Andina Copper Corp. has confirmed the presence of a new porphyry copper system at its Piuquenes North target in San Juan Province, Argentina, following the completion of the first two diamond drill holes designed to test a large, deep-seated low resistivity Magnetotelluric (MT) geophysical anomaly. The company reported that holes PIU12 and PIU13, drilled to depths of 992.60 meters and 1,235 meters respectively, intersected multiple intrusive phases associated with porphyry-style copper sulphide mineralization within a newly identified intrusive complex.
The results mark a significant milestone for the project, as they confirm a third mineralized porphyry system on the property, alongside the previously discovered Piuquenes East and Piuquenes Central centers. The MT anomaly at Piuquenes North remains open to the north and at depth, indicating potential for further expansion.
Hole PIU13 encountered four porphyry intrusive phases, with the strongest visible copper sulphide mineralization observed between 848 meters and 1,045 meters downhole, hosted within an early mineral porphyry phase. Copper sulphide minerals, including chalcopyrite and bornite, were logged throughout the mineralized interval, occurring within A and B-type quartz veins and as disseminations associated with potassic alteration. The hole also intersected intermineral and late mineral porphyry phases with varying alteration and mineralization intensity.
Hole PIU12 confirmed the lateral extent of the porphyry system, intersecting andesitic host rocks intruded by pre-mineral porphyry dykes containing chalcopyrite and minor bornite mineralization. The hole intersected the main body of pre-mineral porphyry from 832 meters to the end of the hole, exhibiting moderate potassic alteration overprinted by sericite and chlorite alteration.
Assay results for both holes are pending. The company plans to integrate the assay results with geological logging data to refine its geological model and targeting strategy for follow-up drilling, which is expected to focus on the down-dip and along-strike extensions of the newly intersected porphyry system.
The company believes the elevated sulphide content observed in drilling is a significant contributing factor to the conductive low-resistivity response defined by the MT survey. The geometry and scale of the mineralized porphyry system demonstrate a strong correlation between the MT anomaly and copper sulphide mineralization at Piuquenes North.
During the off-season, Andina Copper plans to undertake laboratory resistivity and chargeability measurements on representative core samples to further refine the geophysical interpretation of the target. The company's 2,500-hectare land package in San Juan Province continues to demonstrate significant exploration potential, and the company is also advancing the Cobrasco Project in Colombia.
The technical information in this release is based on visual logging of drill core, and all references to mineralization, alteration, and sulphide content are preliminary. True widths have not yet been determined.
