08:07 AM EDT, 07/24/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Vortex Metals ( VMSSF ) on Wednesday said it hired GeoSupply, a Chile-based Geology & Diamond Drilling Services company for its 3,000 metre, Phase-1 drilling and exploration program at the Illapel Copper Project located in Chile's Choapa Province.

The Illapel Copper concession surrounds the Rio 27 mine, a fully operational copper mine in production for over ten years, which has processed approximately 400,000 tonnes of high-grade ore, with an average grade of 1.39% Cu and approximately 7g Ag.

The phase one drilling program aims to evaluate and advance several high-priority targets within the project area, marking a pivotal step toward the company's objective to delineate a high-grade copper resource in one of the world's most prolific copper-producing regions.

"We are excited to find a suitable drilling services company for Phase-1 drilling program at Illapel," said President and CEO Vikas Ranjan in a statement. "We are looking forward to organizing and commencing phase one drill program in coming weeks."

Vortex Metals ( VMSSF ) is a copper focused exploration and development company with a diversified portfolio of exploration projects in Chile and Mexico.