News Summary
The most recent news release (December 18, 2025) provides initial assay results from the Phase VI drill program at the Valeriano Copper-Gold Project in Chile. Key highlights include:
– Hole ATXD26B intersected 146 meters of 2.00% CuEq (1.30% Cu, 0.67 g/t Au) within a broader 224-meter interval of 1.52% CuEq.
– Significantly, over 600 meters of results for ATXD26B are still pending, as only the upper portion of the B2B Zone was reported.
– Hole ATXD25C (full results) returned 584 meters of 1.27% CuEq, including a high-grade core of 164 meters at 2.77% CuEq.
– Operationally, the company is ahead of schedule, having completed 12,550 meters of the planned 25,000-meter program with six rigs active.
Material Impact
This news is materially positive for several reasons:
– Grade Superiority: The reported grades (2.00% and 2.77% CuEq) significantly exceed the average grade of the September 2025 Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE), which stands at 0.88% CuEq for Indicated and 0.75% CuEq for Inferred resources.
– Resource Growth: The results extend the B2B Zone down-dip by approximately 100 meters, suggesting the potential for a material increase in high-grade tonnage in the next resource update.
– Execution De-risking: Being “ahead of schedule” on a 25,000-meter program reduces the risk of seasonal delays and suggests efficient management of the C$110 million raised in November.
– Pending Catalysts: With 600 meters of hole 26B pending and 6,500 meters of samples already at the lab, a steady stream of high-grade news is expected through Q1 2026.
Catalysts
– Remaining assays for ATXD26B (600m+) to determine the full vertical extent of the high-grade mineralization.
– Initial results from new high-grade breccia targets (B3B, B4B, B5B) which are being tested for the first time.
– Turnaround times at the lab: Management noted assay turnaround times are longer than anticipated, which could delay some updates.
– Updated hydrological and environmental baseline data as part of the “DIA” (Environmental Impact Declaration) submission.
Materiality Conclusion
The news confirms that Valeriano’s high-grade core is expanding and possesses significantly higher grades than the current resource model predicts. This validates the “B2B Zone” as a primary value driver that could improve the eventual project economics (PEA/Pre-Feasibility). The sheer scale of the intercepts (500m+) places this project in the top tier of global copper-gold discoveries.
