Marimaca Copper Corp. (TSX: MARI, ASX: MC2) has released fresh assay results from its ongoing 2026 drilling campaign at the Pampa Medina copper Project in Chile’s Antofagasta Region. The numbers from drillhole SPRD-05 are among the strongest the Company has recorded at the Project to date.
Figure 1: Regional map showing Marimaca, Pampa Medina, and surrounding regional infrastructure in the Antofagasta Region, Chile [Courtesy: Marimaca Copper Corp]
Drillhole SPRD-05 came back with 96m at 1.19% copper and 11.7g/t silver from 692m, with 16m at 5.70% copper and 62.6g/t silver sitting inside that, and a 4m core grading 11.32% copper and 144.0g/t silver. That last number is not easy to ignore.
What the New Pampa Medina Drilling Results Mean
The 2026 drilling program at Pampa Medina is not just ticking boxes. Each new hole is adding real weight to the case that this system is bigger and more consistent than the initial footprint suggested.
Figure 2: Current drilling results within the Pampa Medina Area of Interest showing SPRD-05 and SPRD-04 hole locations with CuT% colour coding [Courtesy: Marimaca Copper Corp]
Grade and Continuity Are Both Holding Up
Marimaca Copper’s 2026 program is drilling on 150m-spaced centres across the central zone of the Pampa Medina deposit. The goal is systematic delineation before a maiden Mineral Resource Estimate. What makes these Pampa Medina drilling results notable is not just the peak grade. It is the consistency.
SPRD-05 Full Intersection at a Glance
SPRD-05 was drilled east of previously released hole SPRD-06, intersecting the UHG bornite manto at depth in sediments and tuffs. The complete intersection breakdown from this ASX announcement is:
- 22m at 0.40% Cu and 1.9g/t Ag from 60m (oxide)
- 24m at 0.30% Cu and 1.8g/t Ag from 204m (oxide)
- 96m at 1.19% Cu and 11.7g/t Ag from 692m (sulphide)
- Including 60m at 1.80% Cu and 18.4g/t Ag from 694m
- Including 16m at 5.70% Cu and 62.6g/t Ag from 704m
- Including 4m at 11.32% Cu and 144.0g/t Ag from 706m
Figure 3: SPRD-05 downhole lithological and grade sequence [Courtesy: Marimaca Copper Corp]
Near-surface oxide mineralisation was also confirmed north of the historic Pampa oxide footprint, adding another dimension to the system’s overall scale.
SPRD-04 Widens the Mineralised Footprint
SPRD-04 was not drilled to find the best grades. It was drilled to test whether the system holds up away from the core. It does.
Figure 4: SPRD-04 downhole lithological and grade sequence [Courtesy: Marimaca Copper Corp]
Broad Sulphide Intersections Across Sediments and Tuffs
Alongside SPRD-05, Marimaca Copper put out results from SPRD-04. That hole sits 150m north of the previously released SMRD-13 and roughly 600m east of SPRD-05. The hole intersected broad mineralisation through sediments and tuffs across a substantial vertical interval.
SPRD-04 returned a shallower zone of 140m at 0.35% copper from 366m, with higher-grade stacked mantos sitting within. At depth, the sulphide zone came through clearly. The Pampa Medina drilling results from SPRD-04 confirm the system maintains grade even as the drill moves further out from the central core.
SPRD-04 Key Intervals
- 140m at 0.35% Cu from 366m (mixed), including
- 32m at 0.71% Cu and 4.1g/t Ag from 468m
- Including 10m at 0.95% Cu and 7.4g/t Ag from 484m
- 22m at 1.97% Cu and 9.2g/t Ag from 610m (sulphide)
The UHG Bornite Zone Keeps Extending
Every time a new hole goes down and hits the UHG bornite zone, the picture gets a little harder to dismiss. At this point, the zone has been confirmed across a lateral distance of at least 650m, and it is still open.
Spatial Context of the Latest Drillholes
SPRD-05 was drilled approximately 650m northwest of SMRD-13, which intersected the UHG bornite zone at depth as reported in the 3 Jul 2025 announcement. The lateral distance between these holes confirms the UHG bornite zone is not a narrow lens. It is a broad, continuous body across the central AOI.
Figure 5: Cross section looking north at Pampa Medina 7,440,950 N showing SPRD-05 and SPRD-04 in geological context with grade annotations. [Courtesy: Marimaca Copper Corp]
Marimaca Copper’s VP Exploration Sergio Rivera addressed this directly in the 8 Jun 2026 ASX announcement:
“Results from the 2026 drilling program at Pampa Medina continue to demonstrate the incredible grade and thickness of the mantos at Pampa Medina, which remains open in almost all directions. We have always said that continuity will be the maker of the Pampa Medina deposit, and our drilling completed to date gives us confidence that we are dealing with a deposit of genuine district significance.”
