Variscan Mines Ltd. will commence its maiden drilling campaign at the Guajaraz zinc-polymetallic project in central Spain to test high-priority zinc targets.
The upcoming five-hole diamond drilling program will span 1,430 metres, specifically targeting down-dip extensions of historically exploited mineralisation and newly identified base metal anomalies.
The drilling has been precision-designed to safely bypass submerged historical workings while testing for deeper, carbonate-hosted replacement-type zinc mineralisation.
Located approximately 60 kilometres southwest of Madrid, the Guajaraz project is a brownfield site encompassing seven known mineral occurrences. It is centred around the historical La Unión underground mine, which was active periodically between 1945 and the mid-1980s.
Beyond its primary zinc targets, previous geochemical grab sampling has returned high-grade polymetallic results including up to 0.9 per cent copper and 278 parts per million (ppm) silver. This underscores substantial lead, silver, and copper upside across the underexplored, 1,530-hectare tenement.
Operationally, the campaign serves a dual purpose. Commencing work now satisfies the regulatory exploration milestones required for Variscan to formally lodge a three-year extension for the Guajaraz tenement in September 2026.
The operational expansion runs parallel to intensive ongoing surface and underground drilling campaigns at Variscan’s flagship Novales-Udías zinc project in Cantabria.
Variscan Chairman Tony Wehby stated that a recent capital raising in May has injected renewed vigour into the company’s entire Spanish portfolio.
“While surface and underground drilling campaigns continue to expand our mineralised footprint at Novales, this maiden drilling programme at Guajaraz represents an expansion of our regional exploration footprint,” Wehby said.
“We are testing the broader potential of this heavily mineralised, yet underexplored, polymetallic system and simultaneously securing our tenement standing heading into the final stretch of the year.”
With site preparation already finalised following recent local crop harvests, the drilling rig is expected to mobilise immediately.
The company is also deploying infrastructure and power upgrades at Novales-Udias to support deeper underground development.