African Pioneer Plc (LON: AFP) has begun planning work for the next stage of development at its Ongombo and Ongeama copper projects in Namibia under its financing and technical services agreement with Hong Kong Xinhai Mining Services Limited.
Subject to rig availability and regulatory approvals, the partners are planning an initial drilling programme using up to four diamond drill rigs, split between Ongombo and Ongeama.
The drilling is intended to provide data for geotechnical studies, final underground and open-pit mine design and an update to the current 29 million tonne resource grading 1.1% copper equivalent at Ongombo.
African Pioneer said drilling will begin once regulatory requirements have been completed and the partners have agreed the final locations and depths of the drill holes.
The campaign is expected to run for several months, followed by an additional period for final assay results. The company is also recruiting technical personnel in Namibia to manage the substantial volume of core expected from a programme involving up to four rigs.
Alongside the drilling preparations, African Pioneer and Xinhai are discussing the final mine design and required plant throughput for the combined Ongombo-Ongeama development.
Chairman Colin Bird said planning for the drilling programme was progressing rapidly and highlighted Xinhai’s commitment to a significant near-term drilling campaign.
The company also confirmed that administrative work relating to the conditions precedent under the definitive financing and mine development agreement announced on 30 July is being finalised.
African Pioneer said it will update shareholders once those conditions have been completed.
