Second Government Critical Mineral Study Begins at Bell Copper’s Big Sandy Porphyry Copper Project in Arizona, USA
- Bell Copper
- Oct 17
- 3 min read
October 17, 2025
NEWS RELEASE
Bell Copper Corporation
Second Government Critical Mineral Study Begins at Bell Copper’s Big Sandy Porphyry Copper Project in Arizona, USA
VANCOUVER, B.C. - Bell Copper Corporation (TSX.V: BCU) (OTCQB: BCUFF) (“Bell Copper” or the “Company”) reports that the Arizona Geological Survey at the University of Arizona, with funding from the United States Geological Survey and the State of Arizona, has initiated a new study at the Company’s Big Sandy porphyry copper discovery to assess potential new resources of critical minerals in Arizona. The Company is contributing core samples from its 100% owned Big Sandy porphyry copper project, a large, concealed porphyry copper-molybdenum project located in northwestern Arizona, approximately 30 kilometers from the Company’s Perseverance Project.
· Several critical minerals are commonly enriched in deposits like Big Sandy
· Big Sandy core records the continuous transition from leached capping to supergene blanket
· Initial Samples have been contributed from the Company’s drill core
The Arizona Geological Survey (“AZGS”) research initiative, led by Dr. Carson Richardson, Senior Research Scientist, and Ms. Zoey Plonka, AZGS Research Scientist, is a two-pronged project with one component focused on constraining both the timing of exhumation (via thermochronology) and supergene processes (via Ar-Ar geochronology of alunite and jarosite). The other component would include a detailed study of the Big Sandy supergene profile using systematic sampling to quantify elemental/critical mineral presence and variability. This sampling work has now been completed.
A previous study of Big Sandy core samples culminated in the publication of a University of Arizona Master’s Thesis entitled “Integrating Geochronology and Ore Mineralogy Constraints to Correlate the Formation of the Diamond Joe Pluton and Big Sandy Porphyry Copper Prospect, NW Arizona, USA” by Jonothan Chappell, generally supporting the Company’s concept of a genetic link between the Big Sandy porphyry and the root zone at Diamond Joe Peak, 13 kilometers to the west.
The Big Sandy core has been demonstrated to contain significant amounts of copper, rhenium, and silver, elements which, notably, the U.S.G.S. included on its 2025 Draft List of Critical Minerals.
Dr. Timothy Marsh, Bell’s President and CEO, and a Qualified Person as defined by NI43-101, said,
“Bell is pleased to contribute further samples of the Big Sandy core to aid this assessment of the nation’s critical mineral resources. Big Sandy’s status as one of the few complete profiles from leached capping through supergene enrichment in an unmined porphyry copper deposit gives the AZGS a great example to study.”
Bell Copper continues the work of securing funding to complete the drilling of BS-4 at Big Sandy, which was suspended in August 2024. The BS-4 drill hole is located 900 meters from the previous drill hole, BS-3, which had an intersection of 200 meters of chalcocite-bearing porphyry (see June 7, 2022 news). The Company plans to drill BS-4 into bedrock using an angle capable mud rotary drill, to be followed by coring into bedrock.
About Bell Copper
Bell Copper is a mineral exploration company focused on the identification, exploration and discovery of large copper deposits located in Arizona. Bell Copper is exploring its 100% owned Big Sandy Porphyry Copper Project and the Perseverance Porphyry Copper Project which is under a Joint Venture - Earn In.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of
Bell Copper Corporation
"Timothy Marsh"
Timothy Marsh, President, CEO & Director
For further information please contact the Company
Tel: 1 800 418 8250 Email: info@bellcopper.net
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.









