Drilling Approval Raises Stakes for Diablo’s US Copper Ambitions Amid Critical Minerals Push

Strategic Approval for Copper Exploration

Diablo Resources has taken a significant step forward in its US copper exploration strategy with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) granting approval for its maiden drilling program at the Stateline Claim Block, part of the Phoenix Copper Project in Utah. This regulatory milestone enables the company to fast-track its focus on critical minerals, particularly copper, in a region already known for substantial deposits.

The Stateline Claim Block is considered the most prospective area within Diablo’s portfolio, lying just 5 kilometres southeast of the Lone Wolf Deposit, a 60 million tonne resource containing over 12,000 tonnes of recoverable copper, and close to the Flying Diamond Deposit, adjacent to the producing Lisbon Valley Copper Mine. This proximity places Diablo’s project squarely within a proven copper-producing district, enhancing the potential for discovery.

Promising Surface Sampling at Fair Dinkum

Reconnaissance work at the Fair Dinkum Prospect, situated within the Stateline Claim Block, has yielded encouraging results. Thirteen grab samples collected along 100 metres of outcrop returned copper grades up to 2.76% and silver up to 92 grams per tonne, with an average copper grade of 1.12%. Notably, more than half of the samples exceeded 1% copper, highlighting a compelling shallow drill target.

The mineralisation is hosted within Dakota and Burro Canyon conglomerates and sandstones, geological formations known to host copper mineralisation in the Lisbon Valley area. The planned drilling will target mineralisation adjacent to the Flying Diamond Fault, a structural feature that controls copper deposits in the region.

Ongoing Drilling and Next Steps

Meanwhile, drilling at the CC Claim Block, another part of the Phoenix Copper Project, commenced in mid-August and has so far completed eight reverse circulation holes totalling 603 metres. Samples from this program have been sent to the laboratory, with assay results expected within three weeks, which will provide further insight into the project’s potential.

Diablo is finalising bond requirements and logistical planning to begin drilling at Stateline in the fourth quarter of 2025. The approved permit allows for up to 36 drill holes from 12 pads, designed to minimise environmental disturbance. Additionally, soil sampling has started on recently acquired extension claims, expanding the exploration footprint along strike from existing prospects.

Positioning Amid US Critical Minerals Priorities

CEO Lyle Thorne emphasised the strategic importance of the project, noting that the US government has prioritised securing domestic supplies of critical minerals like copper. Diablo’s Phoenix Copper Project is well positioned within a known copper-producing district, potentially aligning the company with national efforts to bolster critical mineral supply chains.

While assay results from current drilling are pending, the combination of regulatory approval, promising surface sampling, and ongoing exploration activity suggests that Diablo Resources is advancing steadily toward defining a significant copper resource in a geopolitically strategic location.