Serval Resources Plc has confirmed multiple copper mineralised zones across its exploration ground in Namibia’s Kaoko Basin following the company’s first geological mapping campaign on two key Exclusive Prospecting Licences.
The AIM-listed company said the initial field programme on EPL 7081 and EPL 7079 confirmed both historically identified copper showings and newly discovered copper mineralisation at surface, strengthening the company’s view that the licences hold significant copper-silver potential.
Serval also announced the successful renewal of Environmental Clearance Certificates for EPL 7079 and EPL 7082, allowing exploration activities to continue for another three years.
The company’s chief executive officer, Robin Birchall, said the first field campaign had confirmed the prospectivity of the company’s Namibian land package.
“It is exciting that we had our first opportunity to get feet on the ground and start to do work in Namibia,” Birchall said.
“Our land package in the Kaoko Basin is large and one of our positive challenges is target prioritisation, which we aim to address by a systematic approach to exploration.”
Birchall said geological mapping would help refine the company’s understanding of the basin ahead of more advanced exploration work.
“Geological mapping is an important component of this, as it can be used to refine geological interpretations and identify priority zones for follow-up geophysical and soil sampling programmes, before future drilling to expand the known mineralisation,” he said.
He added that the initial programme had already confirmed extensive surface copper mineralisation.
The Kaoko Basin in northwestern Namibia has increasingly attracted exploration attention because of similarities between its geological setting and major sediment-hosted copper systems elsewhere in Africa.
Serval’s EPL 7081 is currently regarded as the company’s highest-priority licence in the basin and hosts several known copper-silver targets, including Omatapati, Otjozongombe and Horseshoe.
Historical drilling in the area had already established higher-grade copper-silver mineralisation.
The company said copper-silver mineralisation on the licence appears most prospective along the contact between the Lower and Upper Omao Formations.
Geological mapping over approximately 20 square kilometres on EPL 7081 confirmed visible copper mineralisation associated with the Nosib/Otavi contact at the Horseshoe prospect.
According to Serval, mineralisation occurs within the Omivero Shale and along the contact with the Lower Omao unit, extending into the Lower Omao Formation itself.
The company also confirmed visible mineralisation at the Lower and Upper Omao contact at Omatapati, with surface mineralisation extending further southeast than previously understood.
Serval said the programme enabled a more accurate delineation of the Lower and Upper Omao contact zones and identified additional visible copper mineralisation at the surface.
The findings are expected to guide follow-up exploration programmes, including detailed mapping, geophysical surveys and soil sampling.
The company also believes the work opens the possibility of extending the Omatapati prospect further southeast.
At the Horseshoe prospect, Serval identified mineralisation at the fold hinge of a large syncline structure. At the same time, additional mineralised expressions were recorded along the same stratigraphic unit on the northern limb of the fold.
The next phase of work will focus on tracing and extending the mineralisation along strike and assessing the southern limb of the structure.
EPL 7079, situated north of EPL 7081, lies less than 10 kilometres from the Taranis/Okohongo copper-silver project, which is already at reserve development stage.
The licence lies within the same regional contact zone between the Otavi and Nosib Groups, which is regarded as a key geological control on copper mineralisation in the basin.
Serval conducted geological mapping across approximately 25 square kilometres on EPL 7079, covering three priority focus areas.
The company said the programme identified favourable geological conditions associated with copper mineralisation closely related to the nearby Okohongo system.
This included the Nosib Group and Omivero siltstone-shale contact in the northern and middle focus areas, as well as the Lower to Upper Omao contact in the southern focus area.
Visible copper mineralisation was recorded in the southern focus area along the Lower-Upper Omao contact, while additional mineralisation was observed at the Ohundayamboto prospect.
Serval said much of the northern and middle sections remain obscured beneath quaternary cover, meaning geophysical surveys and soil geochemistry will be required to define future drill targets.
The company described the initial mapping results as encouraging and said the extent of surface mineralisation had reinforced confidence in the prospectivity of its Kaoko Basin licences.
Serval said it would provide a further update on its planned exploration programme in the coming weeks.
