AUSTRALIAN-listed Kaoko Metals will begin drilling at its Chalkos copper-silver project in northwestern Namibia within six weeks, following a confidence-boosting site visit.
The company says the visit covered its Chalkos and Karibib projects and focused on reconnaissance work, stakeholder engagement, drill-target definition and logistics planning ahead of drilling.
Kaoko has decided to prioritise drilling at the Chalkos project, specifically at the Donkey Hill and Otniel prospects, where copper mineralisation is visible at the surface.
Kaoko Metals managing director Gerard O’Donovan yesterday said the visit strengthened the company’s confidence in the project.
“At Chalkos, the quality of the surface mineralisation, the potential scale of the system and the emerging structural interpretation have given us confidence to accelerate our maiden drilling programme,” he said.
O’Donovan said site preparation and drill-readiness work have progressed faster than expected, allowing it to bring forward its drilling plans.
Kaoko Metals has also engaged structural geologists to study the mineralised system at Donkey Hill and Otniel.
The work is aimed at improving the company’s understanding of the geological structures that may control copper and silver mineralisation and helping determine the final positioning of the first drill holes.
While preparing for drilling at Chalkos, Kaoko will begin a regional soil sampling programme at its Karibib gold-copper-tungsten project.
The programme will cover an area of the project and is intended to identify additional exploration targets before drilling starts.
The results will be combined with existing geological mapping, historical mining information and geophysical data to refine future drill targets.
O’Donovan yesterday said the company believes the regional programme could expand the number of targets available for future drilling.
“We believe a comprehensive programme across the Karibib project area will enable us to significantly expand our target inventory ahead of drilling,” he said.
As part of the visit, Kaoko also met local community representatives, conservancy stakeholders, government officials and potential drilling contractors.
Kaoko Metals is exploring for copper, silver and gold in Namibia’s Kaoko and Damara geological belts.
Its flagship Chalkos project is located in the Kaoko Copper Belt, while the Karibib project is situated near Navachab Gold Mine and the Twin Hills gold project.
