Solis Minerals Drills First Holes at Peru Copper Project Near World-Class Mines
Key Takeaways
- Solis Minerals (ASX: SLM) has commenced its maiden diamond drill program at the 100%-owned Cinto Copper Project in southern Peru, comprising approximately five holes or 2,500 metres of diamond drilling.
- Surface sampling across 2024 and 2025 returned grades as high as 8.7% Cu over 1.1 metres and 23.4 metres at 0.88% Cu, forming the geochemical foundation for the three initial drill holes.
- Cinto sits along the Incapuquio Fault Zone — the same structural corridor that hosts Toquepala (2.1Bt at 0.48% Cu), Quellaveco (1.1Bt at 0.55% Cu), and Cuajone (1.2Bt at 0.48% Cu).
- Eleven drill pads have been permitted across the project, giving Solis the flexibility to scale rapidly beyond the initial three holes without further permitting delays.
- Simultaneously, the Mandacaru Lithium Project in Brazil is advancing through its fifth and sixth drill holes, with assay results from SGS in Belo Horizonte expected during September 2026.
Drilling begins at Cinto as Solis Minerals targets copper porphyry potential in southern Peru
Solis Minerals (ASX: SLM) has commenced diamond drilling at its 100%-owned Cinto Copper Project in southern Peru, marking the maiden drill program at the site. The initial program comprises approximately five holes or around 2,500 metres of diamond drilling, targeting coincident geochemical and geophysical anomalies that have been building since 2024. Adding to the operational pace, drilling at the Mandacaru Lithium Project in Brazil is advancing simultaneously, with assay results expected during September 2026.
Mitch Thomas, Chief Executive Officer
“We have commenced diamond drilling at Cinto following the successful mobilisation of our team and equipment to site. The project area has excellent copper porphyry potential with abundant outcropping breccia-style copper mineralisation, geophysical targets, proximity to globally significant copper mines and regional infrastructure. We look forward to providing drilling updates as the program advances alongside the progress we are making at the Mandacaru Lithium Project in Brazil.”
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What the drill program is testing
High-grade surface results and geophysical targets
The program is not drilling speculative ground. Multiple surface sampling campaigns conducted across 2024 and 2025 progressively expanded the mineralised footprint over several hundred metres, delivering the geochemical and geophysical foundations for this maiden drill test.
Key historical surface results underpinning the targets include:
- Up to 8.7% Cu (Channel 7, 1.1m sample, also returning Au 0.535 g/t, Ag 25 g/t)
- 23.4m @ 0.88% Cu (Channel 1)
- 16.8m @ 0.52% Cu (Channel 6)
- 2.20m @ 5.80% Cu (Channel 7 interval)
- 26.5m @ 0.28% Cu including 5.4m @ 1.0% Cu (Channel 11, 2025)
- Grab samples up to 7.14% Cu
These results, combined with coincident magnetic and induced polarisation (IP) survey anomalies, form the basis for the three initial drill holes.
Three-hole initial drilling sequence
The first three planned holes each target distinct structural and geophysical features:
- CI-001-2026 — the initial hole, targeting locations with broad copper mineralisation potential
- CI-002-2026 — drilled from the same pad as CI-001, tracing south toward the area beneath Channel 6, coinciding with a broad IP chargeability anomaly
- CI-003-2026 — directed beneath Channels 1 to 4 in the west and toward the sub-circular high chargeability anomaly at depth, considered a possible porphyry nucleus
No assay results are available at this stage; drilling has only just commenced. Eleven drill pads have been permitted across the project, giving the company the flexibility to expand beyond the initial three holes depending on what the geological observations reveal.
Why Cinto’s address matters
A copper porphyry system is a large, low-to-moderate grade copper deposit formed by the intrusion of magma into the Earth’s crust. These systems are bulk-mineable at scale and underpin many of the world’s largest copper operations. Size and geological continuity are what make them important, and the Incapuquio Fault Zone in southern Peru is one of the most prolific corridors for producing them.
The Incapuquio Fault Zone is a major structural feature running parallel to the Andes volcanic arc. It played a significant role in regional tectonic activity and copper mineralisation during the Lower Tertiary period, and it has hosted the formation of several world-class porphyry deposits. Cinto sits along this same fault zone as Toquepala, placing it within a proven mineralising corridor.
The scale of what that corridor has already produced is worth understanding. Three major operating mines sit in the immediate region:
| Mine | Operator | Resource / Reserve | Grade | Annual Cu Production |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toquepala | Southern Copper | 2.1Bt | 0.48% Cu | ~250ktpa |
| Quellaveco | Anglo American / Mitsubishi | 1.1Bt | 0.55% Cu | ~310ktpa |
| Cuajone | Southern Copper | 1.2Bt | 0.48% Cu | ~163ktpa |
Proximity to operating mines of this scale matters for two reasons. It confirms the fault zone is genuinely mineralised at depth, and it signals that regional infrastructure (roads, power, water, smelting) already exists. Cinto is not replicating these assets, but sharing their geological address is a meaningful part of the investment case.
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Dual-project momentum and next catalysts
Solis Minerals is currently running two active drill programs at once, a sign of operational momentum that is worth noting for investors tracking the company’s pace of news flow.
At Mandacaru in Brazil, the fifth drill hole is nearing completion and a sixth hole is set to commence shortly. Geological logging has identified wide pegmatite intervals consistent with the planned target model, and visual observations indicate the presence of mineralisation in the drill core. These observations remain preliminary and qualitative, and no estimate of lithium grade, mineral abundance, true width, or economic significance is being reported at this stage. Assay samples are being processed at SGS in Belo Horizonte, with results expected during September 2026.
At Cinto, the next catalysts are drilling progress updates, geological observations from the core, and assay results as the program advances. The 11 permitted drill pads represent genuine optionality. If the first three holes produce encouraging geological observations, the company has the approved infrastructure in place to scale quickly, without requiring further permitting delays.
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