Southern Hemisphere Mining Hits 180m Copper Zone as Llahuin Eyes 340Mt Scale
Key Takeaways
- Three newly reported diamond drill holes at Llahuin have returned wide, near-surface copper mineralisation, including 180m @ 0.39% CuEq from surface in 24LHRD056 and 170m @ 0.37% CuEq from 4m in 24LHRD048.
- Combined with the 4 August 2026 results — headlined by 241m @ 0.42% CuEq and 154m @ 0.66% CuEq from surface — the program is consistently delivering bulk-tonnage intercepts across multiple zones.
- Llahuin already holds a JORC-compliant resource of 218.2Mt @ 0.38% CuEq, with an exploration target of an additional 260–340Mt signalling the system could be substantially larger.
- Follow-up diamond drilling is scheduled to commence in September 2026, targeting near-surface higher-grade zones for potential starter pit configurations and deeper testing at Ferro South.
- Ore beneficiation testwork is being planned alongside the drill program, aimed at increasing the processed grade in line with the higher-grade zones being targeted.
More copper zones confirmed at Llahuin as SUH eyes 260–340Mt exploration target
Southern Hemisphere Mining (ASX: SUH) has reported additional significant copper sulphide zones from diamond drilling at its 100%-owned Llahuin Copper-Gold-Molybdenum Project in Chile. The results build on those released 4 August 2026, with all recent drilling now reported and follow-up diamond drilling scheduled to commence in September 2026. The expanding footprint reinforces Llahuin as a growing copper system, not a single isolated intercept.
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Q1 drilling results — what the holes returned
Three newly reported holes have returned wide, shallow copper mineralisation across the Llahuin system. The headline results are:
- 24LHRD056: 180m @ 0.39% CuEq from surface; 30m @ 0.31% CuEq from 214m
- 24LHRD048: 170m @ 0.37% CuEq from 4m
- 23LHRD033: 102m @ 0.37% CuEq from surface; 70m @ 0.4% CuEq from 119m (note: previously reported)
These complement the 4 August 2026 results, which included:
- 241m @ 0.42% CuEq from 18m in 24LHRD067 (including 143m @ 0.51% CuEq from 36m)
- 154m @ 0.66% CuEq from surface in 24LHRD065
- 156m @ 0.43% CuEq from 2m in 24LHRD055
The table below summarises all recently reported intercepts across the program.
| Hole ID | From (m) | Width (m) | CuEq% | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24LHRD056 | 0 | 180m | 0.39% | From surface |
| 24LHRD056 | 214 | 30m | 0.31% | Second zone |
| 24LHRD048 | 4 | 170m | 0.37% | Near surface |
| 23LHRD033 | 0 | 102m | 0.37% | From surface; previously reported |
| 23LHRD033 | 119 | 70m | 0.40% | Deeper zone |
| 24LHRD067 | 18 | 241m | 0.42% | 4 Aug 2026 result; incl. 143m @ 0.51% from 36m |
| 24LHRD065 | 0 | 154m | 0.66% | 4 Aug 2026 result; from surface |
| 24LHRD055 | 2 | 156m | 0.43% | 4 Aug 2026 result |
All intercepts are downhole lengths. True widths have not yet been established for all zones.
Understanding porphyry copper deposits — why scale matters
Llahuin already carries a JORC-compliant resource of 218.2Mt @ 0.38% CuEq across its Central Porphyry, Cerro, and Ferro zones. The stated exploration target of 260–340Mt additional tonnage signals the system could be substantially larger, but further work is required before that potential can be formally quantified.
Chile is the world’s leading copper-producing country, lending Llahuin strong jurisdictional credibility.
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What comes next for SUH at Llahuin
Follow-up drilling and grade targeting
Follow-up diamond drilling is expected to commence in September 2026, targeting two priorities. The first is near-surface, higher-grade zones similar to 24LHRD067, which returned 241m @ 0.42% CuEq and could potentially be configured into a series of starter pits to support early project economics. The second is deeper testing, initially focused on the Ferro South area.
Ore beneficiation testwork is also being planned. The aim is to increase the grade of material that would be processed, in line with the higher-grade zones being targeted in the upcoming drill program.
Building toward resource scale
The current results are directly underpinning the case for significant resource scale at Llahuin. The stated exploration target of 260–340Mt is additive to the existing 218.2Mt JORC resource, though it remains subject to further work, including feasibility studies, before it can be converted to a classified resource.
Chairman Mark Stowell’s assessment of the program’s significance was direct:
Chairman Mark Stowell
“The initial results extending Llahuin Copper-Gold south with intersections to 241m are rewarding and proving that there is a lot more to Llahuin than ever previously thought… These results are putting Southern Hemisphere Mining on the list as a notable copper junior portfolio candidate.”
For investors tracking copper exposure at the junior end of the market, the combination of shallow, wide intercepts, an established 218Mt JORC resource base, and an additive exploration target of up to an additional 340Mt positions Llahuin as a project where scale is the defining characteristic of the investment thesis. Whether that scale translates into a development pathway depends on the results of further drilling and the feasibility work that follows.
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