Great Southern Copper Begins Drilling at Artemisa North

Why It Matters

The drill program could confirm a shallow, high‑grade porphyry system, boosting Great Southern Copper’s resource base and positioning the Especularita project as a future copper supply source amid rising demand.

Key Takeaways

• Scout RC drilling starts at Artemis North, Chile
• Four holes target phyllic alteration and historic copper workings
• Rock chip assays show up to 1.21% copper
• Nearby Piedras Blancas drilling confirms shallow porphyry system
• Project holds 100% rights, expanding to Artemisa South

Pulse Analysis

Chile remains the world’s second‑largest copper producer, and new discoveries along its prolific porphyry belts can reshape supply dynamics. Great Southern Copper’s Especularita Project sits on the western margin of the La Colorada lithocap, a geological setting that hosts world‑class deposits such as Los Pelambres and Altar. By focusing on surface‑visible phyllic alteration—characterized by quartz‑sericite‑pyrite assemblages—the company leverages modern spectral mapping to pinpoint zones where copper‑gold porphyry systems may be concealed beneath oxidised caps.

The Artemisa North drill campaign marks the second of four planned scout programs, targeting four reverse‑circulation holes that intersect both the identified phyllic envelope and underlying historic mining pits. Early rock‑chip results are encouraging, with copper grades reaching 1.21%, alongside gold and molybdenum traces that suggest a polymetallic character. These findings echo the recent Piedras Blancas results, where shallow potassic alteration and sulphide mineralisation indicated a porphyry system at shallower depths than previously modeled, thereby expanding the La Colorada lithocap’s prospectivity.

Looking ahead, Great Southern Copper intends to broaden exploration to Artemisa South and the Victoria prospect, while launching geophysical surveys at Cerro Negro and the broader lithocap in May 2026. Successful delineation of a sizable, near‑surface copper resource would not only enhance the company’s balance sheet but also contribute to the global copper supply chain, which is under pressure from electrification and renewable‑energy investments. Investors and industry observers will watch the upcoming assay releases and subsequent drilling phases closely, as they could signal a new growth driver for the firm and reinforce Chile’s role in meeting future copper demand.