Canadian exploration company C3 Metals Inc has commenced a large-scale 3D induced polarisation (3DIP) geophysical survey at its Bellas Gate copper-gold project in central Jamaica, marking a significant step toward identifying new drill targets and gaining deeper insights into the area’s mineral potential.

This is after the exploration company reported on the Toronto Stock Exchange that it had started exploratory diamond drilling at its Bellas Gate Project on the border of St Catherine and Clarendon.

The Toronto-based firm announced Monday that the survey will cover approximately 70 square kilometres, more than four times the size of previous surveys, and probe depths of up to 700 metres, more than double the earlier 300-metre range.

Geophysical surveys such as this measure variations in the ground’s electrical chargeability and resistance, helping geologists locate potential mineral-rich zones hidden beneath the surface.

Dan Symons, President and Chief Executive Officer of C3 Metals, said the programme will provide “valuable chargeability and resistivity data across the majority of the project area, and importantly, at depth”.

He added that the data will be integrated into the company’s existing geological models to guide its 2026 drilling campaign.

The survey, being conducted by Dias Geophysical, is expected to be completed by December 2025. The results will be combined with earlier magnetic and geochemical data to refine future drill targets.

C3’s Bellas Gate property spans about 13,000 hectares across three exploration licences in central Jamaica. Previous drilling at the site has confirmed copper-gold mineralisation in multiple areas, including Provost, Connors, and Camel Hill.

Among the notable results to date are 390.7 metres grading 0.37% copper and 0.19 grams per tonne (g/t) of gold at Provost, and 208 metres grading 0.43% copper and 0.20 g/t of gold at Camel Hill.

Earlier surveys at Bellas Gate covered only 16 square kilometres to a depth of around 300 metres. The new 3DIP programme is designed to explore more than twice that depth, potentially revealing new mineral systems below known prospects.

C3’s exploration in Jamaica is being advanced under a partnership with Freeport-McMoRan Exploration, a subsidiary of US copper giant Freeport-McMoRan Inc., announced in February 2025. Under the agreement, Freeport can earn up to a 75% interest in Bellas Gate by investing up to US$75 million in exploration and related expenditures.

In addition to its Jamaican assets, C3 Metals holds extensive exploration ground in southern Peru’s Andahuaylas-Yauri copper belt, home to several of the world’s major mining operations.

The completion of the Bellas Gate survey is expected to set the stage for an active 2026 drilling season, as C3 and Freeport seek to expand their understanding of one of Jamaica’s most promising mineral districts.