Kaoko Metals (ASX:KAO) has made a blockbuster start to the first-ever drilling program at its Chalkos Copper-Silver Project in Namibia, with both opening holes at Otniel intersecting broad zones of visible copper mineralisation.
DDOT002 logged 60.25m of visible copper mineralisation from 36.65m, including 32.36m of stronger mineralisation from 59.3m.
DDOT001 returned 51.83m from 39.27m, including 17.2m of stronger visible mineralisation.
Broad, shallow and in more than one rock type
The copper minerals logged include chalcocite, cuprite, malachite, chrysocolla, native copper and chalcopyrite.
More interestingly, mineralisation occurs across quartzite, conglomerate and siltstone rather than being restricted to one narrow host unit.
That has Kaoko looking increasingly closely at structural controls across the broader Otniel system.
Figure 1: DDOT002 Core from 68.13m to 68.34m showing disseminated malachite, chrysocolla, cuprite and chalcocite mineralisation (left) and DDOT001 Core from 64.03m to 64.17m showing disseminated chalcocite, cuprite and dioptase mineralisation (right).
The obvious caveat
These are visual observations, not laboratory grades.
Kaoko is sampling the core now, with assays expected in four to six weeks. Until then, the market does not know the actual copper concentrations across those broad intervals.
Managing Director Gerard O’Donovan called the start encouraging, with both holes delivering broad mineralised zones.
Figure 2: Drill Hole Location Plan – Otniel prospect area.
What’s next
DDOT003 is already drilling to test lateral continuity.
DDOT004 and DDOT005 are planned to test extensions west and south before the rig moves to Donkey Hill, while Kaoko is also investigating adding a second diamond rig.
Two holes have shown the copper is there, now the assays have to tell Kaoko and investors how much.
