Krakatoa Resources Ltd (ASX:KTA, LSE:, AIM:) has accelerated drilling and technical studies at the Zopkhito Antimony-Gold Project in Georgia, with its 2026 resource definition campaign running about two months ahead of last year’s program.
Four surface diamond holes and 13 underground holes have now been completed, while initial drill core has been logged and sampled. The first batch of samples is being transported to a laboratory in Türkiye for analysis.
Surface drilling has moved to continuous 24-hour operations, with round-the-clock underground drilling expected to begin shortly.
Resource consultant geologist inspecting the core from 2025 and 2026 drill programs.
Multiple workstreams support resource studies
The program is designed to validate historical exploration data and generate the geological information required to support a maiden JORC-compliant mineral resource estimate.
Independent mining and resource consultants from the UK have completed inspections of the drill core, historical core library, underground workings and broader site conditions.
Information gathered during the visit will contribute to geological interpretation, resource modelling, subsequent drilling plans and potential mine development studies.
Krakatoa chief executive Mark Major said the field season had started positively, with drilling progressing as planned alongside preparations for metallurgical studies.
“Collectively, these work programs are strengthening our geological understanding of Zopkhito and providing the technical foundation required as we progress towards defining a maiden JORC-compliant Mineral Resource,” he said.
Krakatoa personnel inspecting underground adits and vein exposure in Adit 118 with resource and mining consultants.
Drilling targets five known veins
The current campaign is targeting five of the 17 known veins at Zopkhito, focusing on confirming historical high-grade results and defining the geometry and extent of quartz-stibnite vein systems and associated gold zones.
The company also aims to build a foundation for potential resource growth across the broader 1,779-hectare licence area.
Zopkhito is covered by an existing mining licence valid until March 2042, with Krakatoa holding an exclusive option to acquire an interest of up to 80%.
The project hosts a foreign resource estimate of 225,000 tonnes at 11.6% antimony for 26,000 tonnes of contained antimony, alongside 7.1 million tonnes at 3.7 g/t gold for 815,119 ounces.
The estimate is not reported in accordance with the 2012 JORC Code, and further evaluation will be required before it can potentially be classified as a compliant mineral resource.
Forward plan
Krakatoa plans to collect bulk metallurgical samples from selected underground adits in the coming weeks.
Sampling will cover the principal antimony veins and gold-rich alteration zones in the surrounding footwall and hanging wall, with material to be sent to Europe for ore sorting and metallurgical test work.
Environmental baseline studies and permitting activities are continuing, while the company is reviewing historical exploration data outside the current foreign resource footprint to identify additional drill targets.
With assays pending and several technical programs underway, Krakatoa expects a steady flow of operational and technical updates from Zopkhito during the remainder of 2026.
