Canterbury Resources has reported its longest and one of its highest-grade copper intersections to date at the Briggs deposit, underpinning plans for a major resource upgrade and prefeasibility study.
- Longest mineralised intersection at Briggs – 620m at 0.25% copper
- High-grade zone of 30m at 0.90% copper near surface
- Results validate and extend current Mineral Resource Estimate
- Supports potential for higher-grade starter pit and deeper resource
- 2026 drilling program planned to upgrade and expand resource
Strong Drilling Results Reinforce Briggs’ Potential
Canterbury Resources Limited (ASX – CBY) has delivered a compelling update from its 2025 drilling campaign at the Briggs copper-molybdenum deposit in Central Queensland. Two deep diamond drill holes, 25BRD0037 and 25BRD0038, have returned assay results that not only confirm the continuity of mineralisation but also establish new benchmarks for both length and grade at the project.
Hole 25BRD0037 intersected an extraordinary 620 metres grading 0.25% copper from near surface, marking the longest mineralised interval recorded at Briggs to date. Within this extensive zone, higher-grade sections include 189 metres at 0.28% copper and 97.9 metres at 0.34% copper, demonstrating significant copper tenor throughout the system. Meanwhile, hole 25BRD0038 revealed a shallow, high-grade zone of 30 metres at 0.90% copper, one of the richest intersections reported at the deposit.
Validating and Extending the Resource Model
These results strongly support the existing geological and resource models, confirming that the mineralisation occurs where predicted and is continuous over substantial depths. The assay data will underpin updates to the Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE), particularly extending the indicated resource category deeper and enhancing the potential for a near-surface, higher-grade starter pit. This is a critical step in de-risking the project and improving its economic outlook.
Importantly, the mineralised zones correlate closely with surface copper-in-soil geochemical anomalies, which have been instrumental in guiding drill targeting. This alignment reinforces confidence in the exploration strategy and suggests further upside potential in untested areas adjacent to the current resource footprint.
Looking Ahead – Infill and Expansion Drilling
Building on these encouraging results, Canterbury and its joint venture partner Alma Metals have approved a major infill drilling program slated to commence within the next two months. The primary objective is to upgrade inferred resources to the indicated category, a necessary step for advancing the Briggs project through prefeasibility and ultimately towards development.
Additional drilling will also target resource expansion, testing strong copper-in-soil anomalies northwest of the recent holes. This systematic approach aims to both consolidate and grow the resource base, supporting the Prefeasibility Study (PFS) that is already underway. The PFS will assess the viability of a large-scale, long-life mining operation producing copper concentrate for smelters.
Strategic Importance and Market Context
Briggs represents one of Australia’s largest undeveloped copper opportunities, and these drilling results mark a significant milestone in its progression. Managing Director Grant Craighead highlighted the importance of the findings, stating that the results reaffirm the scale and tenor of the mineralised system and provide a strong foundation for an exciting year ahead.
With copper demand underpinned by global electrification and decarbonisation trends, projects like Briggs are increasingly critical. The demonstrated continuity and grade improvements enhance Canterbury’s position in the copper exploration sector and could attract further investment interest as the project advances.
Bottom Line?
As Canterbury gears up for its 2026 drilling campaign, the market will be watching closely to see if Briggs can continue to deliver on its promise as a major copper development.
Questions in the middle?
- How will the upcoming infill drilling impact the classification and size of the Briggs resource?
- What are the potential cost and timeline implications for the Prefeasibility Study based on these results?
- Could further high-grade zones be delineated beyond the current drilling footprint, especially to the northwest?