Hot Chili Confirms Major Cu-Au Porphyry Discovery at La Verde
Hot Chili Confirms Major Cu-Au Porphyry Discovery at
La Verde
Highlights
Rapidly Emerging Major Copper-Gold Porphyry Discovery
New drill results
from an additional ten Reverse Circulation (RC) drill holes confirm La Verde as a major copper-gold
porphyry discovery in low elevation coastal
Chile
, with broad, consistently mineralised intersections extending over
300 m
vertically, commencing at shallow depths.
Multiple new significant drill intersections
underpin rapidly growing oxide and sulphide discovery.
320 m
grading 0.3% Cu and 0.1 g/t Au from
34 m
to end-of-hole
(DKP009)
including
134 m
at 0.4% Cu and 0.2 g/t Au from
180 m
depth
including
56 m
at 0.5% Cu and 0.2 g/t Au from
258 m
depth
200 m
grading 0.4% Cu and 0.1 g/t Au from
48 m
to end-of-hole
(DKP005)
including
38 m
at 0.5% Cu and 0.2 g/t Au from
68 m
depth
172 m
grading 0.4% Cu and 0.2 g/t Au from
48 m
(DKP012)
including
20 m
at 0.5% Cu and 0.2 g/t Au from
62 m
depth
and
78 m
grading 0.5% Cu and 0.1 g/t Au from
228 m
to end-of-hole
including
32 m
at 0.6% Cu and 0.2 g/t Au from
232 m
depth
135.5 m
grading 0.3% Cu and 0.1 g/t Au from
64 m
to end-of-hole
(DKP006)
including
62 m
at 0.4% Cu and 0.2 g/t Au from
124 m
depth
which included
26 m
at 0.5% Cu and 0.3g/t Au from
124 m
depth
32 m
grading 0.4% Cu from surface
(DKP011)
80 m
grading 0.3% Cu and 0.1 g/t Au from
8 m
depth
(DKP004)
including
34 m
at 0.4% Cu from
8 m
depth
La Verde Discovery Keeps Growing – Large Scale Appeal
New drill results reinforce La Verde's potential scale,
adding to the strong results reported on
18 December
2024
:
308 m
grading 0.5% Cu, 0.3 g/t Au from
46 m
to end-of-hole
(DKP002)
including
202 m
at 0.6% Cu, 0.3g/t Au from
70 m
depth
which included
100 m
at 0.7% Cu and 0.3g/t Au from
118 m
depth
362 m
grading 0.3% Cu, 0.1g/t Au from
28m
to end-of-hole
(DKP001)
including
174 m
at 0.4% Cu and 0.1 g/t Au from
36 m
depth
which included
22 m
at 0.6% Cu, 0.2g/t Au from
144 m
depth
Open at depth
– 8 of 12 drill RC holes to date ended in significant mineralisation at end-of-hole
Open laterally
– step-out drilling underway to potentially double footprint (currently
550 m
x
400 m
)
More results coming
– assays pending for seven additional holes; deeper diamond drilling planned
Projects Advancing Toward Development Decision
Pre-Feasibility Studies (PFS)
for Costa Fuego and Huasco Water
nearing completion
A$19 million
in cash
as of
31 December 2024
Drilling continues to expand the La Verde Cu-Au porphyry discovery – now 550m by 400m and open in all directions (CNW
Group/Hot Chili Limited)
Hot Chili's Managing Director
Christian Easterday
said: "La Verde is shaping up as Hot Chili's next major copper-gold
discovery, with the potential to significantly lift the scale of our Costa Fuego project. With primary copper supply declining,
copper and gold prices rallying, and a PFS on each of our planned businesses (copper-gold and water) nearing
completion – momentum is building fast.
Following in the footsteps of our successes at Cortadera and Productora, we've secured full control of La Verde after
years of strategic consolidation, finally allowing us unrestricted access to test this historically overlooked porphyry system.
Drill results have exceeded expectations, revealing a much larger porphyry system than first recognized, with broad,
consistent copper-gold mineralisation extending from shallow depths and largely hidden below shallow gravel cover.
