Canada's Coppernico Approved to Conduct 20,000-Meter Copper-Gold Drilling in Peru

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On November 10, Canadian mining company Coppernico Metals announced that its wholly-owned Peruvian subsidiary Sombrero Minerales has obtained final operating authorization from Peru's Ministry of Energy and Mines to conduct drilling within the expanded permitted area of the Sombrero copper-gold project in the Ayacucho region. The company also unveiled a Phase 2 drilling program of approximately 20,000 meters covering 9 exploration targets, with the first drilling expected to begin at the Fierrazo target area.

The final authorization is the last government approval required under the expanded Semi-Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA-Sd). The new permit covers approximately 3,122 hectares and allows for the construction of 181 drilling platforms and up to 300 drill holes. Compared with the previous permitted area of 904 hectares, this represents an additional 2,218 hectares, with the number of drilling platforms increasing from 38 to 181.

The Phase 2 drilling program targets copper-gold mineralized systems in the Ccascabamba, Nioc, and Tipicancha areas, covering 9 targets with a planned total drilling footage of approximately 20,000 meters. The work includes expanding known mineralized zones, verifying geophysical anomalies, and conducting first-ever drilling of certain surface copper mineralization outcrops and concealed targets beneath cover. The company plans to deploy one drill rig initially and will decide whether to add more equipment based on exploration results, market conditions, and funding availability.

Fierrazo is the primary focus of the first batch of drilling and is a magnetite-rich copper-gold skarn-type mineralized system. Existing geophysical data indicate that the related skarn body extends for at least 700 meters along strike, but only approximately 200 meters of strike length has previously been drill-tested. The company plans to verify the along-strike and depth extensions of the mineralized body through additional drill holes and to further delineate high-grade mineralized zones. Site road and drilling platform construction has already commenced, with workers including local community laborers.

Exploration progress at other targets varies. Tipicancha hosts over 4 kilometers of hydrothermal alteration and has not previously been drilled; Chumpi 1, Chumpi 2, and Huachana were primarily identified based on magnetic, gravity, and induced polarization anomalies and are planned for initial drill testing. Hojota, Corrales, and North Corrales will undergo follow-up verification incorporating Phase 1 drilling results.

Although the Nioc target is included in the overall Phase 2 exploration program, it still requires separate community agreements and drilling permits, and the company expects to advance first drilling there in 2027.