The Q1 survey campaign in the Atacama has wrapped. Our field team spent eight weeks on the ground in the Antofagasta Region, running ground-penetrating radar transects and collecting geochemical soil samples across a 40-kilometre strike length north of the Atacama Copper Ridge project. The findings are now being processed and fed into the GeoScan model for updated probability mapping.
Preliminary results are encouraging. Three anomaly clusters in the northern extension of the survey block are showing elevated copper-in-soil values consistent with the mineralisation we know from depth at Atacama Copper Ridge. The GeoScan AI is currently running a multi-spectral re-analysis of this sector using new satellite imagery captured during the campaign, and we expect updated deposit probability maps within the next fortnight.
The field work also confirmed excellent infrastructure access in the northern block — the existing haul road network from the main project extends to within 12 kilometres of the primary anomaly clusters. This is a material factor in any extraction cost model and a point we flagged to the project’s technical committee during the mid-campaign review.
Next steps: once GeoScan outputs the updated probability model, the team will prioritise drill targets for a Phase 2 RC programme scheduled for Q3 2026. If the anomaly clusters hold up to closer inspection, the project’s resource estimate could expand considerably. We’ll publish a detailed technical note once the modelling is complete. +++