Middle Island Confirms Large Copper Targets at Jelaca and Oglavak in Serbia

Broad Copper Anomalies Emerge at Jelaca and Oglavak

Middle Island Resources (ASX:MDI) has sharpened the focus on its Serbian copper ambitions with fresh assay results confirming large-scale copper targets at the Jelaca and Oglavak prospects within the Priboj Project. The infill soil sampling programs have delineated robust +200ppm copper-in-soil anomalies spanning approximately 900 metres by 400 metres at Jelaca and 600 metres by 400 metres at Oglavak, reinforcing the company’s strategy to target volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS)-style deposits.

Jelaca, in particular, has delivered compelling rock chip assay results, with samples returning up to 3.21% copper and 26 grams per tonne silver from outcropping mineralised basalts. This expands the known mineralised footprint and aligns with geological models of ancient submarine volcanic activity consistent with VMS systems. Oglavak’s soil anomalies have yielded assays as high as 1,614ppm copper, situated adjacent to a significant lithological boundary separating diabase and ultramafic rocks, a setting often favourable for VMS-style mineralisation.

Exploration Progress and Planned Drilling

The company is advancing its exploration with an initial reverse circulation (RC) drilling program designed to test the Jelaca anomaly, subject to securing land access approvals. This drilling will probe the 900m by 400m +200ppm copper-in-soil anomaly, where rock chip samples have previously reached assays as high as 10.3% copper. Meanwhile, additional infill soil sampling is slated for the adjacent Jermovac licence, contingent on the renewal of its three-year term. Earlier wide-spaced sampling there has uncovered highly anomalous copper assays up to 5,054ppm and rock chip results up to 11.3% copper, underscoring the licence’s exploration potential.

Middle Island’s Executive Chairman Daniel Raihani highlighted the significance of these results, noting they provide further support for the VMS exploration model and the broader licence area's prospectivity. The Priboj Project, covering 195 square kilometres in central-western Serbia, is strategically located in the Western Tethyan Mineral Province, a world-class geological setting known for giant copper, gold, and silver deposits.

Regional Context and Future Prospects

The Priboj licences lie along a major geological boundary separating oceanic crustal rocks from continental sedimentary formations, a zone that hosts several significant mineral deposits including the Rupice and Veovaca VMS deposits. The area has seen no prior modern exploration, with historical copper workings dating back to pre-Roman times. Middle Island’s recent programs have been the first systematic modern exploration efforts, incorporating soil and rock chip sampling alongside geophysical surveys.

Beyond Jelaca and Oglavak, the company is also awaiting assay results from other Serbian projects including Bobija and Timok, which could add further depth to its regional portfolio. The unfolding exploration story in Serbia is one to watch, as Middle Island seeks to convert these early-stage targets into defined mineral resources.