Hot Chili has confirmed a second porphyry centre south of its La Verde copper-gold discovery in Chile, with RC drilling returning a broad, shallow copper intersection. A deeper diamond hole shows extensive sulphide mineralisation visually, but laboratory assays are still required before the scale can be properly assessed.
- Second porphyry centre identified at La Verde South
- 148m at 0.44% CuEq from 36m in DKP084
- 44m higher-grade interval at 0.56% CuEq
- 307m of visual porphyry-style mineralisation in DKD100
- 25 drill holes await assays ahead of maiden resource estimate
La Verde South Opens a Second Porphyry Front
Hot Chili Limited (ASX:HCH) says step-out drilling has confirmed a second porphyry centre at La Verde South, potentially extending the growth story around its emerging copper-gold asset in Chile. The new zone sits south of La Verde’s existing plus-0.4% copper footprint and is concealed beneath shallow Atacama gravels.
The first assay-supported result came from RC hole DKP084, drilled about 250 metres south of the existing mineralised footprint. It returned 148 metres at 0.44% copper equivalent from 36 metres, including 44 metres at 0.56% CuEq from 138 metres. The intersection was primarily oxide copper mineralisation and included 0.39% copper and 0.07 grams per tonne gold across the broader interval.
That result adds to a sequence of wide, near-surface intersections at La Verde, following the October La Verde results that included 188 metres at 0.56% CuEq and 240 metres at 0.43% CuEq. Hot Chili says the earlier RC hole DKP024, located north of DKP084, returned 114 metres at 0.40% CuEq, providing the initial basis for testing the southern extension.
Diamond Drilling Points to Deeper Sulphides
Diamond hole DKD100 was collared a further 100 metres south of DKP084 and has visually recorded 307 metres of copper porphyry-style mineralisation from 40 metres to the current depth of 347 metres. The upper section contains oxide minerals including copper clays, malachite and black copper oxides, while the interval below 172 metres contains disseminated chalcopyrite and porphyry-style veining.
Drilling is continuing towards a planned depth of 500 metres, meaning the most consequential part of the new hole remains unassayed. The reported mineral abundance figures are visual estimates only and are not a substitute for laboratory analysis; true widths also have not yet been established because the intersections are reported down-hole.
Four rigs are operating across the prospect. Two are testing La Verde South, while two continue infill drilling at La Verde ahead of a maiden Mineral Resource Estimate. Assay results remain outstanding for 25 holes, including six southern step-out holes and 19 resource-definition holes.
Resource and Costa Fuego Milestones Remain Ahead
Hot Chili says the La Verde maiden resource, a revised Costa Fuego Pre-Feasibility Study and preparation of an Environmental Impact Assessment submission remain on track. La Verde is located 30 kilometres south of Costa Fuego’s planned central processing hub, placing any eventual resource expansion within the company’s existing project architecture rather than as a standalone discovery.
For now, however, the investment case still turns on conversion. The DKP084 assay provides a meaningful southern extension, but the more substantial-looking DKD100 interval depends on laboratory results, while the conceptual pit shells shown in the announcement are Exploration Targets rather than Mineral Resources. The next batch of assays will determine whether La Verde South is an encouraging geological continuation or a material addition to the project’s mineable inventory.
Bottom Line?
DKP084 has extended the near-surface system, but DKD100 assays and the maiden resource estimate are the tests that will establish La Verde South’s real significance.
Questions in the middle?
- Will DKD100’s visually identified sulphide zone deliver assay grades consistent with the surrounding La Verde system?
- How much of the southern extension can be incorporated into the maiden Mineral Resource Estimate?
- Can the enlarged La Verde footprint materially change the revised Costa Fuego study without delaying the planned environmental submission?