Pacific Ridge Exploration has initiated its first diamond drilling programme at the Chuchi copper-gold project in the Quesnel Trough, north-central British Columbia (BC), Canada.

Located in proximity to Centerra Gold's Mount Milligan mine, the 160km² Chuchi project includes three mineral tenure blocks.

Historical drilling at the site has been limited, suggesting significant untested potential for copper-gold mineralisation at depth.

Since optioning the project from Centerra, Pacific Ridge has completed a comprehensive geophysical survey, survey lines and 3D inversion modelling.

These efforts have led to an updated interpretation of the system geometry and structural controls of mineralisation within the zone, suggesting potential for mineralisation to extend to significant depths.

Outside the BP Zone, Pacific Ridge has conducted reconnaissance surface sampling, mapping and additional surveying.

The upcoming 2024 drilling programme will extend 3,000m across five or six drill holes, strategically placed to confirm historical results and test for deeper mineralisation.

Pacific Ridge president and CEO Blaine Monaghan said: “I’m unaware of any road-accessible copper-gold porphyry projects in BC that have returned these kinds of intervals and remained relatively underexplored for more than three decades.

“Based on our compilation of historical data and exploration work, we are confident that we can extend the known mineralised extents along strike and to depth.”

In 2022, Pacific Ridge agreed to acquire a stake of up to 75% in the Chuchi porphyry copper-gold project from AuRico Metals, a unit of Centerra Gold.

The deal gave Pacific Ridge the right to earn into the project by paying in cash and stock and also stipulated payment for exploration activities from the company.