Sarytogan Graphite Confirms Copper Porphyry System Across 150m at Ilksan
Key Takeaways
- All three holes in the 2026 Ilksan programme returned copper mineralisation from surface to end of hole, confirming system-wide continuity across the full north-south cross-section.
- The two southern holes — DDH-IL26001A and DDH-IL26002 — both returned 0.14% Cu and 0.027ppm Au over 318m and 229m respectively, with higher-grade zones reaching 0.40% Cu and 0.36% Cu.
- DDH-IL26003's lower grade (0.063% Cu over 452m) relative to its southern counterparts establishes a clear directional vector, pointing the next drill programme south where mineralisation is strongest.
- A 300m western target with bedrock copper anomalism of 0.1–0.2% Cu and up to 0.2ppm Au in KGK drilling has been elevated to high priority for deeper diamond drilling.
- SGA operates as a dual-asset story, with the Sarytogan Graphite Project DFS nearing completion with EBRD funding support alongside the Baynazar copper exploration programme.
Third drill hole confirms copper porphyry system across Ilksan prospect
Sarytogan Graphite (ASX: SGA) has completed its 2026 three-hole diamond drilling programme at the Ilksan prospect within the Baynazar copper exploration project in central Kazakhstan. The headline result from the final hole, DDH-IL26003, returned 452m @ 0.063% Cu from surface to end of hole — the deepest hole in the programme — drilled 150m north of DDH-IL26001A to create a cross-section with the two earlier holes.
The key investor signal from this programme is system-wide continuity: mineralisation is present from surface to end of hole across all three drill holes.
Results from all three holes:
- DDH-IL26003: 452m @ 0.063% Cu (surface to EOH)
- DDH-IL26001A: 318m @ 0.14% Cu, 0.027ppm Au (surface to EOH); higher-grade zones to 0.40% Cu
- DDH-IL26002: 229m @ 0.14% Cu, 0.027ppm Au (surface to EOH); higher-grade zones to 0.36% Cu
Managing Director Sean Gregory
“The 2026 diamond drilling program has been a great success with Ilksan being confirmed to be of the copper porphyry style of mineralisation with thick intercepts over the entire length of the holes drilled. The vectors for further drilling at Ilksan are to the south where drilled mineralisation is the strongest and to the west where the bedrock copper and gold anomalism is now a high priority target. The other prospects at Baynazar, such as Aminbuy, Autas and Bala-Tolaguy, are all lined up ready to progress through the exploration pipeline with shallow KGK drilling to establish bedrock anomalies the next step there, just as we did at Ilksan.”
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What is copper porphyry mineralisation and why does it matter?
Copper porphyry systems are large-scale, low-to-moderate grade deposits that form the backbone of global copper supply, with major examples operating across Chile, Peru, and Kazakhstan. They are valued by major miners for their scale potential and suitability for bulk mining methods, which keep per-unit extraction costs low.
The characteristics observed at Ilksan are consistent with a genuine porphyry system: thick intercepts continuous from surface, a multi-element signature across copper, gold, molybdenum, and silver, and classic alteration zonation with propylitic alteration above 180m and potassic below. Kazakhstan adds another layer of economic logic — according to a miningvisuals.com infographic published in October 2024, 4 of the 5 lowest-cost copper mines in the world are located in Kazakhstan, attributed to low power, diesel, and skilled labour costs.
Stronger grades to the south set the drilling vector
What DDH-IL26003 tells us geologically
DDH-IL26003, collared in the north of the programme, returned a lower bulk grade than its southern counterparts. The reason is straightforward: logging indicates approximately half the sulphide content compared to DDH-IL26001A and DDH-IL26002, and a lower ratio of copper-bearing to non-copper-bearing sulphides. This is not a negative result. It establishes a clear directional vector — mineralisation strengthens to the south, which is where the next drill programme should focus.
The hole’s geological character is consistent with porphyry mineralisation throughout. Secondary copper appears as malachite near surface (25.2–29.6m), with chalcopyrite and pyrite dominant through the main body. Bornite was recorded locally between 82.9–109.1m, and quartz-molybdenite veins appear in the final intervals from 427.1–446.0m.
Next steps and the exploration pipeline
The company has outlined the following near-term exploration priorities:
- Further diamond drilling to the south of the current Ilksan programme, where grades are strongest across DDH-IL26001A and DDH-IL26002.
- Priority deeper diamond drilling 300m west of the current programme, where bedrock copper anomalism of 0.1–0.2% Cu and up to 0.2ppm Au has been identified in KGK drilling.
- Shallow KGK drilling at the other Baynazar prospects — Aminbay, Autas, and Bala-Tolaguy — to advance soil anomalies to bedrock anomalies, replicating the exploration pathway used at Ilksan.
Separately, the Sarytogan Graphite Project Upstream Definitive Feasibility Study is nearing completion, reminding investors that SGA operates as a dual-asset story across graphite and copper.
The Sarytogan Graphite Project DFS is advancing with EBRD funding support, giving SGA a second near-term value catalyst that sits alongside the Baynazar copper exploration programme rather than competing with it for investor attention.
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Three-hole programme summary — results at a glance
| Hole ID | Depth (m) | Bulk Intercept | Key Higher-Grade Zone | Location vs. Centre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DDH-IL26001A | 318m | 0.14% Cu, 0.027ppm Au | 15.2m @ 0.40% Cu, 0.082ppm Au, 1.8ppm Ag from 163.4m | Central (highest KGK anomaly) |
| DDH-IL26002 | 229m | 0.14% Cu, 0.027ppm Au | 16.2m @ 0.36% Cu, 0.12ppm Au, 1.4ppm Ag from 159.7m | 10m south of historical C-16 |
| DDH-IL26003 | 452m | 0.063% Cu | 2.0m @ 0.24% Cu from 330.3m | 150m north of -001A |
Taken together, the three-hole programme has confirmed that copper porphyry mineralisation at Ilksan is continuous from surface across the full north-south cross-section, with the strongest grades concentrated in the south. The geological model is intact, the vectors are defined, and the next phase of drilling has clear targets to pursue.
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