Andina Copper Corp. has reported a wide intercept of copper-gold-silver mineralization at its Piuquenes East project in San Juan Province, Argentina, that significantly expands the vertical extent of the mineralized envelope and confirms increasing gold grades and intensity of porphyry stockwork veining laterally and to depth. Drill hole PIU09, only the third drilled at Piuquenes East, intersected a broad, continuous interval of copper-gold mineralization hosted within strongly veined, dioritic porphyry with intense sericitic alteration overprinting potassic, confirming the presence of a new vertically extensive gold-rich porphyry Cu-Au-Ag system within the Piuquenes-Altar cluster.
The results are important because they demonstrate the potential for substantial resource expansion at a time when global copper demand is rising for electrification and renewable energy infrastructure. The intersection of 126 meters at 0.46% copper, 0.53 grams per tonne gold, and 2.14 grams per tonne silver from 529 meters depth, within a broader 402-meter interval at 0.25% copper, 0.21 grams per tonne gold, and 1.19 grams per tonne silver from 253 meters, indicates a robust mineralized system. Higher gold grades and increasing intensity of A and B-type veining observed at depth are consistent with proximity to the porphyry core, suggesting the system strengthens with depth.
Follow-up drilling is underway to evaluate the northern continuity of the Cu-Au mineralized porphyry system at Piuquenes East. Hole PIU11 is designed to test the northern continuity and evaluate the lateral and vertical extent of the mineralized corridor identified to date. The hole has been positioned to intersect a geophysical chargeability anomaly defined by Induced Polarization surveying and a coincident conductive feature identified in Magnetotelluric data. The spatial relationship between these geophysical features and the mineralized dioritic porphyry intersected in PIU06 and PIU09 represents a priority target within the evolving geological model at Piuquenes East.
A second drill rig has commenced testing a strong, discrete geophysical anomaly at Piuquenes North, immediately adjacent to the Piuquenes Central deposit. This anomaly, characterized by its low-resistivity contrast and significant vertical extent commencing approximately 600 meters below surface, could indicate a deeper intrusive activity or magmatic-hydrothermal source. In the context of Miocene-aged porphyry systems of the southern Andes, conductive features of this scale and depth are commonly associated with such sources, suggesting the currently defined Piuquenes East and Central mineralization may represent upper-level expressions related to a deeper source at Piuquenes North.
The implications for investors and the mining industry are significant. The expansion of mineralization at depth and laterally could enhance the economic viability of the project, potentially contributing to future copper supply in a market facing growing demand. The presence of increasing gold grades adds further value, as gold often improves project economics in copper porphyry deposits. For Argentina, successful development could bring investment and jobs to San Juan Province, supporting local economies. The technical details, including the Company's quality assurance and quality control program, are documented in their corporate presentation available at https://www.andinacopper.com/investors/presentations/. The integration of geophysical data with drilling results has improved understanding of the spatial relationships, which is crucial for efficient exploration targeting.
Recent results from PIU09 demonstrate that the deeper mineralized interval remains open and is chalcopyrite-dominant with minor bornite, suggesting potential for continued strengthening of the system at depth. This ongoing exploration work positions Andina Copper to better assess the scale potential of the Piuquenes East porphyry centre, with follow-up drilling and geophysical testing aimed at delineating the full extent of mineralization. The project's location in a world-class copper belt enhances its strategic importance, as discoveries in such regions can have long-term impacts on global copper supply chains.
