Core Energy Minerals has engaged Torque Drilling for its maiden drilling campaign at the Barking Gecko uranium prospect in Namibia’s Erongo Region, with mobilisation of the drilling contractor and geological team beginning on 2 November 2026.
The campaign, involving 24 drillholes covering approximately 5,280 metres, will investigate extensions of previously identified uranium mineralisation at the prospect, situated on exploration licence EPL3669, adjacent to Bannerman Energy’s Etango Uranium Project.
Core Energy said Torque Drilling’s rig is being mobilised to the site, where diamond and reverse circulation drilling is expected to commence imminently.
The company’s Namibia-based technical team is already undertaking site establishment, safety inductions, drill-pad preparation and rig setup ahead of the campaign.
Core Energy managing director Tony Greenaway said securing a drilling contractor and arranging mobilisation within weeks of signing the Nova Joint Venture earn-in agreement represented an important milestone.
“Engaging a drilling contractor and locking in mobilisation for the first week of November is a major step for Core Energy. Within weeks of executing the Nova earn-in agreement, we are about to put drill rigs on the ground at Barking Gecko. Our team has identified immediate drill targets in a prospect with thick, high-grade historic intersections that remain open at depth and along strike. We look forward to keeping shareholders updated as the program progresses.”
The drilling programme will be implemented in two phases, beginning with 12 holes covering approximately 2,640 metres. Four priority holes, totalling 880 metres, will be drilled first, comprising approximately 290 metres of reverse circulation pre-collars and 590 metres of diamond drilling.
A further 12 holes, covering another 2,640 metres, are scheduled for 2027.
The company said drilling permits are already in place, allowing the contractor to proceed with the planned exploration activities.
Barking Gecko has previously been investigated through 82 reverse circulation and diamond drillholes, which identified multiple thick zones of uranium mineralisation within stacked leucogranite sheets.
Historical drilling results include an intersection of 45 metres grading 222 parts per million equivalent uranium oxide from a depth of 120 metres, while another hole intersected 21 metres grading 886 parts per million from 199 metres.
A further intersection returned 27 metres grading 251 parts per million from a depth of 234 metres.
Core Energy said these results indicate that uranium mineralisation remains open at depth and along strike, providing targets for the forthcoming drilling programme.
The company intends to use diamond drilling to obtain geological and structural information, while reverse circulation drilling will test possible extensions of the mineralised zones.
The drilling results will also help refine the geological model of the prospect and establish whether previously identified uranium-bearing structures continue beyond the areas already investigated.
However, the company cautioned that the interpreted mineralisation footprint is based on historical geological modelling and does not constitute a mineral resource or reserve estimate under the JORC reporting code.
Barking Gecko forms part of the Nova Joint Venture, which includes exploration licences EPL3669 at Tumas North and EPL3670 at Chungochoab.
Under the agreement, Core Energy can earn an initial 25% interest by spending A$2 million on exploration within 18 months. It can increase its holding to 51% through a further A$3 million in exploration expenditure over the following 24 months.
Core Energy manages the joint venture during the earn-in period.
The Nova licences adjoin the company’s existing Gemsbok and Oryx uranium exploration licences, giving it a broader exploration position along the Etango–Husab–Tumas uranium corridor.
Following mobilisation, Torque Drilling is expected to begin with the four priority holes before moving to additional drilling traverses designed to investigate extensions of the known mineralisation.
Core Energy said downhole gamma measurements and laboratory assays will be used to assess the results. Samples will be submitted to ALS Laboratories, with significant findings to be released once the results have been received, verified and interpreted.
