As copper prices soar, some Aussie juniors are increasingly willing to brave crippling water shortages, soaring acid costs and sparse infrastructure across South America for a shot at uncovering giant, near-surface copper-gold right next to global mining titans. Driven by massive global demand from electric vehicles and AI data centres, players such as Hot Chili, Southern Hemisphere Mining, Norfolk Metals, Rio2 and Flagship Minerals are proving that navigating the high-stakes Andean gauntlet can deliver monumental paydays.
Norfolk Metals has delivered more strong copper hits from its Chilean Carmen project, while locking in firm commitments for $2.1 million in fresh capital. Results confirmed high-grade copper sulphide mineralisation at depth, with funds to be used to drive phase two drilling and support resource definition across a highly prospective copper belt.
Norfolk Metals has laid the groundwork for a busy new year drilling blitz at its Carmen copper project in Chile, with environmental permitting and studies progressing ahead of a news-packed Christmas period. The company says a five-year permit will clear the path for a broader drilling assault across its 46.6 square kilometre concession package, including follow-up work from a high-impact diamond drilling program currently underway.
Norfolk Metals has taken stock of initial assays from its maiden drilling program at the Carmen project in Chile's copper-rich Huasco Province, delivering 53m at 1.1% copper from only 62m downhole. Carmen sits tantalisingly close to mining giant Newmont's multi-billion-dollar joint venture development of the Relincho and Fortuna deposits, which host 16.6 billion pounds of copper.
Norfolk Metals is re-assaying old copper core for gold at its Carmen project in Chile as it seeks to verify historic drill results and exploit a new zone that is sporting visible copper outcrops. The project is in Chile's copper-rich Atacama region where fresh targets are now emerging in the nearby Higueritas Belt.
Chilean mining expert David Fowler has joined the Norfolk Metals' board as a non-executive director to help develop the company's recently acquired Carmen copper project near La Serena in Chile. Norfolk has drilled 20 holes in its 50-hole maiden drilling program targeting a near-surface supergene copper resource at Carmen, which may be amenable to heap leaching.
Norfolk Metals' 70 per cent earn‑in at its Carmen copper project in Chile is now underpinned by a drill plan designed to twin the best historical holes, hit the oxide blanket from surface and push deep into sulphide potential. In a copper market that is starting to get serious attention again, Norfolk's timing appears to be good.
Our weekly appointments wrap includes Dean Nalder, Mark Couzens, Andrew Woodley-Page, Them Lam, Chris Slater, Andrew Young, Terry Enright, Mike Erickson, Ross Love, David Lock, Karl Paganin and Derek Parkin.
