Andina Copper Corporation has reported significant drill intercepts from its maiden diamond drilling program at the Cobrasco copper-molybdenum project in Choco, Colombia, with results from drillhole CDH004 showing wide intercepts of strong mineralization. The findings follow recent high-grade intersections in drillhole CDH003 and support the potential for a large-scale porphyry deposit at the site.
Drillhole CDH004, completed to 900.25 meters, intersected multiple phases of mineralized rock, with the interval from 579 to 686 meters returning an average grade of 0.75% copper, including a peak 2-meter assay value of 1.70% copper. This interval is associated with intensely fractured magmatic-hydrothermal breccias, which suggest effective fluid focusing within the mineralized system. Sporadic gold mineralization of up to 1.06 grams per ton was also reported, indicating a possible gold-rich intrusive phase within the broader Cobrasco system.
Andina Copper's President and CEO Joseph van den Elsen stated that these results further validate the size, scale, and grade of the Cobrasco system, with the company seeing potential for a globally significant deposit. The company plans to mobilize a second drill rig to expedite exploration and evaluation, with ongoing step-out drilling aiming to expand the system's footprint and define its lateral extents. Additional information on the project's geology and drilling progress can be found in the Andina Copper Corporate Presentation.
The geological analysis of CDH004 revealed a sequence of intermediate composition porphyries in the upper section, followed by multiple phases of early to late-mineral rhyolite, rhyodacite, and dacite with felsic affinities from 56 to 579 meters. The strongest copper grades were found in the breccia zone from 579 to 686 meters, while the final interval to 900.25 meters consisted of phreatomagmatic breccias with lower copper grades, averaging 215 parts per million copper. Similar late-mineral breccias were recognized in earlier drilling and are considered low-grade to barren, serving as a boundary for ongoing drill planning.
Drillhole CDH005, designed to test southern extensions of the mineralized system, has been completed to 934.00 meters, with assays pending. Preliminary logging indicates continuity of intrusive phases, alteration styles, and sulphide mineralization, supporting the interpretation of a large and long-lived mineralizing system. Step-out drillhole CDH006 is currently underway, targeting potential large extensions of the mineralized system. The company's drilling and geological observations suggest the potential for a large-scale porphyry copper-molybdenum deposit with significant volumes of high-grade mineralization.
The implications of these findings are substantial for the mining industry and global copper supply. Copper is a critical metal for renewable energy infrastructure, electric vehicles, and technological advancements, with growing demand outpacing supply in recent years. A major discovery in Colombia could diversify global copper production sources, reduce reliance on traditional mining regions, and contribute to regional economic development in Choco. However, the project's success will depend on further drilling to confirm resource estimates and navigate regulatory and environmental considerations in the region.
