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Kavango Resources #KAV – Kavango’s KCB push continues with new copper target area in Mamuno – Will Schafer
This morning saw Kavango Resources add another drill target to the growing inventory of prospective areas across its licences in Botswana’s Kalahari Copper Belt (“KCB”).
The explorer revealed that high-resolution soil sampling had identified a 5km long by 3.5km wide area of anomalous copper on its “Mamuno” licences, as well as elevated zinc values.
With a peak value of 73 parts per million of the red metal, the work conforms with underlying geology already mapped by Kavango–a key indicator of in-situ mineralisation.
Specifically, the copper follows the geological trend of Ngwako Pan-D’kar geological contact identified by the company. These zones which are known to be linked to high-grade copper mineralisation elsewhere on the KCB.
The Mamuno licences extend to the Botswana-Namibia border, beyond which Rio Tinto and Sandfire Resources are actively exploring adjacent to the west and north.
Kavango is now planning its next steps to sharpen its new target area ahead of drilling.
This includes infill soil sampling, static seismic surveys, and reinterpretation of region aeromagnetic data. The company will also complete airborne or ground electromagnetic and controlled source audiomagnetotelluric surveys to learn more about Mamuno’s underlying geology.
Kavango’s chief executive Ben Turney described the latest drill target as “robust”, adding that the area of the KCB in which the Mamuno licences are based is enjoying an “intensification” of interest after long sitting underexplored due to its sand cover.
“Kavango has managed to carry out geological mapping in the area despite the cover, and considers that the anomaly aligns with an underlying Ngwako Pan/D’kar Formation contact, which is a key control on copper/silver mineralisation in the KCB,” he said.
Turney also highlighted how the work on the company’s Mamuno licences represents the culmination of a 2022 programme of more than 9,500 soil samples across its KCB licences.
This work has been highly successful.
Just last week, Kavango announced that sampling on its PL082/2018 licence had confirmed two major copper/silver drill targets with strike lengths of 8km and 27km. As with Mamuno, these both conform with underlying geology previously mapped by Kavango, and will now be sharpened with follow-up geophysical work ahead of drilling.
Meanwhile, at the start of August, the company confirmed four targets on its PL036/2020 licence. Three of these conform to previously identified target areas known as Acacia, Morula, and Happy, while one sits in an entirely new target area called Kudu.
Kavango’s continued progress in the KCB is particularly encouraging from a timing perspective.
After all, copper is used in everything from electric vehicles to solar panels, and demand is set to increase considerably over the coming decades. However, with reserves not being replaced at an adequate rate, concerns over supply shortfalls are seeing demand for pipeline projects grow among producers of the red metal.
This has seen the KCB experience an accelerated discovery rate, with explorers like Khoemacau and Sandfire enjoying significant progress in their development of copper-silver mines over the 1,000km-long geological structure.
More recently, Cobre caught the eye of the market after repeatedly hitting
copper in its ongoing KCB drilling programme.
Kavango is targeting areas of the KCB where thick sand cover has, for the most part, precluded historical exploration. The company is overcoming this barrier to progress with the aid of modern-day surveying and sampling methods across is >5,000km2 land package.
Things are still, of course, at an early stage. But with today’s news from Mamuno giving Kavanago yet another shot at KCB success, it will be interesting to see where drilling takes the company in the area next later this year.
Kavango Resources #KAV – Kavango appoints leading financial adviser to push forward KSZ JV discussions KAV) – Will Schafer
Tuesday saw Botswana-focused explorer Kavango Resources double down on efforts to secure a partner or partners for its flagship Kalahari Suture Zone (“KSZ”) project.
In an update, the company reported that it has engaged global natural resources adviser Tamesis Partners in respect of a possible corporate transaction involving the KSZ.
It said it already has in place a number of non-disclosure agreements with interested parties, and will now advance discussions with additional parties alongside Tamesis.
To aid in this, Kavango has established an extensive data room to share information relating to the KSZ project, where it is exploring licences covering more than 8,000km2.
The KSZ is thought to be geologically favourable for mafic-ultramafic mineralisation, including massive nickel, copper, and PGE sulphides. This is because deep-seated structures are repeatedly activated and may enable the ascent of fertile mantle-derived magma to surface. Specifically, Kavango is looking for mineralisation associated with two large rock layers–the Karoo Large Igneous Province and the regionally extensive Proterozoic (Tshane Complex).
In Tuesday’s update, Kavango highlighted Tamesis’ strong track record of mining sector transactions, adding that its team boasts extensive financial and technical expertise. It said this would assist in its search for potential partners as well as guiding what sort of structure a deal would take.
Kavango’s current thinking is that a corporate transaction for the KSZ could involve a joint venture, an earn-in, direct investment, or another similar mechanism. Whatever ends up being the case, the explorer made it clear that its goal is to maximise its exposure to the potentially large value of the KSZ while minimising dilution to shareholders.
As pointed out by Kavango’s chief executive Ben Turney, Tuesday’s news follows last week’s publication of a technical review for the KSZ authored by industry veteran Richard Hornsey. Following the release of the documents, “Kavango is now ready to engage formally with potential partners for future development of this large-scale exploration project,” he said.
