Rome Resources Plc (AIM:RMR) this week gave an update on its Bisie North project, where it is preparing to restart drilling operations.
Helicopters are currently mobilizing from Entebbe, Uganda, to the DRC.
Rome plans to focus on deeper drilling and offset drill holes at Mont Agoma, while confirming no further drilling will occur at Kalayi.
CEO Paul Barrett joined the Proactive studio to tell us all about it.
Proactive: Paul, very good to speak with you. You are out with an operations update saying you're preparing to mobilize and start drilling operations at your Bisie North project.
So a positive development?
Paul Barrett: Yes, thanks. As of this morning, the helicopter is now mobilizing to DRC from Entebbe, Uganda.
We will be starting operations again in the next few days, which is really good.
We have our program set out for what we are going to do going forward.
It is quite straightforward. We have four or five, possibly six, drill holes to drill deeper and offsetting holes to drill on Mont Agoma. We are not going to do any further drilling on Kalayi; we think we have enough information there.
The cores from holes 24 and 26 have made it to the lab in Johannesburg, and we are expecting results probably next week.
We will announce those results and put more detail out on the planning, including diagrams to show what we are trying to achieve. It is going to be a relatively short program, probably a couple of months.
In parallel, we are doing the resource work. As I said, we do not need any more drilling at Kalayi, but we need the assays back from 24 and 26 before we can finalise the Mont Agoma work.
So, it is all coming together quite nicely and quickly.
Proactive: And you say that you took advantage of the pause in drilling to prepare for the next phase, but you are talking about deeper drilling, aren't you?
Paul Barrett: That's right. There is an area in the central part of the deposit where we have not really drilled deeper holes. It is a big data gap.
With our geological model showing that tin grades should increase as we go deeper, there is a compelling argument for drilling those holes, and also a hole to the south to check the extension. It is a very focused program.
We think that by the end of June, we will have completed this program and will move on to the next steps.
Proactive: And the security situation in the region in the meantime, Paul?
Paul Barrett: It has improved tremendously. M23 has withdrawn from Walikale, the nearest sizable town where we have a depot of fuel and supplies.
They have moved back towards the Rift Valley, towards Bukavu and Goma.
There is good news coming out of Rwanda and DRC; they are talking about implementing a ceasefire and having a peace plan by this weekend.
It is all moving in the right direction quite quickly.
We are still operating out of Kisangani for now, but we hope that Goma will open up again soon after the peace plan.
Kisangani is fine; it is just twice as far for the helicopters compared to Goma. It does work, but it is not as convenient.
Proactive: Paul, I hope you will keep us updated on developments as well as those drill results when they come out. Thank you very much for the update.