Core Energy Minerals has deployed its geological team and drilling contractor to the Barking Gecko uranium prospect located in Namibia, where drilling operations are expected to commence soon.
This marks the inaugural drilling campaign at the Nova Joint Venture Project in the Erongo Region.
The upcoming programme will include both diamond drilling and reverse circulation (RC) drilling at Barking Gecko, which is situated within exploration licence EPL3669.
The site is regarded as an advanced basement-hosted uranium prospect, identified through previous drilling activities.
Core Energy noted that the initial plan involves 24 drillholes totalling approximately 5,280m, to be carried out in two phases.
The first phase will see 12 holes drilled covering roughly 2,640m, with four priority holes accounting for 880m. These will use a combination of RC pre-collars and diamond drill tails.
The remaining 12 holes, amounting to a further 2,640m, are targeted for 2027.
According to Core Energy, drilling permits are already in place, and the in-country technical team has begun site establishment, safety inductions, drill-pad preparation, and rig setup.
A total of 82 historical RC and diamond drillholes have outlined the Barking Gecko prospect.
Prior exploration intersected several zones of uranium mineralisation within stacked leucogranite sheets, with the company noting that high-grade mineralisation remains open both at depth and along its strike.
Initial drilling will focus on priority sections, followed by additional drilling traverses.
Core Energy stated that geological and structural logging, downhole surveying, and systematic sampling will take place throughout the campaign.
Downhole gamma results will be provided alongside assay results once samples have been analysed by ALS Laboratories and interpreted.
Core Energy managing director Tony Greenaway said: “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 programme progresses.”
In December last year, the company signed a binding agreement with Rio Tinto Desenvolvimentos Minerais, a fully owned subsidiary of Rio Tinto, to acquire 100% of the Itambe Project in Brazil.
