Kaoko Metals awards maiden diamond drilling contract to Optimine Exploration & Drilling Namibia for Chalkos Copper-Silver Project

Kaoko Metals Limited has awarded a maiden diamond drilling contract to Optimine Exploration & Drilling Namibia for its Chalkos Copper-Silver Project in Namibia. Mobilisation is expected within 1 to 2 weeks for an initial 2,000 to 3,000 metres program.

ASX-listed exploration firm Kaoko Metals Limited has awarded the contract for its maiden diamond drilling program at the Chalkos Copper-Silver Project in Namibia to Optimine Exploration & Drilling Namibia following a competitive tender process. The contract sees Optimine appointed as the key contractor to execute the exploratory work, with equipment and operational personnel scheduled to mobilise to the project site within 1 to 2 weeks, and active drilling operations commencing shortly thereafter upon the completion of site preparations.

The maiden program is initially planned to comprise approximately 2,000 to 3,000 metres of diamond drilling across the priority Donkey Hill and Otniel prospects. The primary scope of work involves testing beneath and along strike from mapped outcropping copper mineralisation, evaluating the depth, orientation, and continuity of mineralised zones, and testing priority targets identified through surface mapping, sampling, and structural interpretation. Additionally, the program will further define the structural controls on mineralisation and provide critical geological data to refine and expand future drilling campaigns across the property.

This operational milestone marks Kaoko Metals Limited's transition from surface exploration and target definition to systematic subsurface drill testing. The initiative carries significant analytical weight as it aims to establish the depth, structural integrity, and scale of copper-silver deposit potential within Namibia's under-explored Kaoko Copper Belt. By verifying outcropping mineralisation at Donkey Hill and Otniel, the company seeks to unlock a potentially scalable resource base, enhancing geological confidence and validating its data-driven targeting strategies.

The deployment underscores broader industry activity in Southern Africa's mining sector, particularly within Namibia's established Damara and Kaoko belts. For stakeholders and investors, the commencement of drilling creates key near-term catalysts, as progressive core logging and laboratory assay results will provide crucial insights into the commercial viability of Kaoko Metals Limited's Namibian assets, while concurrent geochemical work advances at its nearby Karibib project.

Kaoko Metals Limited is an Australian Securities Exchange-listed exploration company focused on identifying and developing large-scale copper, silver, and gold projects in Namibia. Optimine Exploration & Drilling Namibia is a Namibian-owned exploration drilling contractor providing specialized diamond-core, reverse-circulation, surface, and underground drilling services across Namibia and Southern Africa.