This is because Hornsey’s report included significant geochemical proof of magmatic nickel, copper, PGE mineralising processes throughout the KSZ. These processes, which include depletion and enrichment, were found in intrusions located in both Karoo and Proterozoic rock. Hornsey’s work also confirmed previously unrecognised PGE potential in the KSZ South.
Kavango is exploring primarily for two different styles of mineralisation at the KSZ.
The first is in the same style as the Norilsk project, which accounts for 90% of Russia’s nickel reserves, 55% of its copper and virtually all of its PGMs. The company’s licences display a geological setting with numerous similarities to the project.
The second centres around the KSZ’s Great Red Spot anomaly, where recent drill holes appear to support a late 1990’s theory that the area could host a form of Iron Oxide-Copper-Gold, or “IOCG”, style mineralisation.
IOCG systems can host highly valuable copper, gold and uranium ores. The large size and relatively simple metallurgy can produce extremely profitable mines. Specifically, the Great Red Spot exhibits similar geophysical signatures to the world-renowned Olympic Dam IOCG ore deposit in Australia.
As confirmed in today’s release, Kavango’s ground exploration at the KSZ project will continue as its efforts to secure a JV partner step up. 
“Our main focus in the coming months will be to act on the recommendations made in the Technical Review and build on the project’s growing momentum,” said Turney. “We have a number of leads to pursue immediately and will continue advancing the B1, B3 and B4 conductors to drill ready status.”
Kavango takes major step towards JV partnership at key KSZ project – Will Schafer
NB: This article is written by Brand Comms contributor Will Schafer
Please note the Brand UK Ltd Disclosure Policy here
Kavango Resources (LSE:KAV) took a major step towards opening the door for joint venture partners at its flagship Kalahari Suture Zone (“KSZ”) project today.
In an update, the explorer released a comprehensive “Proof of Concept” report authored by industry veteran Richard Hornsey that concludes its drilling programme for the Botswana-based asset.
The company was not only able to provide geochemical proof of mineralising processes for magmatic nickel, copper, and platinum group elements (“PGEs”), but it was also able to identify previously unrecognised PGE potential at the south of its project.
The KSZ is a 450km-long anomaly in Botswana where Kavango is searching for nickel, copper, and PGE-rich orebodies across a land package spanning nearly 9,000km2. Signs of the project’s prospectivity are by no means new, with work previously outlining a number of highly prospective targets.
However, in today’s report, which follows a drilling campaign that concluded earlier this year, Kavango has been able to introduce new deposits that will allow it to vector towards the right host rocks and upgrade future targeting.
Not just that, but it has also been able to confirm it is using the appropriate geophysical technologies and data analysis techniques to isolate potential mineral-bearing targets in a scalable programme.
The company will now make Hornsey’s reports, of which there are three, available to potential joint venture partners and other parties interested in the KSZ project. A detailed executive summary can be viewed here.
As highlighted by CEO Ben Turney earlier today, the company Kavango has now completed “the most comprehensive and successful exploration programme ever” at the KSZ.
Indeed, the KSZ was first investigated by explorers back in the 1980s. However, the depth of sand, or “Kalahari cover”, overlying the project was so extreme it precluded further work. Using modern-day exploration techniques, Kavango is now mapping out and drilling the trend to an unprecedented degree.
“When Kavango first set out on this project it was purely conceptual in nature. Today, we have assembled a significant data set that validates the discovery potential,” said Turney.
“We are the first company to demonstrate that mineralising processes have occurred throughout the KSZ, based upon evidence of nickel, copper and PGE depletion and enrichment. This suggests there is a high likelihood that potentially economic magmatic mineralisation may exist, both within the Karoo and the Proterozoic Tshane Complex. The main questions to answer now are where and at what depth.”
Included in today’s report were recommendations for improvements to Kavango’s exploration programme. Using these, the company will now launch into two parallel streams of work.
One of these will focus on deploying CSAMT and TDEM surveys in the field to learn more about the “B conductors” it is preparing to drill. Meanwhile, the other will involve Kavango stepping up its efforts to search for JV partners, with today’s report representing a substantial piece of work that contextualises the KSZ based on the company exploration efforts to date.
As Turney states, this should enable the company to undertake “much more informed discussions with interested parties.”
Today’s report refers specifically to the “Norilsk-style” mineralisation Kavango is proving at the KSZ. Norilsk is located 2,800km northeast of Moscow and accounts for 90% of Russia’s nickel reserves, 55% of its copper and virtually all of its PGMs, and the company’s licences display a geological setting with some similarities to the project.
But it’s worth remembering that, beyond this Norilsk potential, the KSZ also offers a second mineralisation target type.
Indeed, Kavango’s drill holes over the KSZ’s Great Red Spot anomaly at the project appear to support a late 1990’s theory that the area could host a form of Iron Oxide-Copper-Gold, or “IOCG”, style mineralisation.
IOCG systems can host highly valuable copper, gold and uranium ores. The large size and relatively simple metallurgy can produce extremely profitable mines. Specifically, the Great Red Spot exhibits similar geophysical signatures to the world-renowned Olympic Dam IOCG ore deposit in Australia.
Kavango is currently investigating the KSZ’s IOCG potential by way of further AMT surveying and reporting ahead of drill testing.