Leviathan Metals has started a diamond core drilling programme of up to 10,000m at its wholly owned Central Project in Botswana’s Kalahari Copper Belt.
Mitchell Drilling International is carrying out the drilling using a Sandvik DE710 diamond rig.
The drilling programme is targeting possible sediment-hosted copper at the D’Kar-Ngwako Pan Formation (DKF-NPF) contact, using as a model the style and extent of mineralisation found at MMG's nearby Khoemacau property.
The focus area includes the Hyena Hills dome, where the DKF-NPF contact forms a well-defined domal structure.
Analysis of recent airborne electromagnetic (EM) surveys has allowed Leviathan Metals to interpret more than 20km of this prospective contact beneath sand cover at the Central Project.
The initial drilling phase aims to accurately identify the DKF-NPF contact, with further drilling to follow in selected structural targets.
The company noted that mineralisation observed at Khoemacau does not necessarily indicate similar mineralisation at Leviathan’s own project.
Leviathan COO Jeremy Crozier said: “We are very excited to have commenced drilling of this remarkable target, with the objective of demonstrating the potential of Central to host further Khoemacau-type mineralisation.
“Our budget for this programme will allow us to perform our work at a property scale, casting a net around the full extent of Central’s dome structures.
“We look forward to working with our Botswanan geological team and Mitchell Drilling over the coming months in fulfilment of this campaign.”
The Central Project is positioned next to MMG’s Khoemacau group of copper deposits and discoveries.
MMG’s combined measured and indicated mineral resources at Khoemacau are reported as 94 million tonnes (mt) at 1.8% copper and 22 grams per tonne (g/t) silver.
Meanwhile, inferred mineral resources stand at 188mt at 1.6% copper and 20g/t silver.
MMG acquired these assets in 2023 for $1.9bn (A$2.65bn), alongside the Banana Zone, Zone 6 and Ophion, which together add further resources.
In April this year, Leviathan completed a high-resolution helicopter-borne EM survey at the Central Project.
