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Latin American focused copper-gold explorer Solis Minerals Limited (ASX: SLM) (“Solis Minerals” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce an update on copper mineralisation identified in channel samples at the Cinto Project in Peru.
HIGHLIGHTS
- More copper porphyry mineralisation identified at Cinto (100% Solis Minerals) from channel sample assays (highlights):
- 26.5m @ 0.28% Cu (Channel 11), including 5.4m @1.0% Cu Previous Cinto channel sample assays returned highlights1:
- 23.4m @ 0.88% Cu (Channel 1)
- 16.8m @ 0.52% Cu (Channel 6)
- Results indicate porphyry copper mineralisation of various styles across a potential area 3km long and 0.75km wide.
- Induced-Polarisation (IP) survey planning underway to support drill target definition.
- Permitting initiated for drilling at Cinto in second half of 2025.
- Solis Minerals considers copper mineralisation at Cinto consistent with nearby Toquepala (one of Peru’s largest copper mines with 2.1Bt @ 0.47% Cu – 200ktpa Cu production)2.
Chief Executive Officer, Mitch Thomas, commented:
“These results confirm the significant potential at the Cinto Project, where we've substantially expanded Solis’ porphyry copper mineralisation footprint. Notably, we're seeing mineralisation styles similar to those at the major Toquepala mine, just 15km away. Geophysical data from drone magnetometry supports scale potential and highlights new target areas. As a stand-alone project, Cinto is a compelling copper porphyry target.
Our on-ground team recently hosted site visits for our technical director Mike Parker and myself across our project portfolio. Visible mineralisation at surface at Ilo Este and Cinto was a highlight. The clear, visible prospectivity in our projects very much aligns with our objective of identifying copper-gold resources that have potential to host large-scale mining in one of the world’s leading copper producing regions.
With drilling set to begin at Chancho al Palo3 and Ilo Este this quarter, and Cinto advancing toward drilling in the second half of 2025, Solis Minerals’ portfolio of 100% owned projects has incredible potential for discovery of multiple copper-gold resources capable of supporting mining operations.”
Summary
Exploration results at Cinto from channel sampling (Table 1) show a continuation of the mineralised breccia zones previously announced on 11 February 2025. A new channel, Channel 11, situated between previously reported Channels 7 and 8, reported 26.5m @ 0.28% Cu, including 5.39m @ 1.0% Cu.
The copper mineralisation encountered at Cinto to date is predominantly in breccias, the major mineralisation host at Toquepala, 15km northwest of Cinto. Four mineralisation types have been identified in distinct zones. Cinto is situated on the major Incapuquio Fault System which favoured the emplacement of intrusions related to large-scale porphyry copper deposits of Toquepala, Quellaveco, and Cuajone (Figure 1). Toquepala is one of Peru’s oldest and largest copper producers (200ktpa copper production).
Figure 1: Cinto tenements and neigbouring Toquepala operation and peer concession holders.
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Empire Metals Limited Announces Drilling Outlines Large, High-Grade Zone
- Selected exceptional intercepts (>6% TiO2), include:
- 44m @ 7.87% TiO2 from surface (AC25TOM159)
- 50m @ 7.84% TiO2 from 4m (AC25TOM130)
- 54m @ 7.41% TiO2 from surface (AC25TOM118)
- 98m @ 7.05% TiO2 from 2m (RC25TOM062)
- 98m @ 7.05% TiO2 from 2m (RC25TOM068)
- Large, high-grade central core identified averaging circa 6% TiO2 across a continuous 3.6km strike length
- Nearly two thirds of all drillholes averaged > 4% TiO2, with over 90% exceeding a 2% cut-off.
Shaun Bunn, Managing Director, said:"These results confirm the exceptional scale and grade of titanium mineralisation at Thomas. The continuity of high-grade mineralisation near surface is particularly exciting for future mine development. With assays received ahead of schedule, we can now accelerate resource modelling and move rapidly towards announcing our maiden MRE."
MRE Drilling Programme - Key Results
Since commencing the maiden drilling campaign at Pitfield on 27 March 2023 Empire has completed 382 drill holes for a total 32,265 metres (refer Figure 1) comprising:
- 17 Diamond drill holes for 2,704 m
- 140 Reverse Circulation (RC) drill holes for 18,764 m
- 225 Air Core (AC) drill holes for 10,797 m.
The latest May-June campaign comprised:
- 140 AC drillholes (6,360m) on a 400 x 200m grid, average depth 45.4m
- 40 RC drillholes (3,776m) within the AC grid, average depth 94.4m
Figure 1. Grey-scale magnetics overlain by airborne gravity data showing RC, AC and diamond drillhole collar locations and JORC Exploration Target areas.
