# Hot Chili Discovers Second Porphyry Centre at La Verde Copper-Gold Deposit in Chile

> Hot Chili discovered a second porphyry centre at La Verde, with a 307m mineralised interval and a maiden resource estimate due later this year.

- Published: 2026-10-19T00:19:35+00:00
- Section: Research & Clinical Trials
- Author: News Desk
- URL: https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-10-19/hot-chili-second-porphyry-centre-la-verde
- Source: [TradingView](https://www.tradingview.com/news/smallcaps:960459a86094b:0-hot-chili-discovers-second-porphyry-centre-at-la-verde-copper-gold-deposit/)

## Key takeaways

- Hot Chili discovered a second porphyry centre at its La Verde copper-gold deposit, 30 kilometres south of a planned central processing hub for Costa Fuego in Chile's Atacama region.
- The first reverse circulation hole returned 148m at 0.44% copper equivalent from 36m, including 44m at 0.56% CuEq from 138m.
- The first diamond hole visually recorded a 307m interval of strong copper porphyry-style mineralisation, with drilling continuing to a planned depth of 500m.

[Hot Chili](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/0002gny/hot-chili) has discovered a second porphyry centre at its La Verde copper-gold deposit, 30 kilometres south of a planned central processing hub for its Costa Fuego project in Chile's coastal Atacama region. [TradingView](https://www.tradingview.com/news/smallcaps:960459a86094b:0-hot-chili-discovers-second-porphyry-centre-at-la-verde-copper-gold-deposit/) reported the step-out drilling results on October 18, 2026.

## Hot Chili's Step-Out Drilling at La Verde

Step-out drilling with two rigs tested for extensions south of a reverse circulation hole drilled in May 2025 that recorded 114m at 0.4% CuEq (0.4% copper) from 86m, including 52m grading 0.5% CuEq (0.5% copper and 0.1g/t gold) from 96m. The first new reverse circulation hole, located 250 metres south of the deposit's +0.4% copper mineralisation footprint, delivered 148m at 0.44% copper equivalent (0.39% copper and 0.07 grams per tonne gold) from 36m, including 44m at 0.56% CuEq (0.5% copper and 0.06g/t gold) from 138m.

Hot Chili then mobilised a diamond drill rig to test for higher-grade copper porphyry-style sulphide mineralisation below the wide oxide zone. The company visually recorded a 307m interval of strong copper porphyry-style mineralisation, associated with copper clays, malachite and black copper oxide mineralogy, in the first diamond hole, collared 100m south of the first reverse circulation hole. A further wide zone of strong porphyry-style sulphide mineralisation, associated with disseminated chalcopyrite and porphyry-style A, B and C veining, was encountered between 172m and 347m current depth, with drilling continuing to a planned depth of 500m.

Managing director Christian Easterday said the initial step-out results provided another boost to the company's growth plans for Costa Fuego. "We are very pleased with the results from our first step-out drilling campaign to the south of La Verde, which confirmed a second porphyry centre concealed beneath shallow Atacama gravels with potential to be of similar scale to La Verde," he said.

## Hot Chili's Costa Fuego Project Scale

Hot Chili is a pre-revenue Australian-listed copper developer advancing the Costa Fuego copper-gold project in Chile's Atacama region through feasibility and permitting, supplemented by the La Verde discovery and the Huasco Water joint venture, according to akta.pro [company records](https://akta.pro/company-data). The same records list a Costa Fuego mineral resource of 798 Mt at 0.45% CuEq Indicated and 203 Mt at 0.31% CuEq Inferred, effective February 26, 2024, and a probable mineral reserve of 502 Mt at 0.37% copper, effective March 27, 2025. The 2025 pre-feasibility study gives a production profile of 116 ktpa CuEq for 14 years, with a 74 ktpa CuEq life-of-mine average over 20 years.

## Earlier La Verde Drilling Results

Hot Chili reported a 472-meter intersection grading 0.41% CuEq at La Verde in August 2026, according to Stock Titan. In its quarterly report for the period ending June 30, 2026, the company reported intersections including 391.1m grading 0.51% CuEq from surface and 250m grading 0.50% CuEq from 64m depth, Yahoo reported in July 2026. PR Newswire reported in July 2026 that drilling results including 250m grading 0.50% CuEq and 258.9m grading 0.42% CuEq continued to expand the near-surface high-grade mineralisation footprint.

## La Verde Resource Estimate and Permitting

Hot Chili will test La Verde South alongside infill drilling at La Verde before completion of a maiden mineral resource estimate later this year. The estimate, a revised Costa Fuego pre-feasibility study and preparation of an environmental impact assessment submission remain on track for completion in the new year.

## Companies in this story

- [Hot Chili company profile](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/0002gny/hot-chili) · website: http://www.hotchili.net.au

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