Oroco Resource Corp. has reported the fourth batch of assay results from its Phase 2 resource drilling program in the South Zone of the Santo Tomás copper project in Sinaloa, Mexico, highlighted by drill hole S042 returning 369.3 m from surface grading 0.45% CuEq.

The latest update covers ten drill holes, numbered S035 through S044. Across the broader Phase 2 campaign, Oroco has completed 42 holes totaling 12,649.3 metres, with three drill rigs currently active on site.

Holes S038 and S041 extended past expected bounds, ending in mineralization approximately 200 m and 90 m, respectively, below the current preliminary economic assessment pit limits. Meanwhile, infill and twin drilling in the north-central and eastern portions of the South Zone—including holes S035, S036, S039 and S040—yielded assays generally corresponding with copper grades predicted by the project block model. Twin drilling has also supplied additional multi-element data for molybdenum, gold and silver to strengthen the dataset for future resource estimation.

The Phase 2 resource drilling program is focused on increasing resource certainty in the South Zone to support the mine plan and a Pre-Feasibility Study.

“These overall results provide further confidence in the South Zone model while also identifying mineralization beyond the current PEA pit limits,” said Charles Cryer, CEO . “The long S042 intercept and the extensions in S038 and S041 improve our geological understanding as South Zone resource drilling nears completion and the drill rigs migrate into the Pillar Zone. The drilling has also strengthened the historical dataset used for future resource estimation, an important aspect of the current program.”

As resource drilling in the South Zone nears completion, Oroco is advancing diamond drill holes S061, S063 and S064 in the Pillar Zone situated between the North and South Zones.

The company plans to incorporate the Phase 2 assay results alongside Geopyörä geotechnical and comminution data into an updated Pre-Feasibility Study mine schedule and Mineral Resource Estimate for Santo Tomás.

Read the full announcement: Oroco Continues South Zone Success