Noronex Launches 3,000m Drilling Push in Untested Botswana Copper Belt

A Bold Step into Botswana’s Copper Frontier

Noronex Limited has embarked on a pivotal exploration phase with the launch of a 3,000-metre Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling program at its Cgae Cgae Copper Project in Botswana. This initiative marks a critical milestone in the company’s quest to uncover new copper deposits concealed beneath the shallow Kalahari sands, a region that has remained largely untouched by previous drilling efforts.

The Cgae Cgae Project, consisting of two recently acquired tenements, is strategically positioned along the northern margin of the Kalahari Copper Belt. This geological corridor is gaining attention due to its structural resemblance to the Central African Copper Belt, which hosts some of the world’s largest copper deposits in Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Noronex’s geological modelling suggests that the basement rocks beneath the Kalahari sands could hold significant copper mineralisation, making this drilling campaign a high-stakes exploration endeavor.

Partnership with South32, A Strategic Alliance

Backing this exploration push is a robust partnership with mining giant South32, which holds the option to acquire a 60% interest in the project by investing A$5 million over five years. This earn-in agreement not only provides financial muscle but also validates the prospectivity of Noronex’s holdings in the Kalahari Copper Belt. Under the terms, South32 commits A$1 million each quarter to fund drilling and exploration activities, underscoring a shared confidence in the region’s potential.

Noronex retains operational control, managing the exploration program and leveraging modern geological techniques to systematically test the basement horizons. The drilling will predominantly be vertical, reaching depths of up to 150 metres to penetrate the Kalahari sand cover and sample the underlying basement rocks.

Regional Context and Exploration Significance

The Cgae Cgae drilling campaign is part of a broader regional strategy that includes ongoing work at the neighbouring Powerline Project in Namibia. Encouraging results from recent drilling in Namibia’s Damara Project, located along the same geological corridor, have revealed elevated copper values and volcanic sequences analogous to those associated with major copper deposits in the Central African Copper Belt.

These findings bolster the geological rationale for Noronex’s exploration focus, suggesting that the Kwebe Volcanic equivalents and associated intrusive complexes could play a key role in copper mineralisation across the region. The current drilling at Cgae Cgae aims to test these hypotheses directly, potentially opening a new chapter in copper discovery within Botswana’s underexplored terrain.

Looking Ahead

While assay results from the drilling are still pending, the campaign’s commencement signals Noronex’s commitment to advancing its copper portfolio in a strategically important and emerging copper province. The partnership with South32 not only provides financial support but also strategic validation, positioning Noronex as a key player in the Kalahari Copper Belt’s unfolding story.