Nova Minerals Limited (NASDAQ: NVA) announced that heavy equipment transport to its Estelle Project in Alaska is underway via a 150-kilometer winter snow road from Willow. The company reported that 70% of equipment has departed its freight yard for delivery to the project site.

The mining company constructed the snow road beginning in early December, involving snow pre-packing, water-flooding for ice thickening at river crossings, and brush clearing. Cold winter temperatures enabled the construction of ice bridges over 1.5 meters thick, capable of supporting freight loads exceeding 45,000 kilograms.

Following a $43.4 million U.S. Department of War award received in October 2025, Nova assembled an engineering team and sourced heavy equipment from across the United States and Alaska. The equipment includes articulated haul trucks, excavators, dozers, crushers, and ore sorters for trail construction, airstrip expansion, and antimony ore extraction and processing.

Nova stated that 95% of major mining and processing equipment items have been received at its Willow staging facility. Equipment is transported via ski-trailers using low ground pressure vehicles or self-driven along the winter trail to the Estelle Project site.

"Having just ridden out and back on the snow trail myself, I can confirm this was the fastest and smoothest I've ever seen it," said Hans Hoffman, Nova's general manager and geologist. The company expressed confidence in meeting objectives to deliver essential equipment required to commence antimony production on schedule.

With temperatures of -26°C forecast, Nova expects trail conditions to remain optimal for the winter freight mobilization effort. The company targets antimony production for late 2026 or 2027 as part of developing a domestic antimony supply chain.