Vanguard Mining has begun its 2025 diamond drill programme at the Redonda copper-molybdenum project in the Vancouver Mining Division near Campbell River, British Columbia, Canada.
The Redonda copper-molybdenum drill programme is guided by targets and structural corridors defined by a Precision GeoSurveys airborne geophysical survey, integrated with insights from recent drilling and surface sampling.
Recent drilling at Redonda intersected intervals up to 142.6m, grading 0.279% copper and 0.0281% molybdenum.
Surface sampling identified near-surface intervals ranging from 3.1m to 48m, grading 0.529% copper equivalent (CuEq).
An earlier drilling campaign reported a 174m mineralised interval from surface, with strong surface sampling averaging around 0.5% CuEq.
Vanguard Mining CEO David Greenway said: "Drilling is now under way at Redonda, launching our 2025 programme and the next leg of growth for Vanguard. Permits are in hand, budgets set, and crews turning – we are executing a deep-drill campaign on the highest-priority targets defined by recent geophysics and prior holes.
"Earlier work delivered a 174m mineralised interval from surface and strong surface sampling averaging ~0.5% CuEq, giving us clear vectors to chase at depth.
"British Columbia remains a top-tier jurisdiction for responsible development, and Canada’s new Major Projects Office signals a commitment to advancing critical projects efficiently. Our goal this season is simple: build on the 2023–24 discovery and start defining the true scale of the Redonda system."
Vanguard has engaged Paradigm Drilling to carry out the programme using a Boyles T-75 hydraulic, track-mounted diamond drill equipped with NQ tooling.
This rig is capable of testing targets at depths beyond 600m.
Initial drill pads have been permitted and are being prepared, with step-out holes planned to assess the continuity of porphyry-style copper-molybdenum mineralisation along prioritised structural trends.
Vanguard will work closely with the Klahoose First Nation throughout the campaign, prioritising local labour, training opportunities and the use of Klahoose-affiliated service providers for logistics where practicable.
The company will coordinate site access, safety and environmental monitoring with Klahoose representatives and continue to identify additional opportunities for capacity building and economic participation as the programme progresses.
The project has all necessary permits to begin drilling and the company has secured full funding for the proposed exploration programme.
The company is currently permitted for up to ten drill sites.
The mineralised zones remain open to the north and south, with potential extensions following an old road system approximately 1km to the north-west.
To the south, mineralisation is interpreted to plunge beneath the Coast Plutonic Complex, indicating a need for follow-up airborne geophysics and subsequent drilling.
Additionally, extensive iron skarns on the eastern side of Redonda Island may reflect a larger magmatic-hydrothermal system at depth, underscoring the project’s district-scale potential.
