Great Southern Copper has identified broad copper-molybdenum mineralisation in initial drilling at its Especularita project in Chile, providing the first drill confirmation of a new porphyry system.
Drill hole RC009 intersected 106 metres grading 0.33% copper and 42 parts per million molybdenum from surface. The interval included 54 metres at 0.46% copper and a higher-grade section of 20 metres at 0.57% copper.
The hole finished in mineralised granodiorite, with mineralisation remaining open in all directions.
Scout Drilling Tests Porphyry Targets
The result comes from an initial scout programme comprising 17 holes totalling 2,474 metres. Assay results remain pending for 13 holes. The programme was designed to test a lithocap and associated geophysical targets, rather than establish a mineral resource.
The drilling has moved the target from a geological concept to a drill-tested porphyry system, while the extent and continuity of the mineralisation remain to be established. Further drilling will be required to assess the system’s continuity, geometry and grade distribution, including whether higher-grade zones occur within the broader mineralised area.
Further Drilling to Define Mineralised System
For porphyry copper deposits, scale and continuity are key factors because such systems typically rely on large tonnage rather than exceptionally high grades. Great Southern Copper will use the remaining scout-hole assays to assess whether RC009 represents an isolated mineralised zone or forms part of a larger system. Chile, the world’s largest copper-producing country, hosts some of the largest porphyry systems globally. New projects in the country also face requirements related to permitting, water, power and infrastructure.
The company’s immediate exploration focus is to determine whether the discovery can support a broader and more systematic drilling programme. Further drilling will test whether mineralisation extends laterally and at depth while maintaining grades around or above those recorded in RC009. The Especularita project remains at an early exploration stage, with additional drilling and assays required to establish the scale of the mineralised system.
