A copper exploration programme has started in southern Morocco as companies step up activity in a region attracting growing mining investment.
Talisman Metals PLC has begun fieldwork at its Tirzzit Copper Project, marking its first major on the ground campaign since shifting its focus towards copper assets in Morocco.
The company, formerly known as Ovoca Bio, is now concentrating on copper exploration as demand for the metal rises. The current work is aimed at understanding how much copper is present at the surface and how it is spread across the site.
Teams have collected seven channel samples covering 23 metres and 38 trench samples so far. They are also taking extra samples to check data quality and make sure results are accurate.
The first stage of work is trying to map where copper and silver are found along a 700 metre stretch of a much larger 4.6 kilometre zone already identified in older geological records.
Field teams have also seen signs of malachite, a green copper mineral, near the surface. It appears in layers between one and five metres thick.
The plan is to use this early data to decide where to sample next, with work likely to continue at 100 metre intervals to pinpoint the richest areas for future drilling.
The Tirzzit site sits in Morocco’s Anti-Atlas region, an area known for copper and silver deposits. The project covers two mining licences over 16.5 km².
It is located 25 km south of the Zgounder Silver Mine operated by Aya Gold & Silver, and 85 km east of the Tizert Cu-Ag deposit run by Managem Group.
The rocks in the area belong to the Adoudou Formation, which is known to host copper deposits. Earlier records from the site show copper grades reaching up to 6% in some samples.
Talisman chief executive Tim McCutcheon said the exploration team was moved to Tirzzit after early work at another site, Fougnar, suggesting the company is prioritising the most promising targets.
The work comes as Morocco’s mining sector is growing quickly. Copper and silver production has increased in 2026, helped by new projects such as Managem’s Tizert mine, which is expected to boost national copper output.
Other companies are also active in the region. Aterian PLC has reported very high copper grades at its Agdz project, while Morocco Strategic Minerals has raised more funding to expand its work.
Morocco has also been ranked the second most attractive mining investment destination in Africa in 2026, according to the Fraser Institute, reflecting stronger interest from international investors.
Results from the Tirzzit sampling programme are expected in the coming weeks and will help decide whether a drilling campaign goes ahead later in 2026.
