On the first day of the 13th International Congress of Prospectors and Explorers (proEXPLO 2023), organized by the Peruvian Institute of Mining Engineers (IIMP), some details of the Valiente exploration project, located in Ucayali, and discovered in 2021, by the Canadian company Hannan Metals, were disclosed.

This project has the same structural characteristics as the Bajo la Alumbrera mine in Catamarca, Argentina, as it is located in the back-arc of the volcanic arc, where mineralization also dates back to the Miocene.

"Valiente project is envisioned as a medium-small project. Structurally it has the same characteristics," said Joselyn Medina.

This was stated by Joselyn Medina during the presentation of her technical work, prepared together with Dr. Patrice Baby, where she pointed out that there is a mineralization system that coexists with an oil system in the Ucayali river basin, and also with another mineral system, which is a possible MVT (Missisipi Valley Type). "We are in a very interesting context with two mineral systems," she says.

The Ucayali basin is a sedimentary basin belonging to the sub-Andean basin system. It is known for major hydrocarbon deposits such as Camisea (gas field). For this reason, its oil system has been studied in detail, leaving aside the possible mineral system that the basin may contain.

The discovery of copper and gold anomalies at Hannan Metals' Valiente project, located on the Ucayali basin thrust and fold belt system, is the most relevant evidence of mineralization in the area and questions the possibility of a hypothetical mineral system.

According to the results obtained in Joselyn Medina's thesis, the mineral system at the Valiente Project is related to an intrusive and fault system in the area; however, a possible mineral contribution from the basin is not ruled out.

According to Medina, Valiente, in addition to being a gold and copper project, has a lead and zinc section, which coincides with previous reports made in Ingemmet bulletins since 1998.

"In the latest news it has been reported that they have more budget to continue drilling. Now, they are in the geophysical modeling stage and drilling will begin as soon as the rain stops," Medina explained.

It is worth mentioning that this research was carried out for Medina's undergraduate thesis, within the framework of a partnership with the Pontifica Universidad Católica del Perú (PUCP) and the Institute of Research for Development (IRD).

proEXPLO 2023: Discovering the mining of the future