Copper Canyon Drilling Highlights Shallow Mineralisation but True Widths Uncertain
Strickland Metals reports new diamond drilling results confirming extensive shallow copper-gold mineralisation at its Copper Canyon Deposit, reinforcing its strategic role within the Rogozna Project. The company plans a resource update next year amid ongoing drilling and strong funding.
- New assays reveal broad, shallow copper-gold mineralisation with high-grade zones
- Copper Canyon resource currently at 0.81 million ounces gold equivalent
- Drilling campaign ongoing with multiple results pending
- Copper Canyon’s potential complements larger deposits in Rogozna
- Company holds $41.8 million in cash and liquids as of September 2025
Drilling Success at Copper Canyon
Strickland Metals Limited (ASX – STK) has released encouraging assay results from its recent diamond drilling program at the Copper Canyon Deposit, part of the expansive Rogozna Gold and Base Metals Project in Serbia. The latest holes confirm widespread copper-gold mineralisation starting at shallow depths, including several high-grade intervals that bolster the deposit’s economic potential.
The Copper Canyon Deposit currently holds an inferred mineral resource of approximately 0.81 million ounces gold equivalent (AuEq). The new drill intercepts include a standout 134.6 metres grading 0.6% copper and 0.1 grams per tonne gold from 95.1 metres depth, with higher-grade zones such as 16.6 metres at 1.6% copper. Another hole returned 142.8 metres at 0.3% copper and 0.3 grams per tonne gold from just 6.2 metres below surface, highlighting the deposit’s near-surface potential.
Strategic Role Within Rogozna
While Copper Canyon has been somewhat overshadowed by larger deposits like Shanac, Gradina, and Medenovac, these results underscore its strategic value within the overall Rogozna development plan. The mineralisation is hosted in skarn formations with copper primarily as chalcopyrite, accompanied by gold and other base metals. The deposit’s relatively flat-lying geometry and shallow mineralisation make it an attractive target for future resource growth and mining studies.
Strickland’s Managing Director, Paul L’Herpiniere, emphasised the deposit’s potential to expand beyond the current resource estimate. He noted that Copper Canyon’s wide zones of mineralisation and high-grade intervals provide a clear pathway for resource growth, which will be incorporated into updated development studies planned for next year.
Ongoing Exploration and Funding
The company is nearing completion of its 2025 drilling campaign, which totals 50,000 metres across the Rogozna Project. Drilling continues not only at Copper Canyon but also at the Gradina “gap zone” and other discovery-focused targets. Assay results from multiple holes remain pending and will be released as they become available.
Financially, Strickland remains well-positioned with $41.8 million in cash and liquid assets as of 30 September 2025, supporting ongoing exploration and development activities. The company plans to ramp up drilling in early 2026, aiming to deploy at least eight diamond rigs by the second quarter.
Looking Ahead
With Copper Canyon’s resource update slated for next year, investors will be watching closely to see how these new drilling results translate into a revised mineral resource estimate. The deposit’s integration alongside the larger Rogozna deposits could enhance the project’s overall value and development prospects.
Bottom Line?
Copper Canyon’s expanding copper-gold zones could be a key catalyst for Rogozna’s next growth phase.
Questions in the middle?
- How will the upcoming Copper Canyon resource update impact the overall Rogozna project valuation?
- What are the metallurgical recovery rates expected for Copper Canyon’s copper and gold mineralisation?
- Could Copper Canyon’s shallow mineralisation accelerate the project’s development timeline?