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The collaboration marks the first time directional drilling technology will be deployed at the Mocoa Project — a milestone that Copper Giant describes as an important step in the continued evolution of its exploration strategy. The initiative forms part of the company's 2026 exploration program, which will be the largest drill campaign in the history of the project.
A shift toward smarter drilling
As the scale and complexity of the Mocoa deposit continue to grow, Copper Giant emphasizes that the focus is not only on drilling more metres, but on drilling more efficiently.
"The implementation of directional drilling at Mocoa marks an important technical evolution for the project," said Edwin Naranjo Sierra, Vice-President of Exploration at Copper Giant.
"As we move into the largest drill program in our history, our focus is not only on metres drilled, but on drilling smarter."
According to Copper Giant, directional drilling allows the company to increase data density within the resource footprint and efficiently test expansion corridors, while reducing overall drilling metres, surface disturbance, and associated costs. By deviating the drill trajectory at depth, multiple daughter holes can be drilled from a single mother hole and drill pad — enabling several mineralization targets to be tested from the same surface location.
Reducing cost per target and environmental footprint
Copper Giant highlights several advantages of this approach: increased operational efficiency, reduced pad construction and mobilization requirements, accelerated timelines for in-fill drilling, and a lower environmental footprint through reduced surface disturbance.
For Aziwell, the engagement reflects a broader shift in how complex exploration projects are executed.
"Projects like Mocoa show why directional drilling is becoming a key part of modern exploration, helping operators reduce cost per target while improving decision-making and minimizing environmental footprint," said Nils Ivar Iversen, CEO of Aziwell.
The Mocoa Project is one of the largest undeveloped copper–molybdenum resources of its kind in the Americas, with mineralization extending more than 1,000 vertical metres and remaining open in multiple directions. As Copper Giant advances its exploration program, directional drilling is expected to play a central role in strengthening the geological model and supporting future technical studies — underscoring how the technology can contribute to safer, more efficient, and more responsible exploration in large-scale and geologically complex environments.