During the campaign all drill holes were subsampled on a 2m interval, resulting in over 5,000 drill samples being collected, logged by our on-site team of geologists and then prepared for shipment to Intertek's Perth based analytical laboratory. The analytical assay results have now been received, showing continuous TiO2-rich mineralisation across the overall drillhole grid, which extends 5.2km by 2.6km and totals an area of 1,352 hectares (refer Figure 2).
The drilling has confirmed the presence of a large, high-grade central core at the Thomas prospect, this target being selected as the basis for the maiden MRE due to the extensive, thick and high-grade titanium mineralisation known to be hosted within the broad, in-situ weathered zone. Whilst over 90% of all drillhole sample assays show mineralisation well above a 2% TiO2 cut-off grade this central high-grade core, extends over 3.6km north-south, averages around 6% TiO2 (refer Table 1).
Table 1. Breakdown of drillhole assay results by average grade of drillhole and percentage of total drilling.
Significant analytical assay results for each drillhole above 6% TiO2 are reported in Table 2 further below.
Figure 2. RC and AC drill hole collar locations within the Thomas Prospect priority area.
Strategic Significance
The May-June campaign marked a major milestone in the development of Pitfield, laying the foundation for a globally significant MRE and enabling the identification of near-surface, high grade zones to support the development of mine planning and ore scheduling as part of upcoming economic evaluation studies.
Table 2. Significant Intercepts above 6% TiO2.
The Pitfield Titanium Project
Located within the Mid-West region of Western Australia, near the northern wheatbelt town of Three Springs, the Pitfield titanium project lies 313km north of Perth and 156km southeast of Geraldton, the Mid West region's capital and major port. Western Australia is a Tier 1 mining jurisdiction, with mining-friendly policies, stable government, transparency, and advanced technology expertise. Pitfield has existing connections to port (both road & rail), HV power substations, and is nearby to natural gas pipelines as well as a green energy hydrogen fuel hub, which is under planning and development (refer Figure 3).
Figure 3. Pitfield Project Location showing theMid-West Region Infrastructure and Services
Competent Person Statement
The technical information in this report that relates to the Pitfield Project has been compiled by Mr Andrew Faragher, an employee of Empire Metals Australia Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Empire. Mr Faragher is a Member of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Mr Faragher has sufficient experience that is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity being undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the 'Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves'. Mr Faragher consents to the inclusion in this release of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears.
Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure
Certain information contained in this announcement would have been deemed inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014, as incorporated into UK law by the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, until the release of this announcement.
**ENDS**
For further information please visit www.empiremetals.co.uk or contact:
About Empire Metals Limited
Empire Metals is an AIM-listed and OTCQB-traded exploration and resource development company (LON: EEE) with a primary focus on developing Pitfield, an emerging giant titanium project in Western Australia.
The high-grade titanium discovery at Pitfield is of unprecedented scale, with airborne surveys identifying a massive, coincident gravity and magnetics anomaly extending over 40km by 8km by 5km deep. Drill results have indicated excellent continuity in grades and consistency of the mineralised beds and confirm that the sandstone beds hold the higher-grade titanium dioxide (TiO₂) values within the interbedded succession of sandstones, siltstones and conglomerates. The Company is focused on two key prospects (Cosgrove and Thomas), which have been identified as having thick, high-grade, near-surface, bedded TiO₂ mineralisation, each being over 7km in strike length.
An Exploration Target* for Pitfield was declared in 2024, covering the Thomas and Cosgrove mineral prospects, and was estimated to contain between 26.4 to 32.2 billion tonnes with a grade range of 4.5 to 5.5% TiO2. Included within the total Exploration Target* is a subset that covers the weathered sandstone zone, which extends from surface to an average vertical depth of 30m to 40m and is estimated to contain between 4.0 to 4.9 billion tonnes with a grade range of 4.8 to 5.9% TiO2.
The Exploration Target* covers an area less than 20% of the overall mineral system at Pitfield which demonstrates the potential for significant further upside.
Empire is now accelerating the economic development of Pitfield, with a vision to produce a high-value titanium metal or pigment quality product at Pitfield, to realise the full value potential of this exceptional deposit.
The Company also has two further exploration projects in Australia; the Eclipse Project and the Walton Project in Western Australia, in addition to three precious metals projects located in a historically high-grade gold producing region of Austria.
*The potential quantity and grade of the Exploration Target is conceptual in nature. There has been insufficient exploration to estimate a Mineral Resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the estimation of a Mineral Resource.
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