Bannerman Resources Limited (ASX:BMN) will begin a reconnaissance drilling program in late November at prospecting licence EPL3345, north of its Etango Uranium Project in Namibia.
The 9-hole, 1,000-metre program will test two targets within 10 kilometres of the proposed Etango processing plant.
Five holes are planned for the Ombepo target and four holes at the Rossingberg target, drilling 600 and 400 metres, respectively.
Both targets have coincident radon anomalies and surface mineralisation.
Results from the drilling are expected in the first quarter of 2019, after which Bannerman will assess the potential value to be gained from defining further resources within economic trucking distance of the proposed plant.
The work program is consistent with Bannerman’s obligations under the prospecting licence which is due for renewal in April next year.
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Bannerman’s 95%-owned Etango project is near Rio Tinto plc's (LON:RIO) Rössing Uranium mine, the Langer Heinrich Uranium Mine owned by Paladin Energy Ltd (ASX:PDN) and CGNPC’s Husab Uranium Mine.
A definitive feasibility study at Etango has confirmed the viability of a large open pit and heap leach operation with expected annual production of 7-9 million pounds of yellow cake for the first five years and 6-8 million pounds per year thereafter.
The company undertook a large-scale heap leach demonstration program between 2015 and 2017 to provide further assurance to financing parties, generate process information for the engineering design phase and enhance internal capability.