Mari Energies Limited has announced a copper-gold discovery in Balochistan’s Chagai district, roughly 50 kilometres east of the Reko Diq mining project. The find was made by Mari Minerals (Private) Limited, the company’s wholly owned subsidiary, at the East Siah Diq (ESD-1) exploration target in the Koh-i-Sultan area. The company disclosed the development to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Friday.
According to the filing, Mari Minerals has completed about 25,000 metres of exploration drilling across two phases. The drilling identified porphyry-style copper mineralisation spread over an area of around 1.4 square kilometres, lying beneath roughly 100 metres of unconsolidated overburden.
Drilling results and copper mineralisation at ESD-1
The company said every drill hole reached 500 metres in depth, and copper mineralisation was encountered at depths of up to 500 metres. Results come from two exploration phases, labelled Phase 1A and Phase 1B, with all holes systematically sampled and tested. Geochemical assay results from Phase 1A have been compiled.
Laboratory testing of Phase 1B samples is still under way and is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2027. Mari Energies said the findings are based on these two programmes.
Mineral types and planned deeper drilling
The company said copper mineralisation at the site is mainly linked to disseminated and vein-hosted chalcopyrite, often accompanied by pyrite. Bornite and molybdenum were also found in some drill holes. The mineralisation sits within porphyritic diorite intrusive rocks.
Green and blue copper oxide minerals were also observed in some areas directly below the overburden. The next exploration phase will include additional drilling to examine mineralisation at depths of up to 1,000 metres, since the company said the system remains open below the 500-metre level. Mari Minerals also plans to produce an initial geological model and resource estimate using the Phase 1A and Phase 1B results.
Company cautions on resource status and technical review
Mari Energies warned that further drilling, geological interpretation, metallurgical testing, resource estimation and technical studies will be needed to determine the scale, grade continuity and economic viability of the discovery. It stressed that the reported exploration results do not yet amount to a mineral resource or reserve.
The technical information in the announcement was reviewed and approved by John Mortimer of JM Geoscience Pty Ltd, who has more than 40 years of experience in mineral exploration, including work on porphyry copper deposits. Mari Energies said it will provide further updates on exploration progress, assay results and technical assessments as work at the site continues.
