The drill rigs are finally turning.
Kaoko Metals has kicked off its maiden diamond drilling program at the flagship Chalkos Copper-Silver Project in Namibia, marking a major milestone as the company moves from surface exploration to testing its highest-priority copper targets at depth.
The initial 2,000–3,000m campaign will focus on the Donkey Hill and Otniel prospects, where previous exploration has identified copper-silver mineralisation at surface.
First real test of the system
The program is designed to answer the key questions investors have been waiting on.
Drilling will test whether the known mineralisation continues below surface, extends along strike and is controlled by the geological structures already identified across the project.
At the same time, Kaoko has begun detailed structural mapping across the 2.2km corridor between Donkey Hill and Otniel, with drilling and mapping data feeding into a refined geological model and generating future drill targets.
Figure 1: Optimine Drilling mobilising to Chalkos.
Months of groundwork lead to this moment
The maiden campaign follows months of mapping, geological interpretation and target refinement.
Managing Director Gerard O’Donovan said the company was now testing what it believes is a highly prospective copper system while gathering the geological data needed to unlock the broader project, describing it as “a defining moment for Kaoko.”
What’s next?
With drilling now underway, investors will be watching for the first visual observations from core, followed by assay results that will reveal whether Chalkos hosts a larger copper-silver system beneath the surface. The results will also guide follow-up drilling across Kaoko’s expanding Namibian exploration portfolio.
