Connected Minerals Uncovers Strong Uranium Grades in Maiden Etango North-East Drilling
Connected Minerals Ltd has reported promising uranium grades from its inaugural drilling campaign at the Etango North-East Uranium Project in Namibia, with 14 of 15 holes yielding economic mineralisation. These results echo historical successes nearby and set the stage for an expanded exploration program.
- Maiden 15-hole, 2,688m reverse circulation drilling completed
- 14 of 15 holes returned economic uranium grades
- Significant intercepts include 5m at 358 ppm eU3O8
- Results comparable to Bannerman Energy’s Etango Project historic drilling
- Phase 2 drilling and exploration planning underway
Maiden Drilling Success at Etango North-East
Connected Minerals Ltd (ASX: CML) has delivered encouraging results from its maiden drilling program at the Etango North-East Uranium Project in Namibia. The company completed a 15-hole, 2,688-metre reverse circulation drilling campaign focused on the Ondapanda Prospect, with 14 holes intersecting uranium mineralisation at economic grades. This early success validates the company’s exploration strategy and highlights the project’s potential within a prolific uranium province.
Strong Grades and Geological Continuity
Among the standout intercepts were 5 metres at 358 parts per million equivalent uranium oxide (eU3O8) from 88 metres depth, including higher-grade intervals up to 814 ppm eU3O8. These results demonstrate multiple stacked mineralised zones within alaskite leucogranite host rocks, consistent with the geological model. The mineralisation remains open both at depth and along strike, suggesting further upside potential.
Comparison to a World-Class Neighbour
Connected Minerals’ findings closely mirror the initial drilling results reported by Bannerman Energy at their adjacent Etango Uranium Project, which hosts a substantial resource of 429 million tonnes at 225 ppm U3O8. This proximity and geological similarity provide a compelling benchmark and a clear target for Connected Minerals as it advances its exploration efforts.
Validated Exploration Approach and Next Steps
The company’s use of scintillometer surveys to identify high-radiometric response zones has proven effective, guiding targeted drilling that yielded these strong grades. Connected Minerals is already planning a Phase 2 drilling program, which will include extensional and infill drilling at Ondapanda as well as exploration of new targets at the Pandula and Onkumbwa Prospects to the south. These efforts aim to further delineate the resource and enhance understanding of the deposit’s scale and continuity.
Strategic Positioning in Namibia’s Uranium Belt
Etango North-East is situated in Namibia’s Erongo Region, a globally significant uranium-producing area. Connected Minerals holds an 80% interest in the project through its subsidiary, with tenure secured and no known impediments to ongoing exploration. The company’s broader portfolio also includes exploration licences in Western Australia, underscoring its multi-commodity potential and strategic growth ambitions.
Bottom Line?
With strong maiden drilling results in hand, Connected Minerals is poised to escalate its exploration campaign, potentially reshaping its standing in the uranium sector.
Questions in the middle?
- How will upcoming chemical assay results correlate with the gamma probe estimates?
- What scale of resource might Phase 2 drilling reveal at Etango North-East?
- How will market and regulatory environments respond to these promising uranium exploration results?