Two mining companies, Lundin Mining Corporation and Vicuña Corp, have revealed one of the largest mineral deposits in the world at the Filo del Sol project, located in the province of San Juan. According to an official statement, this is the largest copper discovery in unconventional deposits in the last three decades.
The mineralization at Filo del Sol remains open at depth, with several drill holes ending in mineralization. Metallurgical tests indicate that the oxide mineralization at this site is suitable for heap leaching operations, which would allow the production of copper cathodes and gold/silver doré. On the other hand, the hypogene mineralization at the Josemaría and Filo del Sol projects is considered suitable for conventional milling and flotation to generate copper concentrates. Both gold and silver are expected to reach payable levels in the copper concentrate for both projects.
The Josemaría project is an advanced copper deposit located approximately 10 km from Filo del Sol in the province of San Juan, Argentina. In November 2020, a feasibility study for Josemaría was completed, with the approval of a Social Environmental Impact Assessment in April 2022 by the San Juan Mining Authority. On the other hand, the mineral resource at Filo del Sol covers an area of 10 km² with an approximate strike length of 6.5 km and a width of 1.5 km.
The company's president and CEO, Jack Lundin, highlighted the importance of Filo del Sol as one of the most significant deposit discoveries in recent decades. He emphasized the project's potential to become one of the largest of its kind globally, supported by large resources of copper, gold, and silver. Lundin stated that Filo del Sol and the Vicuña district are prepared to be a world-class mining deposit with a globally renowned mining complex that will promote economies of scale and flexibility for future gradual expansions.
