London-listed Kavango Resources has identified several new, previously unknown, induced polarisation (IP) zones at its Nara gold exploration project in Zimbabwe, in addition to further extensions of existing structures already hosting mines and artisanal workings.

Kavango holds an option to acquire Nara until June 2025.

Six scoping holes were completed to test the gold-bearing potential underneath artisanal surface workings totalling 1 364.4 m. Samples have been submitted for assay and results are expected imminently, the company said on August 5.

Gradient array ground IP has been completed over the Nara option area, with seven lines of Stacked Schlumberger Sections completed for 6 600 m over selected target areas. The data from this is being inverted and modelled to provide further drill targets, the company explained.

Kavango said it plans to work closely with a mining consultant to evaluate the economic viability of different mining approaches at Nara.

In parallel, metallurgical and economic studies are continuing on both tailings from the Nara dumps and on potential feed material from underground mines.

"Modern exploration can transform Zimbabwe's mining economy. Technologies, such as IP, have not been widely deployed here. This despite the enormous potential for undiscovered, large-scale gold deposits. As one of the first companies to pursue modern exploration in Zimbabwe's greenstone belts, Kavango has a significant first mover advantage.

“The latest results from our Nara gold exploration project underline the strength of our position. We've now identified a number of previously unrecognised structures that have potential to be gold-bearing.

“With the success we are having at Hillside, using the same exploration methods, we feel confident in what we are seeing here. Our current bottleneck is drilling capacity. The rig we are using at Hillside is booked to run there continuously for the rest of the year, so we are now making a plan to bring a second rig into the country,” Kavango CEO Ben Turney said.

BOTSWANA

Kavango also announced the release of a new technical report for its 100%-owned Ditau project, in Botswana.

The technical report has been completed by mining adviser SLR Consulting (Canada) and recommends the next steps for Kavango's exploration at Ditau.

SLR was selected to prepare the technical report because of its extensive understanding of the types of deposit and targets associated with the Ditau project.

SLR concluded that Ditau is an attractive early-stage exploration project with the potential to host a variety of mineralisation styles, warranting a systematic exploration effort consisting of detailed geophysical surveying and a significant amount of drilling.

Prospective mineralisation targets include banded iron formation-hosted orogenic gold, iron oxide copper/gold and rare earth element-bearing carbonatites.

SLR made recommendations for future work programmes, which Kavango is now evaluating.

"SLR's new report underlines the discovery potential within Kavango's Ditau project in Botswana for a range of critical and precious metals. The Ditau project provides us with a longer-term, blue-sky exploration opportunity. This strategically complements our nearer-term exploration efforts in the Kalahari Copper Belt, where we are currently drill testing a large copper system, and Zimbabwe, where we're drilling to discover bulk-minable gold deposits.

“SLR has consolidated the large datasets Kavango has gathered at Ditau to provide clear recommendations for the direction of future exploration. We are currently considering these recommendations," Turney said.