DPM Metals Hits 1,054m at 2.49 g/t Gold-Copper as Brevene System Keeps Growing
Key Takeaways
- DPM Metals has reported intercepts of 716.60 metres at 3.30 g/t AuEq and 1,054 metres at 2.49 g/t AuEq from Brevene Porphyry South — both holes stopped in mineralisation due to technical limitations, not geological boundaries.
- The potassic alteration envelope, a key indicator of porphyry system scale, is now confirmed at 500m x 500m and greater than 1,000 metres in vertical extent, with the system remaining open to the north, south, west, and at depth.
- Hole EX_BRESPO_06 confirms mineralisation extends onto the adjacent Chelopech mine concession, where DPM already holds operating infrastructure, workforce, and social licence built over two decades.
- Preliminary flotation testwork at SLR Consulting's UK laboratory is returning copper-gold concentrate grades of 10–25% Cu and 12–20 g/t Au, with arsenic at trace levels not expected to reach penalty thresholds.
- Up to eight drill rigs are planned for the Brevene Porphyry South target, with approximately 15,000 additional metres of drilling scheduled through year-end 2026 and further delineation continuing through 2027 to support internal Mineral Resource estimates.
Brevene Porphyry South keeps growing — and the latest numbers are hard to ignore
DPM Metals has released new delineation drilling results from the Brevene Porphyry South gold-copper discovery in Bulgaria, with intercepts that extend the system in multiple directions and confirm mineralisation reaching onto the adjacent Chelopech mine concession. The headline numbers are substantial: up to 716.60 metres grading 3.30 g/t AuEq from hole EXBRES55502A, and 1,054 metres grading 2.49 g/t AuEq from EXBRESPO_03, with both holes terminated in mineralisation due to technical limitations rather than geological boundaries.
The potassic alteration envelope, a key indicator of porphyry system scale, has now been confirmed at 500m x 500m and greater than 1,000 metres in vertical extent. The system remains open to the north, south, west, and at depth, where it is interpreted to plunge slightly southwest.
David Rae, President and CEO, DPM Metals
“Brevene Porphyry South continues to demonstrate exceptional scale and grade as our drilling program advances to unlock substantial value for our shareholders as we advance this significant discovery.”
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Drill results in detail — what the holes are telling us
The standout intercepts
The results reported as of 20 September 2026 cover holes at various stages of completion. Five intercepts stand out for what they reveal about the system’s geometry and grade continuity:
- EXBRES555_02A: 716.60m at 3.30 g/t AuEq (1.63 g/t Au, 1.58% Cu, 17.09 g/t Mo) from 1,357m; including 138.60m at 5.71 g/t AuEq (2.83 g/t Au, 2.72% Cu, 9.99 g/t Mo) from 1,935m; hole terminated in mineralisation
- EXBRESPO03: 1,054m at 2.49 g/t AuEq (1.20 g/t Au, 1.20% Cu, 43.46 g/t Mo) from 1,172m; including 465m at 3.02 g/t AuEq from 1,487m; also terminated in mineralisation
- EXBRESPO05: 328m at 3.28 g/t AuEq (1.97 g/t Au, 1.24% Cu, 4.82 g/t Mo) from 1,176m; hole ongoing, advancing through visible mineralisation
- EXBRESPO06: 540m at 1.31 g/t AuEq (0.69 g/t Au, 0.57% Cu, 32.93 g/t Mo) from 1,143m; confirms extension onto the Chelopech mine concession
- EXBRESPO03A: 707m at 1.08 g/t AuEq (0.56 g/t Au, 0.48% Cu, 40.18 g/t Mo) from 1,175m; tests northeast extent; molybdenum grades increase eastward, reaching up to 100 g/t Mo
| Hole ID | From (m) | Interval (m) | AuEq (g/t) | Notable sub-interval |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EX_BRES_555_02A | 1,357 | 716.60 | 3.30 | 138.60m @ 5.71 g/t AuEq from 1,935m |
| EX_BRESPO_03 | 1,172 | 1,054 | 2.49 | 465m @ 3.02 g/t AuEq from 1,487m |
| EX_BRESPO_05 | 1,176 | 328 (ongoing) | 3.28 | Hole advancing through visible mineralisation |
| EX_BRESPO_06 | 1,143 | 540 | 1.31 | Confirms extension onto Chelopech concession |
| EX_BRESPO_03A | 1,175 | 707 | 1.08 | Mo grades up to 100 g/t in final 200m |
System boundaries and geometry
The geological picture emerging from the drill program points to a structurally controlled system. Current interpretation suggests Brevene Porphyry South is bounded to the northeast and southwest by inferred northwest-trending faults, and the system plunges slightly southwest at depth.
