Kavango Resources PLC (LSE:KAV, OTC:KVGOF) said its infill soil sampling successfully enhanced target resolution at its Kalahari Copper Belt licence PL082/2018 in Botswana ahead of drilling.
The metals explorer extended its two existing target zones within PL082/2018 and added a third (Middle Zone).
Kavango took a further 312 soil samples, adding to the 3,182 existing ones and reduced the line spacing to 400m from 800m in prospective areas.
The Middle Zone is located between the Northern and Central Zone, with a 1.25km strike and peak value of 35ppm copper.
Northern Zone, meanwhile, had its strike length extended to 9km from 8km and maximum width increased to 650m from 400m.
The Central Zone saw elevated copper levels along 27km strike length, the company confirmed.
Based on data analysis, Kavango's technical team believes PL082/2018 is a possible analogue to Khoemacau's Banana Zone deposit, which sits immediately to the south of Ghanzi Ridge and has been reported as having an estimated total mineral resource of 55.8Mt @ 1.1% Cu & 16.4g/t Ag.
Its next step is reverse circulation and/or diamond drilling within the target zones.
Kavango is also in the process of mobilising CSAMT equipment and expects to complete up to 17line-km of surveys to provide resolution of the anticipated anticline structure and to ensure optimal drill orientation.
“PL082/2018 is among the most promising of our 12 prospecting licences in the Kalahari Copper Belt due to its favourable regional geological structures, the consistent copper values we've encountered, and what we believe are significant geophysical similarities to Khoemacau's nearby Banana Zone deposit,” Ben Turney, chief executive, commented.
Its shares jumped 3.0% to 1.65p less than an hour into Thursday trading.