What the Maiden MRE Will Capture
Marimaca Copper has confirmed it will cut off input data for an initial Mineral Resource Estimate once the 150m-spaced delineation campaign across the defined AOI is complete. That maiden MRE will represent a snapshot in time. Step-out drilling toward the northern and western targets will run in parallel with the initial resource work.
Rivera noted: “The consistency of high-grade intersections gives us increasing confidence that the central AOI can support a strong mineral endowment while remaining open for expansion.”
Sierra Medina Land Package and Broader Exploration
Pampa Medina gets most of the attention right now, and fairly so. But the broader Sierra de Medina land package is where the longer story may end up being told.
Target Generation Across a 14,500-Hectare Property Block
Marimaca Copper holds approximately 14,500 hectares at the broader Sierra de Medina property block, 100% owned through its subsidiary ICAL. The Company is currently completing target-generation geochemical and geophysical programs across the Sierra Norte and Pampa Norte areas, which sit adjacent to the Pampa Medina AOI.
Figure 6: Pampa Medina within the broader 100%-owned Sierra de Medina Property Block [Courtesy: Marimaca Copper Corp]
The focus of these programs is on identifying continuations of the mineralised sedimentary units across the broader interpreted sedimentary basin. Marimaca Copper has completed:
- A 400m audio-magnetotelluric (AMT) grid across the Pampa Norte area
- A higher-resolution 200m AMT grid at Sierra Norte
- Geochemical programs across both target areas
Results and interpretations from these programs will be released in due course.
Drill Collar Details for SPRD-04 and SPRD-05
True widths are estimated at 80% of reported downhole intersection widths. All intersections are reported on a downhole basis.
Marimaca Copper Share Price Information
- Last Price: A$7.850 per share
- Market Capitalisation: A$1.05 billion
- 52-week range: A$7.020 to A$13.100 per share
Figure 7: Marimaca Copper (ASX: MC2) share price movement [Courtesy: ASX]
Industry Outlook
The copper supply gap is, indeed, a thing, and it is not closing anytime soon. The demand continues to rise, fueled by electrification, EV battery manufacturing, grid expansion, and data centre construction. The pool of truly large, high-grade copper finds has also thinned significantly in the meantime. Now, it’s harder than it used to be to find another.
For investors following ASX copper exploration stocks and TSX copper mining stocks 2026, high-grade sediment-hosted systems like Pampa Medina sit in a very relevant position in this supply environment.
Future Direction and Impact on Resource Definition and Market Positioning
Marimaca Copper’s immediate priority is completing the 150m-spaced delineation campaign across the Pampa Medina AOI and delivering a maiden Mineral Resource Estimate. The impact on the Company’s standing among TSX copper exploration stocks to buy will be directly shaped by that resource number.
Beyond the maiden MRE, this mining stock Company plans to begin step-out drilling toward the northern and western extensions of the system. Both areas remain open and largely untested at meaningful depths.
The Sierra Norte and Pampa Norte target-generation programs add further optionality to what is already a substantial land package. The Pampa Medina copper project Chile is building, hole by hole, toward something that looks considerably larger than its current delineated footprint.
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FAQ
Q1: What is Marimaca Copper?
Ans: Marimaca Copper is a copper exploration and development company listed on the TSX as MARI and on the ASX as MC2.
Q2: What were the latest Pampa Medina drilling results?
Ans: Drillhole SPRD-05 returned 96m at 1.19% copper and 11.7g/t silver, including a high-grade section grading 11.32% copper.
Q3: Where is the Pampa Medina copper project located?
Ans: The project is located in Chile’s Antofagasta Region, one of the world’s leading copper-producing areas.
Q4: Why are these drilling results important?
Ans: The results extend the ultra-high-grade bornite zone and support the potential for a larger copper resource at Pampa Medina.
Disclaimer
This article is meant only for informational purposes. If you are an investor who is watching Marimaca Copper closely, all the data published in the content is sourced from ASX announcements and external sources. Kindly verify all the information related to the share price and market data. Any investment should be made at the investor’s own risk. Colitco does not hold any position in the above-mentioned Company.
Sources
https://www.asx.com.au/markets/company/MC2
Luke Carlino is a seasoned Copywriter, Content Strategist, and Social Media Manager specialising in Mining, Finance, and Business journalism. With more than a decade of industry experience, he brings rigorous editorial standards and commercial acuity to every project.
