CopperCorp Resources (TSXV:CPER) has provided an update on its ongoing diamond drilling campaign at the Razorback rare earth and copper property in western Tasmania, Australia.

The first diamond drill hole at the South Darwin prospect, SDD007, was completed, reaching a depth of 553 meters. Further drilling at South Darwin is currently on hold while the Company awaits assay results from SDD007 to refine targeting for subsequent drill holes. The drill rig remains on site and will undergo maintenance during this waiting period.

Logging and sampling of SDD007 are well underway. Samples from the initial 200 meters are already at the laboratory, and the remaining priority core sections are scheduled for sampling and dispatch within the coming week. Initial gold assay results are expected within 1 to 2 weeks, while prioritized rare earth element (REE) assay results are anticipated within 3 to 4 weeks. A comprehensive update on SDD007 and any future drilling will be provided once the assays are received and analyzed.

Early geological logging indicates that SDD007 successfully intersected zones of rock with characteristics similar to those containing REE and copper-gold mineralization found in historical hole SDD005. However, at this early exploration stage, visual inspection of the drill core cannot definitively determine the potential REE content. Assaying is necessary to confirm the extent and grade of any potential REE mineralized zones encountered.

Concurrent with the drilling program, the Company is continuing surface mapping and rock sampling programs across the Razorback property. Reprocessing and modeling of geophysical data over priority target zones (Darwin, Hydes, and Jukes Zones) are also ongoing. The company expects to provide updates on this work in March.

Drill hole planning, environmental surveys, and permitting are underway for proposed drilling programs at the Jukes and Jasper Hills copper-gold prospects. These programs will be discussed in more detail in upcoming news releases.

The South Darwin prospect is situated within the larger Darwin Zone target area, defined by a 7-kilometer-long north-south trending anomaly identified through magnetic and potassium-thorium radiometric surveys. Historical drilling into a portion of this anomaly at South Darwin intersected significant mineralization characteristic of iron-oxide-copper-gold (IOCG) deposits. This mineralization was associated with north-south trending hydrothermal breccias and hosted in intensely altered volcanic rocks. The historical drilling only covered less than 10% of the extensive anomaly, and the mineralization at South Darwin remains open at depth and along strike. Considering these factors, the Company believes the Darwin Zone holds significant potential for further discoveries of REE and copper-gold mineralization.

The IOCG-style mineralization encountered in historical drilling at South Darwin included veins, breccia zones, and semi-massive to massive magnetite-pyrite-chalcopyrite. The best intercept reported was 13.0 meters at 1.2% copper and 0.45 grams per tonne gold from 345 meters in hole SDD005. This same hole also intersected significant REE mineralization, including 30.0 meters at 2.26% total rare earth oxides (TREO) from 296 meters.

Highlights from the update are as follows:

Drill Hole SDD007

SDD007 was designed to test for depth extensions approximately 130 to 150m below high-grade REE and Cu-Au mineralization intercepted in historical hole SDD005²:

SDD005:

• 72.0m @ 1.13% total rare earth oxides (TREO) from 286m, including
  • 30.0m @ 2.26% TREO from 296m, including
    • 10.0m @ 3.0% TREO from 307m
• 13.0m @ 1.2% Cu and 0.45g/t Au from 345m