Culpeo Minerals Limited has commenced its maiden diamond drilling programme at the Vista Montana Prospect, located within the Lana Corina copper-molybdenum project in Chile.

The initial campaign involves four holes totalling 2,000 metres designed to test the continuity and scale of the mineralised system. The first hole, CMVMD001, is planned to reach a depth of 600 metres, targeting a large demagnetised zone interpreted to coincide with porphyry-style copper and molybdenum mineralisation.

Vista Montana sits approximately one kilometre north-east of the main Lana Corina discovery, where previous drilling has returned significant intercepts including 454 metres at 0.96% copper equivalent from 90 metres, and 257 metres at 1.10% copper equivalent from 170 metres. The current programme may be extended depending on geological observations and initial drill results.

To support drill targeting along the project's three-kilometre-long structural corridor, Culpeo has also started additional ground-geophysical induced polarization surveys. The TITAN DCIP survey covers 9.6 line kilometres across Vista Montana and 1.8 line kilometres over Lana Corina to map resistivity and chargeability to depths exceeding 500 metres.

Culpeo previously satisfied required expenditure and work commitments to earn a 50% ownership interest in the Lana Corina Project, with an amended earn-in schedule maintaining a pathway to 80% ownership.

“We are delighted to have commenced the maiden diamond drilling at Vista Montana which has the potential to materially expand the Lana Corina discovery and with the recently commenced IP survey, will help refine existing targets and potentially identify new targets along this highly prospective >3km structural corridor.”

— Geoff McNamara, Non-Executive Chair

Meanwhile, at the separate El Quillay South prospect, two drill holes totalling 505.95 metres have been completed. Assays from hole CMQD004 returned several narrow intervals of copper and gold mineralisation, including 5.5 metres at 0.40% copper equivalent from 68.7 metres, with higher-grade subsections such as 1.9 metres at 1.32% copper equivalent from 73.1 metres. Samples from the second completed hole have been dispatched for laboratory analysis.

Read the full announcement: Maiden Drilling Programme Commences at Vista Montana