- National Resources Limited says it has identified Chagai copper and gold deposits at eight sites.
- Mari Energies reports a new porphyry copper discovery at East Siah Diq, about 50 km east of Reko Diq.
- Neither of the Chagai copper finds is yet a formally established mineral resource or reserve.
- Further drilling, studies and resource estimates are planned by both companies.
Two companies announced new Chagai copper-gold discoveries in Balochistan on Friday, each following around 25,000 metres of exploration drilling in the province's Chagai district.
In this article
Both companies said the size of their finds has yet to be established. That caution applies to both Chagai copper-gold announcements.
NRL reports Chagai copper and gold deposits at eight sites
National Resources Limited (NRL) said it had identified copper and gold deposits at eight sites in Chagai. The company is now working towards its first estimate of the area's mineral resources.
Chairman Muhammad Ali Tabba told the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2026 that one drill hole revealed a 295-metre stretch containing 0.43 per cent copper and 0.13 grams of gold per tonne. Within it, a 132-metre section showed a higher copper concentration of 0.83pc.
The discoveries cover 5.6 square kilometres in Darigwan, next to the company's earlier Tang Kaur copper-gold find. Tabba said further work at exploration licence EL214 should help establish the extent of the deposits, subject to completing exploration and a formal resource assessment.
The people of Balochistan must share in the opportunities created by their mineral wealth,
Muhammad Ali Tabba, Chairman, National Resources Limited
Mari Energies adds a Chagai copper discovery at East Siah Diq
In a statement to the Pakistan Stock Exchange, Mari Energies Limited said its wholly owned subsidiary had found copper-gold mineralisation at the East Siah Diq (ESD-1) target. The site lies roughly 50 kilometres east of Reko Diq and about 25 kilometres northwest of Nokkundi, in the Koh-i-Sultan area.
The company completed about 25,000 metres of drilling in two phases, with every hole reaching 500 metres. Copper mineralisation was found beneath roughly 100 metres of sediment, spread over about 1.4 square kilometres.
"Based on the results of drilling completed to date, ESD-1 is a new porphyry copper discovery," the company said. It added that the mineralisation is mainly linked to chalcopyrite, with pyrite and bornite also present. Molybdenum was seen in selected holes, along with green and blue copper oxide minerals in some areas.
| Detail | NRL | Mari Energies |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Darigwan, next to Tang Kaur (EL214) | East Siah Diq (ESD-1), Koh-i-Sultan area |
| Drilling | Nearly 25,000 metres | About 25,000 metres, all holes 500 m deep |
| Area | 5.6 sq km | About 1.4 sq km |
| Metals | Copper and gold | Copper-gold, with some molybdenum |
| Status | Maiden resource estimate in preparation | Not yet a formal resource or reserve |
Caution on the size of the Chagai copper finds
Mari Energies said the results do not yet amount to a formally established mineral resource or reserve. More drilling, geological studies, metallurgical testing and resource assessments are needed before the actual size, quality and development potential can be judged.
NRL said an independent consultant has prepared preliminary resource estimates, but it is withholding them until it meets international reporting requirements. It is working on a maiden resource estimate to those standards.
In practical terms, neither company has published a formal resource figure. Both Chagai copper-gold announcements describe discoveries made through drilling, and both firms say further work is required before the deposits can be sized.
Background: how the Chagai copper announcements fit together
The two Chagai copper-gold announcements came on the same day and describe separate locations. NRL's discoveries are at Darigwan, beside its earlier Tang Kaur find, under exploration licence EL214. Mari Energies' discovery is at East Siah Diq, in the Koh-i-Sultan area, roughly 50 kilometres east of Reko Diq.
Each company reports around 25,000 metres of drilling. NRL's figure is nearly 25,000 metres, while Mari Energies completed about 25,000 metres in two phases, with every hole reaching 500 metres.
The metals and minerals reported differ in detail. Mari Energies links its mineralisation mainly to chalcopyrite, with pyrite and bornite also present, and noted molybdenum in selected holes. NRL's headline figure is a 295-metre drill-hole stretch containing 0.43 per cent copper and 0.13 grams of gold per tonne, which anchors its Chagai copper announcement.
Local expertise and investment in Chagai copper exploration
NRL is a joint venture of Fatima Fertilisers, Liberty Mills and Lucky Cement Ltd. It holds five exploration licences in Balochistan, covering two copper-gold projects, one lead-zinc project and two antimony projects.
Tabba reaffirmed the company's earlier commitment of $100 million to mineral exploration in Pakistan and invited investors and service providers to take part. He said Baloch geologists are working alongside international consultants, while Pakistani contractors carry out inclined drilling, and that the technical workforce is almost entirely local.
NRL has also partnered with the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) on a predictive artificial intelligence model to speed up exploration. Separately, it is supporting education and community development through the newly established Chagai Foundation.
For Chagai copper exploration, NRL plans environmental, hydrogeological, metallurgical and geotechnical studies in 2027, aiming to complete a bankable feasibility study by the end of the decade. Mari Energies expects testing of Phase 1B samples to finish in the first quarter of 2027, and plans deeper drilling, potentially to 1,000 metres, along with an initial geological model and resource estimate.
Questions and answers on the Chagai copper discoveries
Where are the new Chagai copper-gold discoveries?
Both are in Balochistan's Chagai district. NRL's finds are at Darigwan, next to its Tang Kaur site, while Mari Energies' discovery is at East Siah Diq, about 50 km east of Reko Diq.
Are these confirmed mineral resources?
No. Mari Energies said its results are not yet a formally established resource or reserve. NRL is still working towards its first resource estimate under international standards.
What did Mari Energies find at East Siah Diq?
The company said ESD-1 is a new porphyry copper discovery. Copper mineralisation lies beneath roughly 100 metres of sediment and spreads over about 1.4 square kilometres, mainly linked to chalcopyrite, with pyrite and bornite also present.
What did NRL's drilling show?
NRL said one drill hole revealed a 295-metre stretch with 0.43 per cent copper and 0.13 grams of gold per tonne. A 132-metre section within it showed a higher copper concentration of 0.83pc.
Who owns NRL?
NRL is a joint venture of Fatima Fertilisers, Liberty Mills and Lucky Cement Ltd. It holds five exploration licences in Balochistan.
What happens next?
NRL plans further studies from 2027 and a bankable feasibility study by the end of the decade. Mari Energies will continue laboratory testing and plans deeper drilling and an initial resource estimate.
