ASX-listed explorer Kaoko Metals Limited has reported strong assay results from its initial reconnaissance rock-chip sampling programme at the Karibib Project in central Namibia, confirming the presence of a multi-commodity mineral system containing copper, gold and tungsten.
Kaoko Metals Managing Director Gerard O’Donovan said the programme comprised 54 field samples collected across the Gamikaubmund, Gamikaubmund North and Pot Mine prospects.
Results included copper grades of up to 4.9%, gold grades of up to 0.85 grams per tonne and tungsten grades of up to 0.68% tungsten trioxide. Ten samples returned copper grades above 1%, with three exceeding 2%.
“Our initial Karibib sampling confirms high-grade copper, gold and tungsten are present across multiple areas of the project. Importantly, this is only the first pass over an extensive land package that has seen little systematic exploration, so the start of our project-scale geochemical programme is the next key step in unlocking the project’s potential,” O’Donovan said.
The company said the mineralisation is hosted across several rock types, including calc-silicate, quartz veining, biotite schist and granite, consistent with skarn-style and polymetallic replacement mineralisation.
Copper occurs mainly as secondary oxide minerals, although primary sulphides were also identified, pointing to the potential for both near-surface mineralisation and deeper primary mineralisation.
Kaoko said tungsten grades appeared to be independent of copper grades, with several high-tungsten results recorded in samples containing more moderate copper grades. The company said the pattern is consistent with the zonation typically found in copper-gold-tungsten skarn systems.
Silver and gold results generally correlated with copper grades.
The company has now started a project-scale geochemical sampling programme, initially targeting a three-kilometre north-south trend around Gamikaubmund and Gamikaubmund North.
Further phases are expected to cover more than 10 kilometres of strike towards the Pot Mine and more than 15 kilometres northeast towards the historical Gamikaub area.
“We are now applying exploration methodologies that have delivered major discoveries elsewhere within the Damara Belt, and we are excited to start defining new drill targets from this work,” O’Donovan said.
In parallel, preparations for Kaoko’s maiden diamond drilling programme at its flagship Chalkos Copper Project remain on schedule, with site preparations nearing completion and drilling expected to begin in approximately three weeks.
“At the same time, we remain on track to commence maiden drilling at Chalkos in around three weeks, and the appointment of co-founder Callum Standing as Consulting Geologist further strengthens our technical team as we accelerate exploration across both projects,” O’Donovan said.
The Karibib Project is located within Namibia’s mineral-rich Damara Belt, near established operations and projects including the Navachab Gold Mine and the Twin Hills Gold Project.
