African Pioneer Plc (LSE:AFP) has commenced a mine development drilling programme at its Ongombo copper project in Namibia, with plans to complete 119 drill holes covering approximately 7,000 metres.
The AIM-listed exploration and resource development company, which holds an 85% interest in Ongombo, is undertaking the programme with financial and technical support from Hong Kong Xinhai Mining Services.
The drilling campaign will focus on extending existing open-pit mineral resources, investigating additional mineralisation at the neighbouring Ongeama project and collecting geological information to support mine planning.
African Pioneer expects drilling to continue for several months, with laboratory assay results to follow as the programme progresses.
Drilling Programme Covers 119 Holes Across Ongombo and Ongeama
The company has initially deployed one drilling rig at Ongombo as part of the mine development programme.
The planned 119 holes will cover approximately 7,000 metres, targeting areas where additional geological information is required to assess mineral resource continuity and support mine design.
At Ongombo, drilling will investigate potential extensions to the existing open-pit mineral resource.
Work at the adjacent Ongeama project will focus on up-dip mineralisation, with the objective of improving geological understanding of the deposit and evaluating its relationship with the Ongombo mineralised system.
The programme is intended to provide additional data for both open-pit and underground mine planning.
African Pioneer has not provided a specific completion date for the drilling campaign, which is expected to run over several months.
Hong Kong Xinhai Provides Financial and Technical Support
Hong Kong Xinhai Mining Services is supporting the drilling programme through an arrangement covering financing and technical assistance.
The collaboration forms part of African Pioneer’s approach to advancing Ongombo towards potential mine development.
The company is also planning to construct an on-site core processing facility to manage the drill core generated during the campaign.
The proposed facility will accommodate geological logging, core cutting and sampling activities, allowing material recovered from drilling to be prepared for laboratory analysis.
The infrastructure is intended to support the anticipated volume of drill core from the 119-hole programme.
Assay results will provide information on mineral grades and distribution within the areas being investigated.
African Pioneer Plans Combined Ongombo–Ongeama Mineral Resource
A principal objective of the drilling programme is to generate sufficient geological information to support the potential consolidation of the Ongombo and Ongeama deposits into a single mineral resource.
The two projects are located adjacent to one another, and African Pioneer intends to investigate the continuity and extent of mineralisation across the project areas.
The planned resource consolidation would provide a basis for evaluating the deposits together as part of a potential mining operation.
Drilling will also target areas where additional geological information could improve confidence in existing resource estimates.
The company aims to use the results to refine mine designs for both open-pit and underground extraction.
Any future combined mineral resource estimate will depend on the geological findings and subsequent technical evaluation.
Programme Supports Open-Pit and Underground Mine Planning
African Pioneer’s development plans include assessing the potential for initial open-pit mining at Ongombo and Ongeama.
The company believes the existing mineral resources and potential extensions could support several years of early-stage open-pit operations, subject to further drilling, resource evaluation and mine planning.
The current programme will provide information needed to assess the location, geometry and continuity of mineralised zones relevant to potential extraction.
The company is also examining underground mining opportunities as part of its broader development plans.
The proposed mining operation remains subject to further technical work, and the latest drilling programme is intended to support decisions concerning resource development and mine configuration.
No revised mineral resource estimate or updated production schedule has been provided in the announcement.
About African Pioneer Plc
African Pioneer Plc (LSE:AFP) is an Africa-focused mineral exploration and resource development company with interests in copper and gold projects.
The company holds an 85% interest in the Ongombo copper project in Namibia, where it is advancing exploration and mine development activities.
Its current work includes drilling at Ongombo and the neighbouring Ongeama project, with the objective of improving mineral resource information and evaluating the potential for combined open-pit and underground mining operations.
African Pioneer is working with Hong Kong Xinhai Mining Services to support the technical and financial requirements of its mine development programme.
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