09:13 AM EDT, 09/25/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Hot Chili ( HHLKF ) said Thursday that it has commenced diamond drilling at the La Verde copper-gold discovery, located about 30 kilometers south of the company's Costa Fuego project in Chile.

The second phase of drilling at La Verde aims to significantly expand the initial shallow porphyry discovery, Hot Chili ( HHLKF ) said, adding that phase-two drilling follows the company's first-pass reverse circulation drill program, which confirmed a "significant: 0.2% copper discovery footprint.

Importantly, HCH said over half of its first pass drill holes ended in significant mineralisation at the capacity of RC drilling, leaving the porphyry discovery open at depth and laterally.

Hot Chili's ( HHLKF ) share price rose 2.5% to a near 52-week high of $0.82 on the TSX Venture Exchange yesterday.