Great Southern Copper (LSE:GSCU) reported that scout RC drilling has commenced at the Artemisa North porphyry target while four recent scout RC holes at the Piedras Blancas prospect intersected strong quartz‑sericite‑pyrite (phyllic) alteration and, in two holes, a transition to potassic alteration with sulphide mineralisation.
The UK‑listed mineral exploration company focused on copper‑gold‑silver in Chile said the Piedras Blancas programme comprised four holes for 574 metres, with phyllic alteration recorded to depths of about 120m and holes PBL26 RC001 and RC002 returning 5-15% disseminated and veinlet sulphides and traces of chalcopyrite, and that samples have been despatched to ALS Laboratories.
At Artemisa North GSC plans a preliminary program of up to four RC holes totalling about 1,000m to test a >1 km2 phyllic alteration zone that is open to the north and east, noting rock‑chip highs to 1.21% Cu, 0.6g/t Au and 201ppm Mo, no previous drilling and rights to 100% ownership.
"Drilling is progressing well and, importantly, the alteration and mineralisation observed in the initial Piedras Blancas holes has provided encouraging support for our porphyry copper exploration model at La Colorada," said Sam Garrett, Chief Executive Officer.
GSC described its RC sampling and QAQC workflow and said representative two‑metre cuttings are prepared and pulped at ALS in Santiago or La Serena with a 200g split sent to ALS Lima for 30g fire assay for gold and a 48‑element ICP‑MS package.
Following Artemisa North the rig will move to Artemisa South and Victoria, geophysics (IP extension at Cerro Negro and AMT over La Colorada) is planned to commence in May 2026, and Mostaza metallurgical results and Phase IV planning remain pending.
