Noronex and its earn-in partner South32 are preparing to launch a 2,500-metre drilling programme across three priority copper prospects in Namibia during the 2026/27 exploration season after completing a technical review that identified the next generation of drill targets across the Kalahari Copper Belt.
The programme, scheduled to commence during the December quarter, will target the Fortuna, Rosy Copper and Humpback South prospects following the completion of the current exploration phase, where drilling, geophysical surveys and geological interpretation were integrated to rank the company’s most prospective targets for follow-up exploration.
Noronex chief geologist Tony Chisnall said the decision to proceed with another drilling campaign followed a comprehensive review of exploration completed across Namibia and Botswana in partnership with South32.
“Following a comprehensive review of the drilling and regional geophysical programmes completed across Namibia and Botswana, we are pleased to be progressing detailed planning with South32 for the next phase of exploration, including a planned 3,000m drill programme commencing later this year. The continuation of the Humpback-Damara and Cgae Cgae Earn-In Agreements reflects confidence in both the technical work completed to date and the exploration opportunities that have emerged,” Chisnall said.
The planned Namibian campaign follows a 7,112-metre reverse-circulation drilling programme at the Powerline Copper Project, where the company completed evaluation of the Steenbok, Qembo and Zambinda Dome targets and integrated the results with regional gravity surveys conducted across the Damara North project. Noronex said the combined geological and geophysical work had significantly improved its understanding of the northern Kalahari Copper Belt and enabled it to prioritise future drilling across its Namibian portfolio.
The final assay results released this week confirmed additional copper-silver mineralisation at Powerline, including six metres grading 0.36% copper and 38 grams per tonne silver from 147 metres at Qembo North and 28 metres grading 0.30% copper and 26 grams per tonne silver from 169 metres at Zambinda South.
Although drilling targeting thicker structural zones at Zambinda returned mixed results, the company said the programme had materially refined its geological model and identified priority targets that will now be tested during the next exploration phase.
Regional gravity surveys at Damara North also identified several gravity anomalies associated with major basement structures and interpreted hydrothermal pathways beneath Kalahari cover.
Noronex said those anomalies, together with the drilling and geochemical datasets, had substantially reduced geological uncertainty and would form the basis of future exploration expenditure under the South32 earn-in agreement.
