READ TIME: 10 MINUTES / SPONSORED CONTENT /
—
Mogotes Metals is a junior exploration company focused on copper-gold systems along the Argentina-Chile border, in a region geologically aligned with major discoveries like Filo del Sol and Lunahuasi. This conversation covered the company’s recent expansion into Chilean ground, ongoing geological and geophysical work, trenching and early drilling results at the Cruz del Sur (CDS) and Stockwork Hills (SWH) targets, and plans to begin drilling later in 2025. The discussion also addressed technical interpretations of alteration, mineralization, and geochemical vectors, while probing the company’s capital position, permitting status, and openness to strategic partnerships.
TL;DR
- 1. Mogotes Metals has secured 100% ownership of its Argentine claims and an 80% option on adjacent Chilean ground, consolidating a large land position in a highly prospective porphyry belt.
- 2. The company is conducting systematic geophysics and surface work to define drill targets, with drilling anticipated to begin in Q4 2025.
- 3. Early trenching and drilling at CDS and SWH have returned anomalous gold, zinc, and minor copper values consistent with porphyry halo environments.
- 4. The company has approximately $8 million in cash and believes it can fund the initial drill program without a near-term financing.
- 5. Management is open to strategic investment but intends to maintain control and advance exploration independently through the next phase of drilling.
What work has been completed on the new ground?
Mogotes Metals began exploration on the newly optioned ground in northern Chile immediately after securing signatures. According to CEO Allen Sabet, this includes geological mapping, reconnaissance sampling, and a geophysical survey initiated two weeks prior to the interview. The new ground lies north of the Cruz del Sur (CDS) and Stockwork Hills (SWH) prospects, along the projected trend of the same Miocene-age mineral belt that hosts Filo del Sol and Lunahuasi.
In parallel, Mogotes finalized two transactions: it amended its original Argentine ground option to acquire a full 100% interest (previously capped at 85%) and entered into an option agreement for 80% of the Chilean claims. The company now claims control over what it considers a “district-scale” copper-gold project straddling the Argentina-Chile border.
What work does Stephen want to see done this year?
Technical Advisor Stephen Nano described the Chilean claims as a long-sought acquisition. He said he had pursued the ground for more than two years before the company’s listing, due to signs that alteration systems related to Filo del Sol extended across the border.
Preliminary analysis was based on satellite-based alteration mapping and Argentine geophysics, which showed two large anomalies, Meseta and Cumbre, extending into the newly acquired ground. Reconnaissance work confirmed expectations: hydrothermal breccias with advanced alunite and silica alteration, structurally controlled feeder zones, and zones of stockwork veining. According to Stephen, this is the type of alteration pattern typically found in high-sulfidation epithermal systems and potentially above porphyry-style mineralization.
The Chilean ground had been held for two decades by a major iron ore exporter, which conducted some early-stage sampling and detected broad stream sediment anomalies for copper and gold but did not follow up. Mogotes is using the same Chilean geophysical contractor that executed their 2023 Argentine survey. The current program will use IP and MT to map resistivity and chargeability signatures across the border, with the goal of 3D integration with the Argentine dataset.
Will Mogotes drill this year?
Drilling is tentatively scheduled for October or November 2025. According to Allen, the company intends to define drill targets based on a synthesis of recent trenching, rock sampling, and ongoing geophysics. He indicated that the team will spend the post-field season months creating a “comprehensive” drill plan.
Stephen emphasized that the company is attempting the first-ever systematic work on alteration systems a kilometer south of Filo del Sol and that drilling should only proceed once targeting confidence is high. He reiterated the project’s scale and logistical difficulty, noting that each drill hole carries a high cost due to altitude and terrain. Prioritization, he said, would be based on maximizing discovery potential with limited funds.
When will they release assays?
Assays from trenching and rock sampling in both Argentina and Chile are expected over the coming weeks. Assays from the planned drilling program are more uncertain. According to Stephen, lab turnaround times vary widely, from as little as two weeks to more than six. If drilling begins in October, some results could arrive in Q4 2025, but core assay disclosure may extend into Q1 2026.
Will they have to raise again in 2025?
As of February 29, Mogotes reported approximately $8 million in cash. Allen stated that this is sufficient to begin drilling without requiring additional capital. However, he acknowledged that the scope of the drill program would depend on available funds and internal prioritization. No guidance was given on the number of holes or meters planned.
Stephen noted that the abundance of targets, nine in total, requires disciplined selection. “We can’t drill all of them,” he said. The team’s approach is to define the most compelling targets based on technical criteria, then allocate capital accordingly.
Is everything permitted for a drill program in 2025?
Allen confirmed that the company holds mining licenses that permit drilling. Operationally, drilling requires pre-hole documentation and notification, but no further significant regulatory steps. Mogotes has drilled the area previously and is pursuing a bilateral logistics agreement to allow transport of personnel and equipment across the Chile-Argentina border.
Are the trenches high-enough grade to point the drills?
At CDS, trenching returned 33 meters at 0.64 g/t gold, including a narrower zone of 3 meters at 2.44 g/t. These results came from the end of the trench, beneath thickening gravel cover. According to Stephen, both this trench and a second trench 150 meters away show increasing grades toward a concealed geophysical anomaly, suggesting potential for a buried mineralized zone.
