Zeus Resources Maps 1.7km Untested Target Beside High-Grade Copper, Drilling Due Late 2026
Key Takeaways
- Reprocessed 2008 VTEM data has defined a 1.7 km long, up to 500 m wide bedrock conductor at Diaguili that is untested and open at depth.
- The conductor sits at roughly 150 to 170 m vertical depth, and 43 of 48 historical holes with recorded depths stopped short of 100 m.
- Historical, non-JORC drilling nearby includes 22.25 m at 2.10% Cu (with 11.25 m at 3.36%) in F-12 and 12.7 m at 2.94% Cu in SDG-2.
- A maiden diamond drilling programme is targeted for the December quarter 2026, and the environmental notice (NIES) was validated on 16 September 2026.
- The source of the conductor is unconfirmed, since graphite, clay or saline groundwater can mimic sulphides, and the announcement discloses no budget or metres.
Priority 1.7 km conductor defined beside high-grade copper–gold at Diaguili
Reprocessed historic airborne survey data has defined a discrete bedrock conductor at the Diaguili Copper–Gold Project in the Guidimaka region of southern Mauritania. Zeus Resources (ASX:ZEU) says the conductor is approximately 1.7 km long and up to 500 m wide at the 100 mS/m conductivity level, and that it is untested and open at depth.
The conductor sits at depth and offset from outcropping and near-surface copper–gold mineralisation, which has returned historical high-grade drill intersections. Zeus plans a maiden diamond drilling programme, targeted for the December quarter 2026, subject to drilling contractor availability and access.
For investors, a large target next to known high-grade copper is the kind of setup that can drive news flow. Drilling is the only way to find out whether it delivers.
Hugh Pilgrim, Executive Director
“…The discrete bedrock conductor defined over 1.7 km, lying at depth and offset from the near-surface high-grade copper–gold intersections, is a compelling target. The fact that it remains open at depth and untested by historical drilling underscores the strong prospectivity here…”
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What does the reprocessed data show?
Conductor key facts
Southern Geoscience Consultants (SGC) of Perth reprocessed the raw helicopter-borne VTEM (versatile time-domain electromagnetic) survey data flown by Shield Mining Limited in 2008. This work supersedes the preliminary channel-image interpretation announced on 23 July 2026.
- The conductive response is consistent, continuous and robust across all four depth slices at 25 m, 50 m, 100 m and 150 m.
- The 100 mS/m envelope lies at a modelled vertical depth of approximately 150 to 170 m.
- Stacking of the depth slices indicates the conductor dips steeply to the north-west.
- The inversion cannot accurately resolve the conductor below approximately 200 m, so its lower extent is not defined and it remains open at depth.
Zeus’s geological consultant, Dr Eric Hanssen, has more than 30 years’ mineral exploration experience in North and West Africa. He is assisting with interpretation and integration of the VTEM and magnetic datasets.
Why did historical drilling miss it?
Comparison of the modelled conductor with historical drill traces indicates the holes were located predominantly west of it. Of the 48 historical holes with recorded depths, 43 did not reach 100 m vertical depth.
On this basis, the Company considers that the conductor has not been intersected by historical drilling.
The shallow copper is mainly oxidised, expressed as malachite and chrysocolla. Oxidised copper minerals are not electrically conductive and are not expected to produce an airborne EM response, so the lack of a signal beneath the shallow drilling is consistent with the known mineralisation.
What are the historical high-grade copper results?
The table below lists historical intersections highlighted in the announcement. These are results from prior explorers, previously reported to ASX by Gryphon Minerals Limited (ASX:GRY) on 12 December 2014, and were not reported in accordance with the JORC Code 2012.
| Hole | Interval | Cu grade | Au grade | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F-07 | 33 m from surface | **1.43%** | n/a | |
| F-12 | 22.25 m from 48 m | **2.10%** | n/a | Includes **11.25 m @ 3.36% Cu**; ended in mineralisation |
| F-19 | 35 m from 1 m | **1.44%** | n/a | |
| F-23 | 20 m from 15 m | **1.45%** | n/a | |
| SDG-2 | 12.7 m from 60 m | **2.94%** | n/a | Includes **7.9 m @ 4.40% Cu** |
| SDG-7 | 6 m from 106.7 m | **2.83%** | **1.4 g/t** |
Gold grades are shown only where the announcement lists them. The shallow grades point to a mineralised system, while the conductor sits deeper and offset from these holes. Treat these figures as context rather than a verified resource.
How do EM conductors work in copper exploration?
Electromagnetic (EM) surveys detect rock that conducts electricity. Sulphide minerals, including copper sulphides, can be electrically conductive where present in sufficient concentration and connectivity, so EM conductors are routinely used as drill targets for sulphide-hosted copper.
Several Diaguili details fit that picture:
- Primary pyrite–chalcopyrite–bornite–chalcocite mineralisation was recorded in historical hole F12.
- Rocks adjacent to the conductor are strongly silicified, and silicified rocks are electrically resistive, which increases contrast with the conductor.
- The conductor lies within a magnetic low between two north-east trending magnetic highs, interpreted to reflect ultramafic (serpentinite) units.
There is an important caveat. EM conductors may also come from graphitic or clay-rich units and saline groundwater.
The source of the Diaguili Conductor has not been determined and can only be confirmed by drilling. Zeus’s cautionary statement adds that geophysical anomalies are not necessarily indicative of mineralisation, and there is no certainty drilling will intersect sulphide or copper–gold mineralisation.
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What happens next at Diaguili?
Next steps
SGC and Dr Hanssen consider the Diaguili Conductor a priority target for drill testing. The announced plan runs as follows:
- A maiden diamond drilling programme to test the conductor and the depth extensions of the known copper–gold mineralisation, targeted for the December quarter 2026.
- The Company is in discussions with drilling contractors.
- Commencement is subject to rig availability, access and the completion of community and regulatory arrangements.
- Downhole electromagnetic surveying of completed holes is being considered.
The environmental notice (NIES) for the permit was validated by the Ministry of Environment on 16 September 2026. Further details will be provided once the programme is finalised, and the announcement does not disclose a budget or metres.
Project and deal context
The Project (Permit 2475B2, approximately 16 km²) is held through Sab Metals Mauritania SARL, in which Zeus is acquiring a staged interest under the share sale agreement announced on 23 July 2026.
Mauritania has a mining code generally regarded as favourable to exploration. It hosts the Guelb Moghrein copper–gold mine (First Quantum Minerals) and the Tasiast gold mine (Kinross Gold).
The takeaway for your watchlist is straightforward. Contractor confirmation, access and the start of drilling are the next milestones to track, while results remain uncertain until drilling tests the conductor.
Ready To Learn More About The Diaguili Copper–Gold Project?
A 1.7 km untested bedrock conductor sits beside historical high-grade copper intersections, including 11.25 m at 3.36% Cu. Zeus Resources is targeting a maiden diamond drilling programme for the December quarter 2026.
Explore the Zeus Resources company profile on Discovery Alert to follow the latest updates on Diaguili. Keep track of the drilling milestones that could shape the next phase of news flow.