Deep Yellow’s broad-based exploration and drilling campaign in Namibia has confirmed the geological continuity of the Tumas palaeochannel but returned only limited uranium mineralisation, sharpening the company’s focus toward higher-potential basement targets as it reshapes its 2026 exploration strategy.
The reverse circulation drilling programme was carried out on Exploration Licence 3496, targeting a previously untested seven-kilometre section of the palaeochannel located about 15 kilometres downstream of the main Tumas 3 area, west of Mining Licence 237.
A total of 39 holes were drilled for 1,801 metres between mid-October and mid-November 2025, with wide-spaced drill lines designed to test channel continuity rather than define resources.
Drilling confirmed the presence of the palaeochannel and identified favourable sedimentary fill, validating the geological model that underpins much of the Tumas uranium system.
However, uranium mineralisation exceeding 100 parts per million equivalent U₃O₈ was encountered only in narrow and isolated zones, indicating limited potential for economic accumulation within the tested corridor.
Several short intersections returned low-grade mineralisation, including two metres at approximately 188 ppm eU₃O₈ from 33 metres in hole TUS125, two metres at approximately 195 ppm from 17 metres in TUS144, and two metres at approximately 139 ppm from 13 metres in TUS147.
The company said these results confirm the presence of uranium in the system but fall well below thresholds required to justify further intensive follow-up in this part of the channel.
Geological interpretation suggests the subdued mineralisation reflects the palaeochannel’s morphology and a lack of effective physical traps within the underlying bedrock.
In this area, the channel is approximately 1.5 kilometres wide. It reaches depths of up to 73 metres, reducing the likelihood of uranium concentration compared with narrower, structurally constrained channel segments elsewhere in the district.
Based on the results, Deep Yellow considers the tested section of the palaeochannel to be sufficiently drilled with limited discovery upside across the seven-kilometre corridor.
Exploration attention in 2026 will pivot toward underexplored basement domains that are prospective for alaskite-hosted uranium mineralisation, consistent with regional models that have delivered several of Namibia’s significant uranium deposits.
The work feeds directly into the company’s broader development strategy at Tumas, where detailed engineering, power and water agreements and early construction activities continue to advance as the project moves toward final investment decision readiness.
Refining exploration targets around the project footprint is intended to strengthen long-term resource optionality while maintaining capital discipline.
For Namibia’s uranium sector, the update reflects a maturing exploration cycle in which companies are increasingly guided by geological selectivity rather than footprint expansion.
As global uranium markets tighten and development timelines compress, disciplined targeting and infrastructure-aligned exploration are becoming as strategically crucial as headline discovery results.
Deep Yellow’s decision to step back from low-probability channel extensions in favour of basement-hosted opportunities signals a more focused approach to value creation around one of Namibia’s most advanced uranium development projects, reinforcing the country’s position as a cornerstone jurisdiction in the next phase of global nuclear fuel supply.