He emphasized that the trench results are not considered ore-grade, but are useful vectors when combined with coincident magnetics, IP chargeability, and geochemistry.
Why is there no copper in the CDS trench?
Copper is present in low concentrations, with gold more strongly expressed. Stephen interprets this as a reflection of position within a gold-rich porphyry halo. The presence of zinc and molybdenum is consistent with this interpretation.
Why is there zinc and molybdenum in CDS?
The trench and drill results include anomalous zinc and molybdenum, consistent with peripheral zones in porphyry models. According to Stephen, the alteration is intermediate to phyllic, and the metal suite suggests Mogotes is in the outer halo of a mineralized system. “That’s exactly what you would expect to see,” he said.
Is the geochemistry of the historic hole correspondent?
Two historic holes drilled by Vale at Stockwork Hills show molybdenum and increasing copper-gold content near their terminations. Stephen stated that one of those holes stopped at 60 meters, far above the modeled geophysical anomaly. A 2024 Mogotes drill hole at CDS intersected 130 meters of anomalous gold and zinc, consistent with trenching and the expected halo environment.
How deep will they have to drill?
Initial targets are expected to lie approximately 300 meters below surface, relatively shallow by Andean porphyry standards. Stephen noted that gravel cover could account for much of the overburden, and emphasized the logistical advantage of working at lower altitudes.
What is the weathering profile at CDS?
The trenches show evidence of copper oxide minerals, including malachite, and preserved sulfides. Copper mobility due to weathering is acknowledged, but gold appears stable. Stephen said that the geochemical data and oxidation state are consistent with a surface-expressed halo above a deeper, potentially higher-grade target.
What are the lithological controls in the trench walls?
The best mineralization appears to be veinlet- and fracture-controlled. Stephen described multiple vein generations, with incipient B-style veinlets. Vein density increases in zones of higher grade. These characteristics support the interpretation of being in the outer zone of a porphyry system.
Why are the two targets geochemically different?
CDS and SWH exhibit distinct metal ratios. CDS is gold-zinc dominant; SWH shows more copper alongside gold. According to Stephen, the differences are typical of zoning within a large intrusive system and may reflect different phases of mineralization or degrees of proximity to the core.
What is the alteration signature telling them?
Alteration assemblages include alunite, sericite, and clay, with strong pyrite development. Stephen described the alteration as phyllic to intermediate argillic, consistent with porphyry halo environments. The geochemistry supports a model of outer-halo mineralization.
What would success in 2025 look like?
Stephen said the company is targeting “hundreds of meters at percent-equivalent copper-gold.” He acknowledged that early drilling is part of a process and that each hole adds information to refine vectoring. The goal is a discovery, not a technical intercept.
What is the first target Stephen would drill?
Stephen said his preference is the Meseta and Cumbre targets in Chile, which lie directly on trend with Filo and Lunahuasi. He described them as having scale and the best indications of high-sulfidation and porphyry potential. However, he added that the final decision must await geophysical results.
Allen cautioned that target prioritization is fluid and may shift as new data emerge.
What news are they expecting over the next couple of months?
Surface results and geophysical interpretation are expected through May. Mogotes plans to release a final drill plan in summer, followed by mobilization in Q4. Results from drilling, if conducted on schedule, may be released late 2025 or early 2026.
Would they consider a JV in 2025?
Allen said the company remains open to a strategic equity investment but prefers to drill the targets independently before entering into any joint ventures. He stated that discussions have occurred and that the project is now approaching a stage where risks are better defined.
Is there room for a strategic investor?
Allen stated that no partner has rights that would prevent strategic deals and that a variety of structures, including consortia, are possible. He cited examples of multi-party arrangements seen in other Andean copper projects.
Why are insiders not buying in the market right now?
Allen attributed the lack of insider open market buying to possession of undisclosed information. He said that he would like to buy but is constrained by blackout periods. When asked about selling pressure, he speculated that it could originate from early private investors exiting after the company’s public listing.
When is the next update expected?
Stephen estimated that new assay results and data releases could come within two weeks. Both executives expect continued news flow as sampling and geophysics are completed in Q2.
Mogotes Metals Interview with CEO and Technical Advisor Allen Sabet & Stephen Nano
VERY IMPORTANT WARNING
Please note that Resource Talks has received monetary compensation from Mogotes Metals for the production of this content. This website is not a research platform – it’s a business that aims to receive compensation for the creation and publication of content from the parties that it covers. This means there will always be a potential conflict of interest which means you can never rely on anything said herein.
By consuming this content, you acknowledge that Resource Talks and/or its affiliates and/or their personnel may own, have owned, or will own interests in and/or may have a business relationship with some or all companies/entities mentioned/featured in this publication. You further acknowledge that entities which may be referenced or featured in this publication or their related parties may hold an interest in Resource Talks or its affiliates, which may create further conflict of interest.
The information provided herein is general & impersonal in nature and meant for entertainment purposes only. The reader acknowledges and agrees that the information does not constitute a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any security or instrument or to participate in any trading strategy. The author is not a licensed investment advisor. He is just another talking head on the internet. He might own shares of companies mentioned in this publication. Always assume he doesn’t know much more than a potato does. The mining & exploration space is among the riskiest sectors to invest in. The risk of anything mentioned in this publication is 100% loss of capital. If you don’t read the official documents provided by the company on http://www.SedarPlus.ca, you will lose all of your money.
