Kaoko confirms broad copper-silver mineralisation with maiden drilling at Chalkos Project
Kaoko Metals has confirmed laboratory-verified copper and silver mineralisation at its Chalkos Copper-Silver Project in Namibia, with its first two diamond drill holes returning broad, shallow intersections and significant high-grade zones.
The assay results, released today, provide the first laboratory confirmation of copper and silver grades at the Otniel prospect, where the company reported visible copper mineralisation in September 2026. The results mark an important milestone in determining the potential of the 400-square-kilometre Chalkos project.
Laboratory confirmation of visible copper discovery
The assays follow Kaoko Metals’ announcement on 2 September 2026, that its maiden drilling programme had intersected visibly strong copper mineralisation at Otniel. Laboratory results were outstanding at that time, and the latest data now establishes the grades of the mineralised zones.
The results confirm broad zones of shallow copper and silver mineralisation, with higher-grade sections occurring within both drill holes. A strong association between copper and silver was also established, with elevated copper grades generally accompanied by elevated silver concentrations.
Managing Director Gerard O’Donovan said the results were an exceptional start to the drilling campaign.
“Confirming broad zones of shallow copper-silver mineralisation with higher-grade zones in our first two drill holes is an exciting start to our drilling campaign at Chalkos. To achieve these results with our very first holes drilled within a 400km² landholding highlights the enormous exploration opportunity ahead of us.
“We are still just at the beginning of this exploration campaign. Our immediate focus is to establish the scale and continuity of the mineralisation at Otniel and to drill test Donkey Hill, while pursuing the potential for further discoveries in between them and across the broader Chalkos package.”
Expanded drilling underway across two prospects
The company has expanded its planned drilling programme at Otniel to at least 15,000 metres to establish the extent of the discovery, test the continuity of mineralisation, investigate its geological controls and identify additional mineralised zones that could contribute to a future resource estimate.
A second diamond drilling rig has been deployed to the Donkey Hill prospect, enabling exploration to proceed at two locations simultaneously. Earlier exploration at Donkey Hill East identified an extension of surface copper mineralisation exceeding 700 metres, bringing the broader mapped copper-bearing trend to more than 1.5 kilometres.
Kaoko is also expediting laboratory analysis of remaining completed holes, with further results expected to clarify the distribution and consistency of mineralisation between drill locations and along surrounding geological structures.
Exploration stage disclosure
The company notes that reported assay intervals are narrower than some visibly mineralised zones because a nominal copper cut-off grade of 0.2% was applied when calculating significant intersections. The intersections represent down-hole lengths, with true geological widths yet to be established.
The discovery remains at an early exploration stage, with results reported for only two drill holes. Kaoko has not yet established a mineral resource or completed studies to determine whether the mineralisation could support a commercially viable mining operation. No metallurgical recovery results or project economics have been disclosed. However, the shallow depths of mineralisation – commencing at down-hole depths of 46 metres and 54 metres – provide an encouraging starting point for further exploration.
The presence of both copper and silver may prove significant in any future development assessment, should subsequent metallurgical studies demonstrate that silver can be economically recovered.
Large untested landholding
Chalkos covers approximately 400 square kilometres, leaving substantial areas beyond Otniel and Donkey Hill yet to be drill tested. The company’s wider strategy is to determine whether the mineralisation identified at Otniel forms part of a larger system extending across the project area.
Today’s results move Chalkos beyond its initial visible copper discoveries to laboratory-confirmed copper-silver mineralisation, with continued drilling now set to determine the scale of the discovery.
