Kaoko Metals has confirmed the presence of a high-grade polymetallic system at its Karibib Project in central Namibia after the first assay results from reconnaissance fieldwork returned significant copper, gold and tungsten mineralisation across multiple prospects, providing the strongest evidence to date that the project hosts a large-scale mineralised system worthy of systematic exploration.
The results validate historical mineral occurrences identified by previous explorers and demonstrate that mineralisation extends across several areas within the company’s approximately 250-square-kilometre licence package.
Rock chip sampling returned copper grades up to 4.9%, gold up to 0.85 g/t, and tungsten up to 0.68% WO₃, confirming the project’s multi-commodity potential.
The reconnaissance programme was designed to verify historical workings, assess geological continuity and identify priority targets for follow-up exploration rather than simply collect the highest-grade samples.
A total of 54 rock chip samples were collected from the Gamikaubmund, Gamikaubmund North and Pot Mine prospects, where historical trenching and small-scale mining had previously identified mineralisation.
The assay results exceeded expectations.
Ten samples, representing 19% of those collected, returned copper grades exceeding 1%, while three samples assayed above 2% copper, confirming widespread high-grade copper mineralisation across the project.
The strongest result returned 4.9% copper, while another sample produced an impressive polymetallic intersection grading 3.19% copper, 0.85 g/t gold, 46 g/t silver and 0.48% WO₃, highlighting the presence of copper, gold, silver and tungsten within the same mineral system.
The company said the geological results are equally encouraging. Sampling identified both secondary copper oxide minerals, including malachite, azurite, chrysocolla, and supergene chalcocite, and primary sulphide minerals such as chalcopyrite and bornite.
According to Kaoko, the coexistence of oxide and primary sulphide mineralisation suggests the project hosts both near-surface enrichment and a deeper primary mineralising system, characteristics commonly associated with large polymetallic deposits.
Managing Director Gerard O’Donovan said the results confirmed the company’s belief that Karibib has the potential to host a fertile multi-commodity mineral system.
He said the initial sampling represented only the first pass across an extensive land package that has seen limited modern exploration and that the company has now begun a project-scale geochemical programme aimed at defining future drill targets.
Kaoko commenced a systematic geochemical sampling programme on 14 July, initially covering a three-kilometre north-south trend around the Gamikaubmund prospects before expanding over more than 10 kilometres towards the Pot Mine and a further 15 kilometres northeast towards the historical Gamikaub area.
The company said it will combine geochemical surveys with detailed geological mapping and structural interpretation, using exploration methods that contributed to discoveries such as Osino Resources’ Twin Hills Gold Project and Ongwe Minerals’ multi-kilometre gold anomaly at Omatjete. Results from the programme will be used to define and prioritise drill targets across the project.
At the same time, Kaoko confirmed that preparations for maiden diamond drilling at its flagship Chalkos Copper Project remain on schedule, with drilling expected to begin in approximately three weeks.
Initial drilling will target the Donkey Hill and Otniel prospects, where recent fieldwork has extended known surface copper mineralisation and identified structural controls comparable to neighbouring discoveries in the Kaoko Copper Belt.
The company has also strengthened its exploration capability with the appointment of Callum Standing as Consulting Geologist.
Standing, who previously worked with SQM, Chalice Mining and Liontown Resources, will assist with geological interpretation, targeting and exploration strategy as Kaoko advances both its Karibib and Chalkos projects.