This discovery has all the signs of becoming our third bulk-tonnage, copper-gold deposit, and is open in all directions and
growing fast. We're also preparing to deploy AI-powered exploration to fast-track our nearby exploration growth pipeline,
leveraging 16 years of expertise in
Chile
.
With La Verde's scale potential and the Costa Fuego copper-gold hub expanding, we're at a major inflection point in Hot
Chili's growth story."
PERTH, Australia
,
Feb. 11, 2025
/CNW/ - Hot Chili Limited (ASX: HCH) (TSXV: HCH) (OTCQX: HHLKF) ("Hot Chili" or the
"Company") is pleased to report a second round of strong assay results from its La Verde copper-gold discovery, located
approximately 30km south of the Company's Costa Fuego Copper-Gold Project ("Costa Fuego" or "the Project") planned
central processing hub at low elevation in the coastal range of the Atacama region,
Chile
.
Hot Chili has now completed 19 RC drill holes (
5,700 m
) at La Verde, with assay results from 12 holes reported so far
confirming a major copper-gold porphyry discovery in
Chile's
coastal range.
Drilling Confirms Scale & Growth Potential
Wide, shallow mineralisation
– current discovery footprint extends
550 m
by
400 m
and remains open in all
directions.
Deeper potential remains untapped
– Mineralisation commences from shallow depths, extends to more than
300m
below surface, and 8 of 12 drill holes reported to date end in mineralisation at the limit of RC drilling depth capability.
Gravel cover masking potentially much larger porphyry system
– step-out drilling underway.
Potential below the historical oxide copper open pit untested
– drill testing yet to commence.
Major discovery in its infancy
– every drill hole has intersected porphyry-style, copper-gold mineralisation (refer to
Table 1 for details on significant intercepts).
What's Next?
More results coming
– assays pending for seven additional RC holes, with geological logging confirming the
presence of porphyry host-rock featuring porphyry-style A- and B-type veining in each of the pending drill holes.
Diamond drilling being planned
– targeting potential for deeper, higher-grade zones intersected at depth and to
test potential for +1km vertical depth extent, typical of other recent major porphyry discoveries, such as Hot Chili's
neighbouring Cortadera discovery, BHP/Lundin Mining's
Filo del Sol
discovery, ATEX Resources Valeriano discovery,
and AMSA/Barrick's Encierro discovery.
Regular drilling news flow
– the Company will continue to provide updates as new drill results are received and
exploration at La Verde advances.
This announcement is authorised by the Board of Directors for release to ASX and TSXV.
For more information please contact:
Christian Easterday
Managing Director – Hot Chili
Tel: +61 8 9315 9009
Email:
Carol Marinkovich
Company Secretary – Hot Chili
Tel: +61 8 9315 9009
Email:
Graham Farrell
Investor & Public Relations
Email: [email protected]
or visit Hot Chili's website at
www.hotchili.net.au
Figure 1. Location of La Verde in relation to Costa Fuego, coastal range Chile (CNW Group/Hot Chili Limited)
Table 1. Significant Drilling Intersections from La Verde
Table 1. Significant Drilling Intersections from La Verde (CNW Group/Hot Chili Limited)
Notes to Table 1: Significant intercepts for La Verde are calculated above a nominal cut-off grade of 0.2% Cu. Where appropriate, significant intersections may contain up to 30m down-hole distance of internal dilution
(less than 0.2% Cu). Significant intersections are separated where internal dilution is greater than 30m down-hole distance. The selection of 0.2% Cu for significant intersection cut-off grade is aligned with marginal
economic cut-off grade for bulk tonnage polymetallic copper deposits of similar grade in Chile and elsewhere in the world.
1
Previously released significant intercepts. See announcement dated 18
th
December 2024
Figure 2. Plan view map of the La Verde porphyry system showing significant intercepts compared to historic drill collars
(black circles), +1% A+B vein footprint from mapping and drillholes (blue outline) and copper mineralisation interpolants
from returned assay results. (CNW Group/Hot Chili Limited)
Figure 2. Plan view map of the La Verde porphyry system showing significant intercepts compared to historic drill collars
(black circles), +1% A+B vein footprint from mapping and drillholes (blue outline) and copper mineralisation interpolants
from returned assay results. (CNW Group/Hot Chili Limited)
Figure 3. Plan view slice at 950 RL (± 50 m clipping) of tonalitic (pink polygon) and dioritic porphyry (red polygon)
intrusions. Returned Cu grades graphed downhole.
