C3 Metals Inc (TSX-V:CCCM, OTC:CARCF) has launched its first-ever drill program at the Khaleesi copper-gold project in southern Peru, marking a milestone for the explorer as it tests a promising stretch of the country’s well-known Andahuaylas-Yauri mineral belt.
The company said Tuesday that the maiden campaign will include 14 diamond drill holes totalling 6,300 metres. Two rigs are being deployed: one focused on skarn-style copper-gold mineralisation and the other targeting porphyry copper.
Skarn deposits are formed when mineral-rich fluids alter surrounding rock, often creating concentrated zones of copper, gold and other metals. Porphyry deposits, meanwhile, tend to be much larger systems with lower but consistent grades of copper.
C3 said the first rig has already started work on a zone where earlier sampling identified copper and gold hosted in skarn. Seven holes covering about 3,000 metres are planned there.
A second rig is scheduled to begin in October, drilling a separate zone where surface mapping pointed to porphyry copper. That program will also cover seven holes, extending to 3,300 metres.
“Commencing the drill program at Khaleesi now gives us three projects with drills turning: Khaleesi in Peru, and Super Block and Bellas Gate in Jamaica,” said president and chief executive Dan Symons. “All programs are fully funded, as we aim to maximize discovery potential for our shareholders.”
Khaleesi lies about eight kilometres west of the company’s Jasperoide project, where earlier exploration confirmed multiple copper-gold skarn targets.
C3 said Khaleesi had never been drilled before but ranks as its highest priority target after geophysical surveys and soil sampling suggested a sizeable mineral system.
Soil surveys found copper concentrations averaging 1,260 parts per million in one zone and 950 parts per million in another. For comparison, geologists generally view readings above 300 parts per million as anomalous and worth investigating further.
Rock chip samples at the project have also returned grades as high as 2.82% copper and 6 grams of gold per tonne.
C3 has assembled more than 31,000 hectares of concessions in Peru, a region that already hosts several of the world’s largest copper mines, including Las Bambas, Constancia and Antapaccay.
The company is also advancing projects in Jamaica, where it is partnered with Freeport-McMoRan on a large exploration package.
The maiden drill campaign at Khaleesi is expected to provide the first real test of the ground’s potential over the coming months.