KARACHI: Mari Energies Limited (MEL) announced copper-gold discoveries in Balochistan's Chagai district at the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2026, as drilling results encouraged both companies to press ahead with exploration.
MEL Managing Director and CEO Faheem Haider said the company had made a significant discovery at the East Siah Diq (ESD-1) target through its wholly owned subsidiary, Mari Minerals (Private) Limited. The site is about 50 kilometers east of the Reko Diq project and 25 kilometers northwest of Nokkundi in the Koh-i-Sultan area.
Some 25,000 meters of drilling have been completed at ESD-1 in two phases, with holes going down to 500 meters. The drilling found porphyry copper-style mineralisation under about 100 meters of overburden, across an area of 1.4 square kilometers.
“The East Siah Diq discovery marks an important milestone in our minerals exploration programme and strengthens our confidence in the geological potential of Chagai,” Haider said. “We remain committed to responsible exploration and building long-term value for Pakistan and our stakeholders.”
Results from the first phase support the identification of a new porphyry copper discovery, while laboratory analysis of second phase samples is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2027. SGS Pakistan carried out sample preparation and assaying, and the technical information was reviewed by Dr John Mortimer of JM Geoscience, a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101.
The next phase is expected to include deeper drilling to test potential down to 1,000 meters, along with additional holes to assess the lateral extent. The company said the results announced so far do not constitute a Mineral Resource or Mineral Reserve, and that further drilling and technical studies were required to establish scale, grade continuity and economic significance. MEL has also disclosed the discovery to the Pakistan Stock Exchange.
Meanwhile, National Resources Limited (NRL) said it had identified copper and gold mineralisation across at least eight porphyry discoveries in Chagai, with nearly 25,000 meters of drilling delivering encouraging results.
One drill hole returned 295 meters of continuous mineralisation grading 0.43 percent copper and 0.13 grams per tonne of gold, including a 132-meter interval grading 0.83 percent copper, NRL Chairman Muhammad Ali Tabba told the forum.
The discoveries span 5.6 square kilometers in Darigwan, adjoining the earlier discovery at the Tang Kaur copper-gold porphyry system. Tabba said further investigations at exploration licence EL214 were expected to establish substantial resources, subject to completion of exploration and formal resource estimation.
A joint venture between Fatima Fertilizer, Liberty Mills and Lucky Cement, NRL holds five exploration licences in Balochistan, comprising two copper-gold projects, one lead-zinc project and two antimony projects. The company plans to start environmental, hydrogeological, metallurgical and geotechnical studies in 2027, aiming to complete a bankable feasibility study by the end of the decade.
Preliminary resource estimates have been prepared by a separate consultant, but the company is withholding their release until international reporting requirements are met. Tabba reaffirmed NRL's $100 million commitment to mineral exploration in Pakistan.
NRL has also started developing a predictive artificial intelligence model with the Lahore University of Management Sciences to help speed up exploration.
“Our ambition is to build a world-class mineral exploration platform and contribute to an integrated mineral value chain, from discovery and mining to processing and onward value addition,” Tabba said.
He said the technical workforce is almost entirely local, with Baloch geologists working alongside international consultants. NRL is also supporting education and community development through the newly established Chagai Foundation.
“The people of Balochistan must share in the opportunities created by their mineral wealth,” he said.
