Diablo Resources Receives Drilling Approval at Stateline Copper Prospect in Utah

Diablo Resources (ASX: DBO) has received approval to begin drilling at the Stateline claim block of its Phoenix copper project in Utah, USA.

The permit covers up to 36 holes targeting shallow mineralisation at the Fair Dinkum prospect, a zone Diablo believes could extend the mineralised fault system that hosts the Flying Diamond deposit.

The approval follows the company’s acquisition earlier this week of additional ground along the Philadelphia prospect, consolidating control of key structures within the Lisbon Valley copper district.

Stateline Drilling Approval

The Bureau of Land Management granted Diablo approval for its maiden drill program at Stateline, which the company considers to be its most prospective copper ground.

The Fair Dinkum prospect lies 5 kilometres south-east of the Lone Wolf deposit and 2km east of the Flying Diamond deposit, both within the Lisbon Valley mining district.

Surface sampling at Fair Dinkum returned results up to 2.76% copper and 92 grams per tonne silver, with seven of 13 samples exceeding 1% copper, and planned drilling will test shallowly dipping mineralisation across Lisbon Valley.

“Obtaining approval for proposed drilling in our Stateline claim block is another positive step forward for our ongoing exploration efforts at Phoenix,” chief executive officer Lyle Thorne said.

“At Fair Dinkum, we have defined a compelling shallow drill target—surface copper mineralisation within Dakota and Burro Canyon conglomerates and sandstones, known hosts to copper mineralisation.”

Expansion of Critical Minerals Footprint

Earlier this month, the company announced it had secured additional claims along strike from the Philadelphia prospect at the CC claim block.

The new ground covers 1,500m of the interpreted extension of the mineralised Philly Fault Zone, expanding the footprint of prospective geology under cover.

Earlier sampling along the Philly Fault Zone returned results averaging 6.29% copper, with grades as high as 45.7% copper and up to 219g/t silver, while channel samples across multiple outcrops delivered intercepts such as 6m at 2.13% copper, including 1m at 7.16% copper.

Soil sampling has now commenced across the new claims, less than 5km from the Lisbon Valley copper mine, which has produced more than 740 million pounds of copper.

Ongoing CC Claim Drilling

The company’s maiden drill program is already underway at the CC claim block, where Diablo commenced drilling in August at the Philadelphia and Trenton prospects.

The company has completed eight holes to date for 603m, with the first batch of samples dispatched to the laboratory and results expected within three weeks.

The CC block, located 5km northwest of Lisbon Valley Copper Corporation’s main operations, is also prospective for extensions of mineralised structures.

With additional ground secured, drilling approved at Stateline and assays pending from the CC block, Diablo is positioning Phoenix as a strategically significant copper project aligned with US critical mineral priorities.