NewPeak Metals ASX:NPM has confirmed the discovery of a large-scale gold-zinc-silver system with the first hole of its 2026 diamond drilling program at the 100%-owned Las Opeñas project in San Juan Province, Argentina.

Assay results from discovery hole 26-LODH-023 returned 663 metres at 0.41 grams per tonne gold equivalent from surface to the end of hole, including 0.16g/t gold, 0.65% zinc, and 4.53g/t silver.

Hole 26-LODH-023 was collared about 5m south of the historical hole 12-LODH-03 Genesis Minerals ASX:GMD completed in 2012, which returned 115m at 0.58g/t gold, 0.65% zinc, 3.5g/t silver, and 0.24% lead from 18m to the end of hole.

NewPeak sees the proximity and consistency of the two holes providing early confidence in the scale and continuity of the mineralised system.

NewPeak has completed 2,464m of diamond drilling across six holes and expects to report the remaining 1,802m of assays from five holes within the next three to six weeks.

Breccia System Tested

Las Opeñas contains a reinterpreted 800m by 600m breccia zone that had previously only been tested to relatively shallow depths.

NewPeak’s latest drilling targeted deeper portions of this breccia area, which appears to form part of a rhyolitic complex associated with phreatic breccias and strong argillic alteration.

The company has interpreted two distinct phases of mineralisation, comprising broad silver-dominated mineralisation in phreatic breccias and gold-silver-polymetallic mineralisation hosted in discrete hydrothermal breccias.

The scale of the mapped and drilled breccia system, combined with the regional structural setting, supports NewPeak’s view that Las Opeñas has the right characteristics for a large-scale gold-dominant polymetallic system.

Large Scale Confirmed

Managing director Mark Purcell said the first hole drilled at Las Opeñas since 2019 and the first diamond hole since 2014 had confirmed a large-scale system from surface.

“Uncovering a system of such substantial scale is exactly what we hoped to achieve,” Mr Purcell said.

“The presence of meaningful zinc and silver credits is also very encouraging given both metals have been formally recognised as critical minerals by the US Geological Survey in 2025.”

NewPeak believes the polymetallic nature of Las Opeñas improves the project’s strategic positioning as markets focus on secure and diversified critical mineral supply chains.

Permitting is already in place to recommence drilling up to another 7,500m, and the company believes favourable results from the remaining holes could support a push towards a maiden resource.