ASX-listed exploration company Kaoko Metals Limited has accelerated its exploration activities in Namibia, fast-tracking its maiden diamond drilling programme at the Chalkos Copper-Silver Project.
Drilling is now expected to commence within approximately six weeks following a recent management and technical site visit that identified priority targets and refined the company’s exploration strategy.
According to Kaoko Metals Managing Director Gerard O’Donovan, the company has prioritised diamond drilling at Chalkos ahead of a previously planned maiden drilling programme at its Karibib Gold-Copper-Tungsten Project.
The decision follows the identification of promising outcropping copper targets at the Donkey Hill and Otniel prospects, where site preparation and drill readiness activities are already well advanced.
“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, which is planned to commence at the Donkey Hill and Otniel prospects in the near term,” O’Donovan said.
To optimise the drilling campaign, Kaoko Metals engaged structural geologists to assess the project area and refine drill hole orientations, leveraging growing industry recognition of structurally controlled copper systems in Namibia.
“The recent site visit has further reinforced our confidence in the quality and scale potential of our Chalkos Copper-Silver Project. 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,” O’Donovan said.
While drilling activities are being prioritised at Chalkos, the company is simultaneously launching a regional geochemical soil sampling campaign across its extensive Karibib project area.
The programme aims to identify new gold anomalies and build a broader pipeline of drill-ready targets beyond known mineralised zones, drawing on exploration techniques that have contributed to recent discoveries in the Damara Belt.
“At Karibib, we see significant value in applying a broader regional targeting approach as we move towards drilling. Systematic soil and calcrete sampling has been a very effective exploration tool in Namibia, including in the discovery and advancement of projects such as Kokoseb, Twin Hills and Omatjete,” he said.
As part of its pre-drilling preparations, Kaoko’s management team held consultations with local community representatives and conservancy stakeholders at Chalkos to ensure responsible exploration practices.
The company also concluded regulatory briefings in Windhoek with officials from the Ministry of Mines and Energy and held advanced discussions with potential drilling contractors to finalise mobilisation schedules.
