African Pioneer has engaged external mining and resource advisors to update the open-pit mineral resource estimate and advise on infill drilling to expand the global resource.
Planning discussions continue with a preferred mining contractor for both open-pit and underground mining, with a focus on building a cost database to refine the financial model.
The developments follow the company’s receipt of official confirmation of Mining Licence No. 240 for its 85%-owned Ongombo Copper-Gold Project, located approximately 40 kilometres northeast of Windhoek in Namibia’s Khomas Region.
The licence, which is valid until March 2045, marks the completion of the government permitting process following the earlier approval of the Environmental Clearance Certificate in March 2025.
The Ongombo project, located within Exclusive Prospecting Licence (EPL) 5772, covers part of the farms Ongombo Ost and Ongombo West.
It lies just 15 kilometres from the historic Otjihase and Matchless copper mines, which share similar geological characteristics.
The deposit is hosted within the Matchless Member of the Kuiseb Formation—part of the Damara Orogen—and is classified as a Besshi-type massive sulphide system, consisting of sheet-like bodies of pyrite, pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite.
According to an independent resource estimate, Ongombo holds a gross Indicated Mineral Resource of 5.7 million tonnes at 1.1% copper equivalent (0.94% Cu and 0.23 g/t Au) and a further Inferred underground potential resource of 23 million tonnes at 1.1% CuEq (0.95% Cu and 0.24 g/t Au).
The mineralised zone extends approximately seven kilometres in length and between half a kilometre and one kilometre in width, dipping gently northwest and gradually thinning westward.
African Pioneer is also assessing nearby concessions with known resources and potential access synergies.
The company believes the Ongombo project could be expanded through collaboration or acquisition to create a broader production base in central Namibia.
With all regulatory approvals in place, Ongombo now moves into its next phase—finalising technical and financial parameters for mine development.
The company is in advanced discussions with multiple parties regarding project-level funding, positioning the copper-gold venture as one of Namibia’s most promising emerging mines.
Colin Bird, Executive Chairman of African Pioneer, stated that the project’s steady progress reflects the company’s commitment to establishing a viable operation in a reliable jurisdiction.
“Ongombo represents not only an opportunity for near-term copper-gold production but also a strategic platform for regional growth in Namibia,” Bird said.
