Andina Copper Corp. has confirmed the discovery of a new porphyry copper system at its Piuquenes North target in San Juan Province, Argentina, after completing two diamond drill holes that intersected multiple intrusive phases with visible copper sulphide mineralization. The results, announced today, validate the company's geophysical targeting and expand the known mineralized footprint on the 2,500-hectare property.
Drill holes PIU12 and PIU13, completed to depths of 992.6 meters and 1,235 meters respectively, were designed to test a large, deep-seated low-resistivity Magnetotelluric (MT) geophysical anomaly measuring approximately 800 meters by 700 meters. Both holes successfully intersected porphyry-style copper sulphide mineralization within a newly identified intrusive complex at Piuquenes North, which had not been previously tested by drilling.
Hole PIU13 encountered four distinct porphyry intrusive phases, with the strongest visible copper sulphide mineralization observed between 848 meters and 1,045 meters downhole. This interval is hosted within an early mineral porphyry phase and contains chalcopyrite and bornite, occurring in quartz veins and as disseminations associated with potassic alteration. Hole PIU12 confirmed the lateral extent of the system, intersecting andesitic host rocks with pre-mineral porphyry dykes carrying chalcopyrite and minor bornite.
“During the 2025/26 San Juan field season we continued to define and expand the recently discovered Piuquenes East copper-gold porphyry centre, while also testing a compelling undrilled MT geophysical target at Piuquenes North,” said Joseph van den Elsen, President and CEO of Andina Copper. “Confirmation of a third mineralized porphyry system at Piuquenes North marks an important milestone for the project and further demonstrates the significant exploration potential of the Piuquenes property.”
The company believes the elevated sulphide content observed in drilling is a significant contributor to the conductive low-resistivity response defined by the MT survey. The geometry and scale of the mineralized porphyry system intersected show a strong correlation between the MT anomaly and copper sulphide mineralization. The anomaly remains open to the north and at depth, where additional drilling will be required to further evaluate the extent of the system.
During the off-season, Andina Copper plans to undertake laboratory resistivity and chargeability measurements on representative core samples to refine the geophysical interpretation. Assay results for both PIU12 and PIU13 are pending, and upon receipt, the company will integrate them with updated geological logging into an updated geological model for Piuquenes North. This integrated dataset will be used to refine targeting for follow-up drilling, expected to focus on the down-dip and along-strike extensions of the newly intersected porphyry system.
The Piuquenes project is located in San Juan Province, Argentina, along the prolific Andean porphyry belt. Andina Copper also holds the Cobrasco Project in Colombia and a copper-gold target in Chile. The company is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol ANDC, on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under FIR, and on the OTCQB under PMMCF. For more information, the company's corporate presentation is available at Andina Copper Corporate Presentation.
