The phase 1 programme planned for five holes for a total of 5,000m is being drilled by Kluane Drilling using a KD-1000, a modular and highly portable drill rig that can reach depths over 1,200m. Many of the holes have been designed to fulfil multiple objectives, including resource expansion, infill drilling, metallurgical work, and testing proximal exploration targets.
"Collaring the first drill hole is a substantial milestone in Libero Copper's advancement of the Mocoa project and marks the commencement of an ambitious geological programme," said Ian Harris, president and CEO. "Already Columbia's largest copper deposit, drilling will further test the extent of the deposit, expand higher-grade zones, upgrade the resource, and assess new exploration targets.
"Since January 2021 our team's primary focus has been establishing a transparent and collaborative operating environment to maximise local benefit and minimise impacts. Our focus on ESG criteria and standards has been and will be key to unlocking the value of Mocoa through social, environmental, governance and geological development. This first drill hole is a testament to the incredible progress the team has made so far."
The first hole for the phase 1 programme is diamond drill hole MD-043. The hole is designed to test the blank zone between the high-grade core of the Mocoa deposit, that plunges to the northeast, and a high-grade intercept in drill hole M25 that is below the current pit constrained resource.
Corporate social responsibility update
Libero Copper has undertaken an ambitious and comprehensive corporate social responsibility approach to the Mocoa project, well in advance of the company's first drill hole for the project. The programme focused on open and transparent communication before beginning activities. This has allowed the incorporation of local knowledge in Libero's work programmes, maximising the benefits of local content early in the project development and created a grassroots platform for mutual development.
The programmes were developed off the foundation of Libero's core values, responsibility, and mutual respect, and under an operating philosophy of being a ‘Good Neighbour'. The goals of the programme are to maximise the benefit and minimise the local impacts at every stage of the Mocoa project.
Communication programme
Before the start of drilling activities, the Libero team engaged in a participative exploration communications programme including dialogue and workshops with over 4,817 individuals in Mocoa, the capital of Putumayo with approximately 50,000 inhabitants 10km to the south of the project. Overall goals of the programme were listening, candid conversation and co-creation, updating work plans and CSR programmes incorporating local knowledge and feedback and building a framework for maximising the benefit of local content.
The programmes focused on communicating in advance of any significant company activities, with a detailed explanation of the work plans and objectives, and educating on their purpose.
The communication programme included local institutions, 45 community action boards of the 112 neighbourhoods in the entire municipality, indigenous communities, and 534 one-on-one meetings. In addition to dialogue and workshops, the programme was also supported by an ongoing weekly radio corporate programme, a significant presence on social media and chat platforms, and an open-door policy at Libero's office in Mocoa.
On a regional and national level in Colombia, Libero maintains open communication with the Ministry of Mines and Energy, the National Mining Agency, and the Government of Putumayo to ensure alignment of the project with the government's goals and approach to responsible mining. The Mocoa project, as the largest copper resource in Colombia, is a project of regional priority and included in the government's pathway to diversify the mining sector and supporting its energy transition and decarbonisation plans.
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