Both flagship holes, EXBRES55502A and EXBRESPO03, were stopped due to technical limitations while still in mineralisation — meaning the true downhole extent remains untested. Molybdenum enrichment increases eastward and at depth, with grades in the final 200 metres of EXBRESPO_03 frequently returning assays above 100 g/t Mo.
What is a gold-copper porphyry system — and why does scale matter?
Porphyry deposits are large, bulk-tonnage mineralised systems that form around ancient intrusive rock bodies. Rather than concentrating metals into narrow veins, porphyry systems distribute gold, copper, and often molybdenum through disseminated grains and vein networks across very large rock volumes. That geometry is what makes interval length so significant.
When a single hole intersects over 700 metres or 1,000 metres of continuous mineralisation, it signals a system of unusual size. Narrow high-grade vein deposits might return 5 metres at 10 g/t gold, which looks impressive on paper, but the economics of mining depend on total metal contained across a volume — and porphyries win that calculation at scale. Tier One porphyry deposits, those capable of supporting multi-decade mine lives, are rare globally, which is why the Brevene Porphyry South intercept lengths attract attention.
AuEq, or gold equivalent, is the single metric that combines gold, copper, and molybdenum values into one comparable number. DPM calculates AuEq using gold at US$2,500/oz, copper at US$3.85/lb, and molybdenum at US$15/lb, assuming 90% metallurgical recovery across all metals.
The proximity to DPM’s existing Chelopech mine adds a further dimension. Brevene Porphyry South’s confirmed extension onto the Chelopech concession means any future development could potentially leverage existing infrastructure, workforce, and social licence — factors that typically represent a significant portion of the capital cost and timeline for a greenfield project.
Metallurgy validates the economics, permitting is underway
Flotation testwork results
Preliminary metallurgical testing of three composite samples is ongoing at SLR Consulting’s laboratory in the United Kingdom. Based on results available to date, the mineralisation responds well to conventional rougher-cleaner flotation at relatively standard grind sizes — a positive signal for processing simplicity.
Open-cycle cleaner tests have produced copper-gold concentrate grades ranging from 10% to 25% Cu and approximately 12 g/t to 20 g/t Au. Exploration assay data indicates that deleterious elements, including arsenic, occur at trace levels across all three composites and are not currently expected to reach penalty thresholds in final concentrates.
The preliminary molybdenum response from composite METBSP2603 is described as encouraging in the announcement, with future testwork planned to evaluate the potential to produce a separate molybdenum concentrate. Detailed multi-element analyses of cleaner-concentrate products, and certain cleaner-stage gold assay results, remain pending.
Permitting progress
In late August 2026, DPM submitted the final geology report (including technical and economic assessment) to Bulgaria’s Ministry of Energy, with regulatory review ongoing. The key milestones in this process are subject to regulatory review and approval:
- Recognition of a Commercial Discovery
- Submission of a mining concession application
- Environmental and other permitting requirements
- Granting of a concession contract
Near-term exploration updates from DPM will focus on results from within the Chelopech mine concession area, with further Brevene licence exploration results to resume once the relevant regulatory milestones are achieved.
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What comes next — 15,000 metres of drilling through year-end
Drilling within the Brevene exploration licence is planned to continue until the end of September 2026, at which point the programme shifts entirely to the Chelopech mine concession. Up to eight high-capacity drill rigs are planned to be dedicated to the Brevene Porphyry South target.
- Approximately 15,000 additional metres of drilling planned through end of 2026
- Focus on northern and western extensions, and depth potential where mineralisation remains open
- Further delineation drilling to continue through 2027
- Further delineation drilling will continue in 2027, to support the Company’s internal Mineral Resource estimates and technical evaluations
- Scout drilling continues at Chelopech for the Wedge Zone Deep high-sulphidation telescoped target
David Rae, President and CEO, DPM Metals
“With up to eight drill rigs dedicated to the Brevene Porphyry South target and an additional 15,000 metres of additional drilling planned through year-end, we are aggressively delineating a discovery that we believe will transform the Chelopech camp into a Tier One asset.”
DPM brings over two decades of operating experience in the Chelopech district, along with an established social licence and proximate operating infrastructure. The combination of growing intercept scale, strong copper-gold grades, metallurgical amenability to conventional processing, and jurisdictional familiarity within an established mining district gives the Brevene Porphyry South story multiple catalysts still to come — ongoing drill holes, pending assay results, and further delineation drilling planned through 2027 to support future internal Mineral Resource estimates and technical evaluations.
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