ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s mineral exploration sector has recorded a new development with Mari Energies reporting a copper-gold discovery in Balochistan’s Chagai district, about 50 kilometres east of the Reko Diq mining project.
The discovery was made at the East Siah Diq (ESD-1) exploration target by Mari Minerals, a wholly owned subsidiary of Mari Energies, the company said in a notification to the Pakistan Stock Exchange on Friday.
The company has completed around 25,000 metres of drilling at the site in two phases. The mineralisation has been identified beneath approximately 100 metres of overburden and extends across an area of about 1.4 square kilometres.
Results from the first phase included a drill-hole intersection containing 0.50% copper over 400.25 metres, along with 0.11 grams of gold per tonne. The company said the reported intersections covered the full length of the bedrock encountered, without applying a cut-off grade.
Assaying of samples from the second drilling phase is underway and is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2027. Mari Minerals also plans further step-out and deeper drilling, potentially reaching depths of up to 1,000 metres, to assess the extent of the mineralisation.
The company cautioned that additional drilling, geological interpretation, metallurgical testing, resource estimation and technical studies would be needed to determine the scale, economic significance and development potential of the discovery. The exploration results do not yet constitute a defined mineral resource or reserve.
Discovery coincides with global mining investment push
The announcement comes as Pakistan hosts the two-day Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2026 in Islamabad, bringing together international mining companies, investors and government officials to explore opportunities in the country’s mineral sector.
Balochistan has featured prominently in the discussions, with Chagai emerging as a key area for copper and gold exploration. On the sidelines of the forum on Thursday, Ivanhoe Atlantic and Mari Minerals signed an agreement to explore copper and gold resources in the district and assess their development potential.
Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik has also highlighted exploration licences recently issued for Chagai and Khuzdar, saying the government is focusing on minerals of strategic importance to international investors.
He said Pakistan was strengthening geological surveys, digital mapping and mineral assessment while working to provide uniform fiscal terms and improve security for mining sites and logistics.
The minister has also identified infrastructure, trained workers and access to markets as essential to developing the country’s mineral resources.
The latest discovery adds to exploration activity around Chagai, a region already associated with major copper and gold projects, including Reko Diq. Its longer-term significance will depend on further technical assessment and whether the mineralisation can be developed commercially.