Area to be tested with remaining RC program outlined by the dashed
blue box. (CNW Group/Hot Chili Limited)
Figure 4. NNW facing longitudinal section (A - A’) of the La Verde porphyry system showing significant intercepts
compared to the tonalitic (pink polygon) and dioritic (red polygon) porphyry intrusions interpreted from down hole
geological logging. Weathering profile displayed as base of oxide (red line) and top of fresh (green line) material. Returned
Cu grades graphed downhole along hole traces (grey).
Area to be tested with remaining RC program outlined by the
dashed blue box. (CNW Group/Hot Chili Limited)
Figure 5. Magnetic footprint of La Verde porphyry system displaying extent of gravel cover (right hand side) in relation to
discovery window (CNW Group/Hot Chili Limited)
Qualifying Statements
Qualified Person – NI 43-101
The technical information in this announcement has been reviewed and approved by Mr.
Christian Easterday
, MAIG, Hot
Chili's Managing Director and a qualified person within the meaning of NI43-101.
Competent Person – JORC
The information in this announcement that relates to Exploration Results for the La Verde project is based upon
information compiled by Mr
Christian Easterday
, the Managing Director and a full-time employee of Hot Chili Limited, who
is a Member of the Australasian Institute of Geoscientists (AIG). Mr Easterday has sufficient experience that is relevant to
the style of mineralisation and type of deposits under consideration and to the activity which he is undertaking to qualify as
a 'Competent Person' as defined in the 2012 Edition of the 'Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results,
Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves' (JORC Code). Mr Easterday consents to the inclusion in this announcement of the
matters based on their information in the form and context in which it appears.
Mineral Resources and Competent Persons – JORC and ASX
The information in this announcement that relates to Mineral Resources for the Costa Fuego Project was previously
reported in the Company's announcements released to ASX on
26 February 2024
'Hot Chili Indicated Resource at Costa
Fuego Copper-Gold Project Increases to 798 Mt", which is available to view on the Company's website at
www.hotchili.net.au/investors/asx-announcements/
. The Company confirms that it is not aware of any new information or
data that materially affects the information included in the original market announcements and, that all material
assumptions and technical parameters underpinning the mineral resource estimates contained in the original market
announcements continue to apply and have not materially changed.
Disclaimer
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX
Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this Report.
Forward Looking Statements
This announcement contains certain statements that are "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian
securities legislation and Australian securities legislation (each, a "forward-looking statement"). Forward-looking
statements reflect the Company's current expectations, forecasts, and projections with respect to future events, many of
which are beyond the Company's control, and are based on certain assumptions. No assurance can be given that these
expectations, forecasts, or projections will prove to be correct, and such forward-looking statements included in this
announcement should not be unduly relied upon. Forward-looking information is by its nature prospective and requires the
Company to make certain assumptions and is subject to inherent risks and uncertainties. All statements other than
statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. The use of any of the words "estimate", "expectations",
"may", "plan", "potential", "project", "reinforce", "unlock", "large-scale", "could", "should", "will", "would", variants of these
words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
The forward-looking statements within this announcement are based on information currently available and what
management believes are reasonable assumptions. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this
announcement.
In this announcement, forward-looking statements relate, among other things, to: prospects, projections and success of
the Company and its projects; the ability of the Company to expand mineral resources beyond current mineral resource
estimates; the results and impacts of planned drilling to extend mineral resources and to identify new deposits, including at
La Verde; the metallurgical recoveries of any oxide and/or sulphide mineral resources defined at La Verde; the economics
of any mineral resources defined at La Verde; the Company's ability to convert exploration potential into mineral
resources, such as at La Verde; the Company's ability to explore effectively and execute drilling operations in a timely
manner, including at La Verde; the Company's ability to fulfill obligations and exercise the La Verde and Domeyko Option
Agreements; the Company's ability to convert mineral resources currently defined and those that may be defined through
additional drilling to mineral reserves; the timing and outcomes of current and future planned economic studies including
the planned PFS for the Costa Fuego copper-gold project; the potential to develop a water business in the Huasco valley
and the future economics thereof; the timing and results of the PFS level Water Supply Business Case Study; the timing
and outcomes of regulatory processes required to obtain permits for the development and operation of the Costa Fuego
Project, including the EIA, as well as for the Huasco Water business and any mineral resources that may be defined at La
Verde; whether or not the Company will make a development decision for the Costa Fuego Project and/or Huasco Water
and the timing thereof; and estimates of planned exploration costs and the results thereof.
Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, which may cause the
actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results,
performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. A number of factors could cause
actual results to differ materially from a conclusion, forecast or projection contained in the forward-looking statements in
this announcement, including, but not limited to, the following material factors: operational risks; risks related to the cost
estimates of exploration; sovereign risks associated with the Company's operations in
Chile
; changes in estimates of
mineral resources of properties where the Company holds interests; recruiting qualified personnel and retaining key
personnel; future financial needs and availability of adequate financing; fluctuations in mineral prices; market volatility;
exchange rate fluctuations; ability to exploit successful discoveries; the production at or performance of properties where
the Company holds interests; ability to retain title to mining concessions; environmental risks; financial failure or default of
joint venture partners, contractors or service providers; competition risks; economic and market conditions; and other risks
and uncertainties described elsewhere in this announcement and elsewhere in the Company's public disclosure record.
Although the forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are based upon assumptions which the Company
believes to be reasonable, the Company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with these forward-
looking statements. With respect to forward-looking statements contained in this announcement, the Company has made
assumptions regarding: future commodity prices and demand; availability of skilled labour; timing and amount of capital
expenditures; future currency exchange and interest rates; the impact of increasing competition; general conditions in
economic and financial markets; availability of drilling and related equipment; effects of regulation by governmental
agencies; future tax rates; future operating costs; availability of future sources of funding; ability to obtain financing; and
assumptions underlying estimates related to adjusted funds from operations. The Company has included the above
summary of assumptions and risks related to forward-looking information provided in this announcement to provide
investors with a more complete perspective on the Company's future operations, and such information may not be
appropriate for other purposes. The Company's actual results, performance or achievement could differ materially from
those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements and, accordingly, no assurance can be given that any
of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits
the Company will derive therefrom.
For additional information with respect to these and other factors and assumptions underlying the forward-looking
statements made herein, please refer to the public disclosure record of the Company, including the Company's most
recent Annual Report, which is available on SEDAR+ (
www.sedarplus.ca
) under the Company's issuer profile. New factors
emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for management to predict all those factors or to assess in advance the
impact of each such factor on the Company's business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may
cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement.
The forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are expressly qualified by the foregoing cautionary
statements and are made as of the date of this announcement. Except as may be required by applicable securities laws,
the Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect
events or circumstances after the date of this announcement or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, whether
as a result of new information, future events or results, or otherwise. Investors should read this entire announcement and
consult their own professional advisors to ascertain and assess the income tax and legal risks and other aspects of an
investment in the Company.
Mineral Resource Statement
Mineral Resource Statement (CNW Group/Hot Chili Limited)
Costa Fuego Combined Mineral Resource (Effective Date 26 February 2024)
1
Mineral Resources are reported on a 100% Basis - combining Mineral Resource estimates for the Cortadera, Productora, Alice and San Antonio deposits. All figures are rounded, reported to appropriate significant
figures and reported in accordance with the Joint Ore Reserves Committee Code (2012) and NI 43-101. Mineral Resource estimation practices are in accordance with CIM Estimation of Mineral Resource and Mineral
Reserve Best Practice Guidelines (29 November 2019) and reported in accordance CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (10 May 2014) that are incorporated by reference into NI 43-101.
2
The Productora deposit is 100% owned by Chilean incorporated company Sociedad Minera El Aguila SpA (SMEA). SMEA is a joint venture (JV) company – 80% owned by Sociedad Minera El Corazón SpA (a 100%
subsidiary of Hot Chili Limited), and 20% owned by Compañía Minera del Pacífico S.A (CMP).
3
The Cortadera deposit is controlled by a Chilean incorporated company Sociedad Minera La Frontera SpA (Frontera). Frontera is a subsidiary company – 100% owned by Sociedad Minera El Corazón SpA, which is a
100% subsidiary of Hot Chili Limited.
