Prospectiva Resources Ltd. has reported initial assay results from the first three diamond drill holes of its maiden exploration programme at the flagship São Francisco Copper-Gold Project in Pernambuco State, northeastern Brazil. All three holes intersected copper-bearing sulphide mineralisation, with standout hole SF_26_003 returning 7.15 metres grading 4.78% copper, 0.19 g/t gold and 0.65% zinc, including a high-grade core of 3.60 metres at 9.17% copper.
Shallow, High-Grade Intersections Across Three Holes
The three holes cut massive, semi-massive and heavy disseminated copper-bearing sulphides at shallow depths of between 60 and 95 metres downhole. Hole SF_26_002 returned 2.50 metres at 3.24% copper, 0.42 g/t gold and 0.44% zinc, including 1.50 metres at 5.05% copper. Hole SF_26_001 intersected 4.00 metres at 1.93% copper, 0.23 g/t gold and 0.38% zinc, including 1.10 metres at 6.03% copper. The headline interval in SF_26_003 also included a 0.75-metre sub-interval grading 15.9% copper.
The reported intersections are downhole lengths calculated using a 0.20% copper cut-off; true widths have not yet been established. Logged mineralisation is predominantly chalcopyrite with minor pyrrhotite. Prospectiva notes the drilled results align strongly with anomalies from its recently completed Fixed Loop Electromagnetic (FLEM) survey.
A Potential VMS-Style System in the Borborema Belt
The holes were collared approximately 600 metres east of the original surface discovery outcrop, along the interpreted down-plunge trend — suggesting the high-grade, near-surface mineralisation continues eastward from surface. Chief Executive Officer Dan James said the first three holes delivered “very strong results” and, combined with historical drilling, indicate good continuity of high-grade, near-surface mineralisation with encouraging associated gold and zinc grades.
New geological and structural work interprets São Francisco as a stratabound system of VMS (volcanogenic massive sulphide) style, hosted within an approximately 60-metre-thick prospective schist package and associated with fold hinges. VMS systems typically occur in clusters, which the company believes raises the potential for further mineralised zones in the same geological setting.
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Next Catalysts: Pending Assays and 2027 Resource Ambition
Prospectiva has completed six planned diamond drill holes (SF_26_001 to SF_26_006), with assays received for the first three and results for the remainder pending. Two more holes were in progress at the time of the announcement. The fully funded 10-hole Phase 1 programme is expected to complete in mid-Q4 2026, with drilling progressing eastward along the interpreted down-plunge extension.
São Francisco lies within a prospective geological and geophysical corridor of about 3 kilometres, defined by historical IP geophysics and the recent FLEM survey. Historical drilling returned a best intersection of 7.50 metres at 6.41% copper and 0.36 g/t gold. The company holds 21 mineral exploration licences covering approximately 343 square kilometres across Pernambuco and Paraíba states, and is advancing São Francisco toward a potential initial mineral resource estimate in 2027.
