Kantra extends Nugent copper-gold lode 70m below resource

London BTC Company Limited (LSE:BTC, OTCQB:VINZF) announced on 5 October 2026 initial on-site pXRF results from its Black Star gold-critical minerals project in Pershing County, Nevada. A maiden programme collected 69 rock-chip samples along a 2.5km corridor between the Western and Eastern targets. pXRF readings showed antimony up to 0.44% Sb, copper up to 30.0% Cu, bismuth up to 0.73% Bi and silver up to 811 ppm Ag, with the antimony-copper association appearing at both ends of the corridor. The signature mirrors a historical 1985 sample 120m south of the claims (>1% Sb, 2% Cu, 700 ppm Ag). Earlier due-diligence sampling returned up to 16.23 g/t gold and 50.5 g/t silver. Samples are now with MSALABS for laboratory assays, with full multi-element geochemistry including antimony, tungsten and copper to follow. Copper, as a by-product credit, adds strategic appeal under US critical-minerals policy, though results remain preliminary field readings.

Indonesia and Chile proposed a Green Minerals Partnership to deepen cooperation in copper, aluminium, battery materials, green mining technology and downstream processing, supported by the IC-CEPA.

Freeport-McMoRan reported third-quarter 2026 consolidated copper production of approximately 830 million lb, equivalent to about 376,500 mt, broadly in line with expectations as the company continued the phased recovery of operations at the Grasberg minerals district in Indonesia.​ Freeport said slightly stronger results from its international operations offset somewhat lower production from its U.S. mines. Third-quarter copper sales are expected to approximate the company’s July estimate of 750 million lb.​ At Grasberg, mill throughput averaged approximately 140,000 mt of ore per day during the quarter, equivalent to around 67% of normalized operating rates before the September 2025 incident. About 70,000 mt/day of the total throughput came from the Grasberg Block Cave underground mine.​ Upgrades to the Block Cave material-handling system remain on track for completion in early 2027, while preparations continue for the targeted restart of Production Block 1S by mid-2027. Freeport continues to expect Grasberg to reach approximately 80% of capacity by mid-2027 and approach full capacity by the end of 2027.​ PT Freeport Indonesia’s Eastern Java smelter, which had been temporarily suspended following the September 2025 Grasberg incident, restarted operations in late August 2026. Freeport said the smelter ramp-up is progressing in line with expectations. PTFI’s combined smelting capacity, including PT Smelting, is capable of producing up to approximately 800,000 mt/year of copper cathode.​ Freeport also said its U.S. operations experienced lower-than-planned operating rates during the third quarter due to localized flooding, power outages and strong winds, while unusually dry conditions in Indonesia created some milling challenges with limited impact to date.​ Freeport’s third-quarter production performance indicates that the Grasberg recovery is progressing broadly in line with the company’s expectations, although the operation remains below pre-incident throughput levels. The gradual ramp-up at both the Grasberg Block Cave and the Eastern Java smelter should support improving copper output and downstream processing capacity over the coming quarters. Attention will remain on completion of the material-handling upgrades, the planned restart of Production Block 1S and Freeport’s ability to reach 80% of Grasberg capacity by mid-2027.