Resource Minerals International Ltd (ASX:RMI) has identified new structurally controlled copper-gold targets and extended its exploration footprint at the Mpanda project in Tanzania following a high-resolution drone magnetic survey.
The survey, completed across the Kabungu, Ibindi and Kabatini prospects, highlighted a complex network of shear zones, fault intersections and magnetic lows interpreted to be key controls on mineralisation. The data builds on existing soil geochemistry and earlier drilling, increasing confidence in target generation for higher-grade zones.
Location of surveyed area at the Mpanda Project, with prospects and artisanal/historic workings.
“This high-resolution magnetic survey supports our active regional exploration program at Mpanda. The property already hosts multiple high-grade Cu and Au targets, which demonstrate a widespread mineralising system that is substantially underexplored," executive chairman Asimwe Kabunga said.
"This high-resolution magnetic survey data highlights potential controls and hosts for new discoveries in an almost completely unexplored north easterly corridor. We intend to vector off the known discoveries to make new discoveries and build on the already significant exploration pipeline at Mpanda. The field team is remobilising shortly, and we look forward to sharing updates as our exploration program advances.”
What the survey highlights
Magnetic interpretation confirmed that north-northwest trending shear systems and associated splays may have acted as pathways for hydrothermal fluids, with mineralisation potentially concentrated at structural intersections.
At Kabungu, the survey outlined sinistral shear zones linked by splays, with target areas focused on intersections between these structures, which are considered favourable settings for quartz vein-hosted gold and copper mineralisation.
At Ibindi, the data highlighted prominent shear corridors and cross-cutting fault systems, with priority targets defined where north-south faults intersect east-west and regional northwest structures.
At Kabatini, magnetic lows associated with fault networks and microfractures coincide with known artisanal copper-gold workings, reinforcing the prospectivity of those zones.
Structural interpretation and targets for the three survey areas.
Target zone extends into untested corridor
Importantly, the survey has extended the target zone into a largely unexplored north-eastern corridor, identifying fresh structural targets beyond previously mapped anomalies and broadening the project’s exploration footprint.
RMI said the results also validate aspects of its existing geological model while introducing new structural interpretations that may open additional areas for drilling.
Next steps
The company will now look at on-field verification of the newly defined targets ahead of a planned 6,000- to 10,000-metre aircore and reverse circulation drilling program.
A field program is due to begin in the coming week to prioritise targets before second-phase drilling, which is anticipated to start in Q3 2026.