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Puquios Copper Project

Region: Coquimbo (La Serena), Chile
Status: Advanced Exploration Stage
Ownership: 50% Joint Venture with Nittetsu Mining Co., Ltd.
Deposit Type: Supergene Porphyry: The Puquios deposit is a weathered copper–molybdenum porphyry system. Copper oxides out-crop at surface and are underlain by a supergene copper enrichment zone. The Puquios Project remains open at depth with primary copper mineralization, with substantial exploration upside.

Regional Geology

The Puquios Project lies within a prolific metallogenic belt characterized by andesitic volcanic sequences interbedded with marine sediments of the Bandurrias Group, alongside volcanoclastic units of the Viñitas and Los Elquinos formations. These have been intruded by Upper Cretaceous to Lower Tertiary batholithic plutonic bodies, creating favorable conditions for porphyry-style mineralization.

Surface geology includes Quaternary gravel and sand deposits in terrace formations, consistent with a structurally complex and hydrothermally altered environment.

Mineralization

Three main mineralized zones have been identified at Puquios:

    • Leached and Oxidized Zone

      Overlies the primary sulphide zone. Moderate to intense supergene argillic alteration superimposed over silica–potassic to advanced argillic alteration types. Mineralization consists of jarosite, goethite, hematite, copper wad and copper-pitch, chrysocolla,malachite, atacamite and copper-bearing clays.

    • Secondary Enrichment Zone

      located under the base of the leached and oxidized zone and above the top of the occurrence of carbonates and characterized by phyllic alteration. Mineralization comprises dusty chalcocite rimming pyrite and chalcopyrite. At depth, the zone is dominated by chalcocite–covellite rimming pyrite and chalcopyrite grains. Molybdenite occurs in fractures and veins.

    • Primary Sulphide Zone

      zone located under the base of the carbonates. Characterized by silicic–potassic alteration. Mineralization is chalcopyrite dominant. Molybdenite occurs in fractures and veins.

Metallogenic Belt and Puquios Project (Las Pascualas) Location