4
The San Antonio deposit is controlled through Frontera (100% owned by Sociedad Minera El Corazón SpA, which is a 100% subsidiary of Hot Chili Limited) and Frontera has an Option Agreement to earn a 100%
interest.
5
The Mineral Resource Estimates (MRE) in the tables above form coherent bodies of mineralisation that are considered amenable to a combination of open pit and underground extraction methods based on the following
parameters: Base Case Metal Prices: Copper US$ 3.00/lb, Gold US$ 1,700/oz, Molybdenum US$ 14/lb, and Silver US$20/oz.
6
All MRE were assessed for Reasonable Prospects of Eventual Economic Extraction (RPEEE) using both Open Pit and Block Cave Extraction mining methods at Cortadera and Open Pit mining methods at the Productora,
Alice and San Antonio deposits.
7
Metallurgical recovery averages for each deposit consider Indicated + Inferred material and are weighted to combine sulphide flotation and oxide leaching performance. Process recoveries:
Cortadera – Weighted recoveries of 82% Cu, 55% Au, 81% Mo and 36% Ag. CuEq(%) = Cu(%) + 0.55 x Au(g/t) + 0.00046 x Mo(ppm) + 0.0043 x Ag(g/t)
San Antonio - Weighted recoveries of 85% Cu, 66% Au, 80% Mo and 63% Ag. CuEq(%) = Cu(%) + 0.64 x Au(g/t) + 0.00044 x Mo(ppm) + 0.0072 x Ag(g/t) Alice - Weighted recoveries of 81% Cu, 47% Au, 52% Mo and
37% Ag. CuEq(%) = Cu(%) + 0.48 x Au(g/t) + 0.00030 x Mo(ppm) + 0.0044 x Ag(g/t)
Productora – Weighted recoveries of 84% Cu, 47% Au, 48% Mo and 18% Ag. CuEq(%) = Cu(%) + 0.46 x Au(g/t) + 0.00026 x Mo(ppm) + 0.0021 x Ag(g/t)
Costa Fuego – Recoveries of 83% Cu, 53% Au, 71% Mo and 26% Ag. CuEq(%) = Cu(%) + 0.53 x Au(g/t) + 0.00040 x Mo(ppm) + 0.0030 x Ag(g/t)
8
Copper Equivalent (CuEq) grades are calculated based on the formula: CuEq% = ((Cu% × Cu price 1% per tonne × Cu_recovery) + (Mo ppm × Mo price per g/t × Mo_recovery) + (Au ppm × Au price per g/t ×
Au_recovery) + (Ag ppm × Ag price per g/t × Ag_recovery)) / (Cu price 1% per tonne × Cu recovery). The base case cut-off grade for Mineral Resources considered amenable to open pit extraction methods at the
Cortadera, Productora, Alice and San Antonio deposits is 0.20% CuEq, while the cut-off grade for Mineral Resources considered amenable to underground extraction methods at the Cortadera deposit is 0.27% CuEq. It is
the Company's opinion that all the elements included in the CuEq calculation have a reasonable potential to be recovered and sold.
9
Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. The MRE include Inferred Mineral Resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have economic
considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorised as Mineral Reserves. It is reasonably expected that the majority of Inferred mineral resources could be upgraded to Measured or Indicated Mineral
Resources with continued exploration.
10
The effective date of the MRE is 26 February 2024. The MRE were previously reported in Hot Chili's ASX announcement released 26 February 2024 "Hot Chili Indicated Resource at Costa Fuego Copper-Gold Project
Increases to 798 Mt" (Resource Announcement). Hot Chili confirms it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information included in the Resource Announcement and all material
assumptions and technical parameters stated for the MRE in the Resource Announcement continue to apply and have not materially changed.
11
Hot Chili Limited is not aware of political, environmental, or other risks that could materially affect the potential development of the Mineral Resources other than as disclosed in this Report. A detailed list of Costa Fuego
Project risks is included in Chapter 25.12 of the Technical Report "Costa Fuego Copper Project – NI 43-101 Technical Report Mineral Resource Estimate Update" dated 8 April 2024
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