Copper Drilling Confirms Skarn System as Permitting and Target Pipeline Expand

1. Coppernico Metals  is a billboard sponsor of Streetwise Reports and pays SWR a monthly sponsorship fee between US$3,000 and US$6,000.
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1. Ownership and Share Structure Information

The information listed above was updated on the date this article was published and was compiled from information from the company and various other data providers.

Coppernico Disclosures

1. Coppernico is solely responsible for the technical information herein about its Ccascabamba project, such disclosure having been reviewed by its qualified person Tim Kingsley, C.P.Geo. 
2. Streetwise Reports has written this article with information compiled from third-party sources and does not make its own opinions. The information presented in this article comes from Coppernico Metals (when writing technically about the Ccascabamba project), and third-party sources outside of both Coppernico Metals and Streetwise Report’s control. 

Coppernico Metals Inc. (COPR:TSX; CPPMF:OTCQB; 9I3:FSE) issued a corporate update outlining exploration progress achieved in 2025 and detailing its plans for 2026 at the Sombrero Project in Peru. The update highlighted a year marked by drilling activity, advancing new targets through the exploration pipeline, permitting progress, and continued community engagement as the company moved forward with its copper-gold exploration program.

During 2025, Coppernico completed the final eight holes of its inaugural 20-hole diamond drilling program at the Ccascabamba target area. The drilling confirmed the presence of a mineralized skarn system, which the company said aligned with its geological interpretation of the area. Surface work at the Nioc target area also produced notable results, including channel samples returning 52 meters of 1.06% copper and 93.5 meters of 0.87% copper, along with a higher-grade 6-meter interval grading 2.98% copper. At the Tipicancha target, Coppernico identified a large-scale porphyry system where sampling returned 22 meters of 0.65% copper and 0.77 grams per tonne silver, including a 10-meter interval grading 1.14% copper.

The company also submitted an application to expand its current drill permit from 38 platforms to 181 and initiated a regional geophysical program aimed at refining structural interpretations and supporting future drill targeting. In parallel, Coppernico adjusted its land position by adding claims in areas of identified mineralization and relinquishing ground considered non-core.

Community engagement remained a key component of the company's activities. Coppernico reported ongoing discussions related to additional surface access agreements and continued support for AGROIDEAS, a Peruvian government program focused on sustainable agricultural development. The company also stated that it maintained a zero Total Recorded Incident Frequency Rate across employees and contractors throughout 2025. Ivan Bebek, Chair and CEO, said in the news release, "Coppernico enters 2026 with strong technical momentum, a growing target pipeline of high-quality targets, and a clear pathway toward drilling the most prospective areas of the Sombrero mineralized system."

Copper Market Strengthened as Supply Pressures and Hard-Asset Demand Intensified

In a December 12 commentary, Frank Holmes examined the impact of sustained deficit spending and currency debasement on purchasing power, writing that "when money becomes untethered from reality, everything priced in dollars becomes harder to afford." While centered on monetary policy, his analysis framed a broader backdrop in which tangible assets tied to real-world demand retained relevance amid fiscal strain.

By mid-December, copper prices had reached multiple record highs. According to a December 14 report from CNBC, copper prices rose sharply throughout 2025, driven by supply disruptions and tariff-related stockpiling in the United States. The report described the rally as being "turbocharged by tariff concerns," as shipments into the U.S. tightened availability elsewhere. Natalie Scott-Gray, senior metals analyst at StoneX, said that "a huge amount of tightness has to do with U.S. tariff concerns with refined copper inflows into the U.S." The report added that inventories outside the U.S., particularly on the London Metal Exchange, had declined significantly and were nearly 40% lower than at the start of the year.

Supply-side pressures remained evident later in the month. Bloomberg reported on December 22 that copper climbed to a fresh record and approached US$12,000 per metric ton amid trade disruptions, unplanned mine outages, and constrained processing capacity. The report noted that "growing concerns about tightening global supply have outweighed a slowdown in demand," with shipments into the U.S. threatening to leave other regions undersupplied. Bloomberg also said annual benchmark negotiations resulted in smelters receiving zero dollars per ton in treatment and refining charges, described as "the lowest on record," highlighting stress within the refined copper market.

Research Coverage Cites District‑Scale Copper Potential

In a research note dated September 4, analyst Steven Therrien of 3L Capital reviewed the potential scale of Coppernico's targets, with particular emphasis on the Nioc target area. He cited historical results from Fierrazo and more recent drilling at Ccascabamba as evidence supporting a broad copper system. Therrien wrote that "interpreted skarn systems at Nioc's Zones 1 and 2 may represent a deposit system containing hundreds of millions of tonnes," subject to confirmation of mineralization at depth, and noted that several priority zones had yet to be tested with modern drilling.

Copper-Gold Corridor Positioned for Advancement

Coppernico's plans for 2026 focus on advancing multiple copper-gold targets within the Sombrero Project. Situated in the Andahuaylas-Yauri belt, the project is viewed as a geological analogue to Las Bambas, one of the world's largest copper-producing mines. Company materials indicated that the Sombrero land package lies along a 10-kilometer trend marked by overlapping geophysical anomalies and surface mineralization consistent with skarn and porphyry systems.

Key 2026 milestones included advancement of the expanded EIA-Sd drill permit, continued progress on community agreements, and additional results from surface sampling and geophysical programs across Nioc, Antapampa, and other advanced targets. The company also planned to refine drill targeting through the integration of induced polarization, magnetic, and gravity datasets.

The exploration pipeline was further expanded to include targets such as Milpoc, Macha Machay, and Rumi, where geochemical signatures supported continued evaluation. Coppernico also indicated it would remain active at industry conferences, including the Vancouver Resource Investment Conference, PDAC, and events in Zurich and Scottsdale, as part of its investor engagement efforts.

With drilling confirming a significant mineralized system and permitting expansion underway, Coppernico continued working to position the Sombrero Project for additional exploration in 2026. The company stated that its approach remained grounded in safety, community collaboration, and disciplined technical execution. 

Ownership and Share Structure¹

Coppernico Metals is held by a mix of strategic and institutional investors, including Teck Resources Ltd. (TECK:TSX; TECK:NYSE) with a 9.9% interest and Newmont Mining (NEM:NYSE, NGT:TSX, NEM:ASX) with approximately 5.6%.

Based on available data, ownership consisted of 18.37% institutional investors, 15.54% strategic entities, 5.13% management and insiders, and 60.96% retail investors.

Coppernico had 177.3 million shares outstanding and 145.47 million shares in free float. The company's market capitalization stood at CA$47 million, with a 52-week trading range of CA$0.12 to CA$0.54 per share.