Connected Minerals Uncovers Exceptional High-Grade Uranium at Etango North-East

Exceptional Uranium Grades Confirmed

Connected Minerals Ltd (ASX: CML) has announced exceptional results from its expanded maiden trenching and sampling program at the Etango North-East Project in Namibia. The program, focused on the newly named Ondapanda Prospect, returned high-grade uranium mineralisation, including a standout 1 metre interval grading 5,413 ppm U3O8 from surface trenching. This result significantly extends the high-grade footprint initially identified in late 2024.

The trenching program comprised 132 rock chip samples collected over 139 metres of trenches, revealing consistent uranium mineralisation within alaskite rocks intruded into the Khan Formation metasediments. Notably, Trench 1 yielded 46 metres at 506 ppm U3O8, including multiple intervals exceeding 1,000 ppm, while other trenches also returned encouraging grades such as 1 metre at 4,847 ppm U3O8 in Trench 6.

Strategic Location and Geological Context

The Etango North-East Project lies along strike and within the same geological units as Bannerman Energy’s world-class Etango Uranium Project, which boasts a resource of 429 million tonnes at 225 ppm U3O8. Connected Minerals’ findings suggest similar mineralisation styles, with uranium associated primarily with alaskite intrusions and alteration zones along a NNW trending fault system. The presence of dolerite dykes and structural offsets adds complexity but also potential for uranium remobilisation and concentration.

Detailed geological mapping and a scintillometer survey covering 13,750 points on a 25m by 10m grid have delineated three key zones of interest: the Ondapanda Prospect, extending 1,000 by 500 metres; and two newly identified prospects, Onkumbwa and Pandula, located on the survey’s edges. Both Onkumbwa and Pandula exhibit characteristics similar to Ondapanda, indicating multiple targets for follow-up exploration.

Next Steps: Drilling and Development

Buoyed by these promising results, Connected Minerals is actively assessing the data to prioritise drill targets. The company is in discussions with drilling contractors to commence its maiden drilling program at Etango North-East as early as Q1 2025. This next phase will be critical to defining the extent, continuity, and economic potential of the uranium mineralisation.

Managing Director Warrick Clent expressed enthusiasm about the project’s potential, highlighting the multiple high-priority zones identified and the strategic advantage of operating near an established uranium district. The company’s methodical approach, combining trenching, detailed mapping, and radiometric surveys, positions it well to advance rapidly toward resource definition.

Broader Implications for Uranium Exploration

Connected Minerals’ results underscore the growing interest in Namibia’s uranium province, which continues to attract exploration investment due to its geological endowment and proximity to existing infrastructure. The high-grade intercepts reported by CML not only validate the exploration model but also raise the profile of the Etango North-East Project as a potentially significant new uranium discovery.

As the global energy transition accelerates, uranium demand is expected to rise, enhancing the strategic value of discoveries like those at Etango North-East. Investors and industry watchers will be keenly observing Connected Minerals’ drilling outcomes and subsequent resource updates.