The Ongombo copper-gold project’s environmental and social impact assessment is at an advanced completion stage, with the ore processing testwork now permitted.
The Ongombo project is on EPL 5772 in the Khomas region, 45 km from Windhoek.
The project area has relatively well-developed infrastructure on the Ongombo Ost and Ongombo West farms.
African Pioneer has an 85% shareholding in the project, whose indicated mineral resource estimate is 5.7Mt at 1.1% Cu equivalent, 0.94% Cu and 0.23g/t Au and inferred underground potential resources of 23Mt at 1.1% CuEq, 0.95% Cu and 0.24g/t Au.
The mineral resource estimate announced on May 16, 2023, resulted in an additional 100,000 tons of contained copper metal and a further 84,000 oz of gold across all resource categories.
The resource estimate was based on 295 drill holes completed between 1988 and 1991 by Addison, with a further 33 holes drilled between 2008 and 2014, followed by 54 holes drilled by African Pioneer.
The Ongombo mineralisation remains open at depth with the scope for adding further tonnage, and based on recent twinned drilling, there is potential for significantly enhanced gold grades in the East.
At the Ongombo project, mineralisation occurs in one continuous zone approximately 7 km long and 0.5 – 1 km wide.
The mineralisation zone dips consistently 15-20° northwest and plunges 5° northeast. Mineralisation is gradually thinning westward.
Mine design criteria assume a discount rate of 10% for the base case, and metal prices include copper at US$9,100 per tonne, gold at US$2,300 per ounce, and silver at US$28 per ounce.
Payability factors of 82%, 70% and 70%, respectively, were applied to all copper, gold and silver assumed to be recovered.
The Ongombo Mining Licence granted in September 2022 is subject to the completion of the environmental and social impact assessment.
On June 10 2024, a new application for an environmental clearance certificate was lodged, and post the period end on April 2 2025, the company announced the approval of the environmental clearance certificate and that this sets in motion the final standard statutory procedures required to activate the previously granted mining licence 240.
The renewal of EPL 5772 until February 1, 2026, is reflected on the Namibian Mines and Energy Cadastre Map Portal.
A conditional environmental clearance certificate for mining activities was granted on EPL 5772 and is valid until April 16, 2026.
A 20-year mining licence 240 was granted on August 10 2022, and covers a portion of EPL 5772 and approximately one-third of the open pit resource.
An extension to the mining licence was submitted on September 6, 2022, to encompass the wider resource area.
