Culpeo Minerals (ASX:CPO) prepares to commence drilling at El Quillay South

Culpeo Minerals is set to commence diamond drilling at the El Quillay South Prospect within its Fortuna Project in Chile.

The four hole, approximately 1,000m diamond core drilling programme will test strike and depth extensions of known copper and gold mineralisation along the El Quillay Fault Zone, a mineralised structure extending for more than 4km at surface.

Highlights

• Four hole, approximately 1,000m diamond core drilling programme targeting strike and depth extensions of known copper and gold mineralisation.
• El Quillay South is located on the El Quillay Fault Zone, a major mineralised structure extending for more than 4km and hosting multiple zones of copper and gold mineralisation.
• Previous surface channel sampling returned 43.1m at 1.0% Cu and 1.3g/t Au.
• The programme is designed to test the potential for copper and gold mineralisation associated with a porphyry style system and is scheduled to commence in the coming days.

El Quillay South is located within the Fortuna Project and has been the subject of limited drilling across multiple prospective copper and gold targets defined from previous surface results.

The prospect lies on the El Quillay Fault Zone, which the company describes as a regionally significant mineralised structure with substantial strike length and multiple zones of copper and gold mineralisation identified at surface.

The company states the fault zone has a strong correlation with a demagnetised corridor, which is interpreted to potentially reflect hydrothermal alteration associated with intrusive activity, including the potential for porphyry stock(s).

The planned drilling programme has been designed to test the continuation of known mineralisation along strike and across the El Quillay Fault Zone to reach levels that may be linked to a Lana Corina style, porphyry style, gold copper system, and the programme comprises four drill holes for approximately 1,000m.

The planned drill locations are shown alongside two historical drill holes that intersected significant copper mineralisation in a breccia body.

The accompanying figures also show the mineralised structure over a magnetic background, highlighting the demagnetised corridor corresponding with the El Quillay Fault Zone and a significant flexure in the structure at El Quillay South.

Previous surface exploration at El Quillay South confirmed copper and gold mineralisation through channel and rock chip sampling.

The announcement highlights previous channel sampling results of 43.1m at 1.0% Cu and 1.3g/t Au, while the broader El Quillay Fault Zone hosts multiple zones of copper and gold mineralisation identified at surface.

Culpeo Interim Executive Chair Geoff McNamara said the drilling campaign forms part of a broader exploration programme across the company’s Chilean projects.

“This programme is the first phase of multiple diamond drilling programmes across Culpeo’s Fortuna and Lana Corina Projects, host to a pipeline of high priority targets with the potential to deliver further exploration success.”

Culpeo states it is committed to copper exploration, discovery and development through its strategic assets in Chile, with the Fortuna and Lana Corina Projects located in the Coquimbo Region, approximately 350km north of Santiago and in proximity to the Los Pelambres mine.

According to the company, the project areas feature substantial outcropping high grade copper systems and are supported by regional infrastructure including roads, power transmission lines, water sources and a local mining industry.

The diamond drilling programme at El Quillay South is scheduled to commence in the coming days and has been designed to test the potential for copper and gold mineralisation associated with a porphyry style system as the first phase of multiple diamond drilling programmes planned across the Fortuna and Lana Corina Projects.

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