Hot Chili Limited

Hot Chili Executes Option to Secure Major Extension to Cortadera

Hot Chili Limited (ASX: HCH) (TSXV: HCH) (OTCQX: HHLKF) (“Hot Chili” or “Company”) is pleased to provide details of a material transaction with Chilean copper major Antofagasta Minerals S.A. (AMSA).


Fourth Porphyry Added to Cortadera

  • Hot Chili has executed an Option Agreement with Antofagasta Minerals S.A. (AMSA) to acquire a 100% interest in five highly prospective mining rights, containing the potential western extension of Hot Chili’s Cortadera copper-gold discovery, the centrepiece of the Company’s low-altitude, Costa Fuego senior copper development in Chile
  • AMSA’s mining rights contain a large outcropping mineralised porphyry (Cuerpo 4 - 700m in strike length and 300m in width), with similar dimensions to Cortadera’s main porphyry (Cuerpo 3)
  • The option enables the consolidation of Cortadera and near doubles the prospective strike length of the existing Cortadera discovery from 2.3km to 4.1km
  • Five shallow reverse circulation drill holes for 1,056m* completed across Cuerpo 4 in 2005 confirmed several significant shallow drilling intersections, including:
    • 128m grading 0.5% CuEq** (0.4% copper (Cu) & 0.1g/t gold (Au)) from 28m downhole depth,
      including 16m grading 1.3% CuEq** (1% Cu & 0.5g/t Au) from 28m
  • First-pass 6,000m drilling programme to start as soon as possible to assess a potential material resource addition to Costa Fuego
  • Low-cost transaction and strong cash position of A$15.4M as at 30th September 2022

Hot Chili has executed an Option Agreement enabling Hot Chili to acquire a 100% interest in AMSA’s mining rights adjoining the western margin of Hot Chili’s Cortadera copper-gold porphyry discovery, the centre-piece of the Company’s Costa Fuego senior copper development in Chile.

This strategic option agreement consolidates the highly prospective AMSA mining rights, containing near- surface drill intersections of copper-gold porphyry mineralisation, with Hot Chili’s contiguous Cortadera project.

Cortadera has been the growth engine for Hot Chili since the Company executed a transaction to acquire the project in 2019.

Cortadera’s current Indicated resource of 471Mt grading 0.46% CuEq for 1.7Mt copper and 1.8Moz gold and Inferred resource of 108Mt grading 0.35% CuEq for an additional 0.3Mt copper and 0.3Moz gold (ASX announcement dated 31st March 2022) is contained within three porphyry centres, trending NW-SE, over a strike extent of 2.3km.

The option enables the consolidation of Cortadera and near doubles the prospective strike length of the discovery, increasing the near term, material resource growth potential for Hot Chili.

AMSA’s five mining rights cover 517 hectares and contain a large outcropping mineralised porphyry (Cuerpo 4 - 700m in strike length by 300m in width) with similar dimensions to Cortadera’s main porphyry (Cuerpo 3) as well as other identified porphyry targets, trending N-S, over a prospective strike extent of approximately 1.8km.

In 2005, AMSA intersected significant copper-gold-molybdenum mineralisation at Cuerpo 4, with five shallow Reverse Circulation (RC) drill holes totalling 1,056m (Drilling data and associated drilling intersections not previously publicly reported, AMSA internal report, see JORC Code Table 1 in this announcement for further details).

Four of AMSA’s five drill holes recorded wide intersections of mineralisation, including COR-03 which recorded 128m grading 0.5% CuEq (0.4% Cu & 0.1g/t Au) from 28m downhole depth, including 16m grading 1.3% CuEq (1% Cu & 0.5g/t Au) from 28m.

The historical drilling across Cuerpo 4 clearly demonstrates open pit resource growth potential, given the shallow nature of copper-gold-molybdenum mineralisation, and near-surface, copper-gold enrichment.

Next Steps – Rapid Resource Definition

A first-pass drilling programme comprising 16 holes for 6,000m is expected to start as soon as possible.

Drilling will test Cuerpo 4 and two other targets within AMSA’s landholding using RC and Diamond (DD) drilling. Hot Chili and AMSA have agreed on the detail and staging of the planned drilling programme after a collaborative and detailed geological review by both companies’ technical teams.


Click here for the full ASX Release

This article includes content from Hot Chili licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.

HCH:AU
The Conversation (0)
Hot Chili Limited

Hot Chili Limited

Low-Altitude Sizeable Copper Development in South America

Low-Altitude Sizeable Copper Development in South America Keep Reading...
Closeup of stacked copper bars with reflective surface.

Copper Price Forecast: Top Trends for Copper in 2026

Copper prices were volatile in 2025 due to supply constraints, high demand and geopolitical concerns.Experts are calling for many of these trends to carry over into 2026, sending the market into deficit. Beyond supply and demand fundamentals, copper will also be met with global uncertainty as... Keep Reading...
Aterian Plc

Transformational AI-Led JV with Lithosquare SAS

€1.4 million exploration acceleration programme for Aterian's Moroccan and Botswana copper and critical mineral targets

Aterian plc (LSE: ATN), the critical mineral exploration and development company focused on Africa, is pleased to announce the signing of a binding Heads of Terms ("HoT") for a strategic, AI-powered earn-in joint venture ("JV") with Lithosquare SAS ("Lithosquare"), a Paris-based next-generation... Keep Reading...
Aerial view of copper mine in Cobar, New South Wales.

Surge in Copper Demand Re-energises Cobar Basin’s Underexplored Resource Potential

The Cobar Basin in Central New South Wales, Australia, may be emerging as a key focus for investors positioning for the next wave of copper supply. With a looming global shortage of the red metal and long-term demand being driven by electrification and decarbonisation, savvy investors are... Keep Reading...
Copper bobbins.

Copper Price 2025 Year-End Review

Copper prices were volatile in 2025, with high levels of uncertainty influencing the market. Changing US trade policy, as well as traditional supply and demand fundamentals, worked together to move the metal. Increasing demand and a lack of new supply have long been key drivers for copper, and... Keep Reading...
Many copper bobbins and warehouse copper pipes.

Top 10 Copper-producing Companies

Copper miners with productive assets have much to gain as supply and demand tighten. The price of copper reached new all-time highs in 2025 on both the COMEX in the United States and the London Metals Exchange in the United Kingdom. On the COMEX, the copper price peaked at US$5.94 per pound... Keep Reading...
File tab labeled "rejected" among other folders.

SolGold Rejects Latest Jiangxi Copper Proposal

SolGold (LSE:SOLG,OTC Pink:SLGGF) confirmed that it received and has once again rejected a preliminary, conditional, non-binding proposal from Jiangxi Copper (HKEX:0358,SHA:600362,OTC Pink:JIAXF). Pitched at 26 pence (US$0.34) per ordinary share, the offer to acquire the entire issued and... Keep Reading...

Latest Press Releases

Related News