Rupert holds exploration licences and reservations at the project totalling over 300sq.km covering 30km strike length of the regional Ruhaperä shear structure.
The mineral deposit is contained within 1.2km of strike length and was drilled at shallow levels with the deposit outcropping at surface.
The 10-hole diamond drilling programme confirmed the deposit's mineralisation extends at depth and also identified parallel or offset structures.
The drilling targeted areas close to the historic resource estimate, which was based on a 0.5g/t gold cut-off grade, including indicated mineral resources of 3 million tonnes at a grade of 1.23g/t Au for 119,000 ounces, and inferred mineral resources of 2.7Mt at a grade of 1.27g/t Au for 106,000oz.
Drill result highlights included intersections of 8m at 2.8g/t Au from 48m downhole, including 0.5m at 28.9g/t Au in a follow up hole; 2.5m at 3.3g/t Au from 93.5m downhole; and multiple mineralised zones, including 7m at 1.1g/t Au from 258m downhole and a further 10m grading 2.8g/t Au from 274m, including 1m at 20.9g/t Au.
Rupert said future drill testing of the deeper extensions of the main mineralisation and parallel or offset structures identified presents good potential for upgrading the historic estimate.
The company said it would conduct base of till drilling to better locate the surface expression of these parallel or offset structures before undertaking further drilling.
It said it was also progressing fieldwork and had completed a detailed unmanned aircraft vehicle magnetic survey.
The survey will be combined with regional airborne electromagnetic surveys, local IP surveys and geological mapping to produce an updated regional structural interpretation.
Rupert CEO James Withall said the company planned to have the same exploration approach with Hirsikangas as it did with its Pahtavaara project.
"Having acquired a known deposit, expanded Rupert's land position and generated some positive results through the drill bit, we will now systematically work through historical data, develop revised deposit and regional scale geological models, and investigate further targets through mapping, geochemical sampling and ultimately further drilling along this belt scale project," he said.
