRCo.), where he managed the top-performing Select Gold Fund and oversaw >$1 billion in AUM. He was previously VP at Orezone Resources, where he helped lead its C$350 million acquisition by IAMGOLD. Marotta has raised over $1 billion in financing and is driving Sun Summit’s transition from a legacy explorer to a discovery-focused value generator.
Brian Lock – Executive Chairman
A veteran of the mining industry with 40+ years of executive experience, Brian Lock has led multiple public companies, including Castle Peak Mining and Scorpio Gold. His expertise spans project development, M&A and corporate governance.
Waseem Javed – Chief Financial Officer
A seasoned mining CFO, Waseem Javed ensures disciplined capital deployment and financial controls. His experience spans junior explorers and mid-tier producers across Canada and the US.
Ken MacDonald – VP Exploration
Ken MacDonald is a registered professional geologist with over 30 years in mineral exploration and permitting in BC. Formerly with the BC Mines Branch and multiple juniors, he leads Sun Summit’s technical programs and NI 43-101 compliance.
Christopher Leslie – Technical Advisor
An expert in porphyry and epithermal systems, Christopher Leslie led the discovery of the 8 Moz Blackwater deposit while at Richfield Ventures, and later served as VP exploration for Tower Resources. He was instrumental in advancing the JD-Theory project during its prior ownership.
Robert D. Willis – Senior Advisor
Founder of several successful exploration companies, including Pioneer Metals and Manhattan Minerals, Robert Willis has 35+ years of technical and executive experience across North and South America.
Terry Salman – Strategic Advisor
Founder of Salman Partners and one of Canada’s most influential mining financiers, Terry Salman has backed dozens of successful juniors over a 40-year career in mining investment banking.