Bezant mobilises drill rig to targets on Hope and Gorob

The AIM-traded firm said it had started work in preparation for a mining licence application over the Hope-Gorob copper-gold project area as well.

It said the rig would undertake at least 2,000 metres of diamond drilling to test a number of new airborne EM conductors in the vicinity of the Hope and Gorob deposit cluster, on the Matchless belt in Namibia.

The drilling had the potential to add to the existing JORC 2012-compliant mineral resource base.

Bezant said it had also engaged consultants to undertake work on an updated scoping study and an environmental screening and baseline study covering the Hope-Gorob deposits, with the aim of preparing for a mining licence application before the expiry of the current exclusive prospecting licence in October next year.

The studies would cover areas including geotechnical engineering, underground mine planning and scheduling and financial assessment, as well as groundwater, biodiversity and dust monitoring.

Work had already started on data review and evaluation, as well as environmental monitoring, the board said.

“We consider Namibia a very supportive jurisdiction and we are doing all necessary to progress plans for a mining application at Hope-Gorob,” said executive chairman Colin Bird.

“We are excited about the planned drilling programme - we have an already established resource and the geophysics suggests the potential to mirror that resource.

“A drill rig is on site and we look forward to reporting on progress as the programme advances.”

At 1441 GMT, shares in Bezant Resources were up 1.38% at 0.15p.