Sunstone Metals Ltd (ASX:STM) managing director Patrick Duffy joins Proactive’s Tylah Tully to discuss the new discovery of a new gold-copper porphyry, the Copete target, at the Bramaderos Project in southern Ecuador.
This discovery expands the mineralised area to a 2-kilometre by 1.8-kilometre cluster, supporting the potential for a large open-pit mining operation.
The Copete target complements an earlier porphyry exploration target estimate of 3.3-8.6 million ounces of gold equivalent, indicating room for an increase in the target.
Duffy says Copete is strategically located near the 2.7 million-ounce Brama-Alba resource and the Melonal exploration target, strengthening Bramaderos' potential as a world-class, long-term mining prospect.
Initial trench sampling at Copete has revealed substantial surface mineralisation, with one trench returning 113 metres at 0.64 g/t gold equivalent.
The Copete target features a 1.8-kilometre mineralised trend and shares characteristics with the Brama deposit, showing potential for higher-grade copper at depth.
Although largely unexplored, Copete’s magnetic and structural features suggest it represents an intact porphyry system.
Partnership discussions are underway with third parties to expedite exploration and resource growth for Bramaderos and Sunstone other Ecuador project, El Palmar.