{"id":141535,"title":"East Star Resources has commenced drilling at its Rulikha Copper Project in Kazakhstan","publisher":"Share Talk","author":"sharetalk","published":"2026-10-06T14:35:00+00:00","modified":"2026-10-06T14:36:07+00:00","canonical_url":"https://www.share-talk.com/east-star-resources-has-commenced-drilling-at-its-rulikha-copper-project-in-kazakhstan/","markdown_url":"https://www.share-talk.com/east-star-resources-has-commenced-drilling-at-its-rulikha-copper-project-in-kazakhstan.md","json_url":"https://www.share-talk.com/east-star-resources-has-commenced-drilling-at-its-rulikha-copper-project-in-kazakhstan.json","category":"Mining","categories":["Mining"],"tags":["Alex Walker","East Star Resources","East Star Resources Plc","EST","Kazakhstan","Licence 3631","Rulikha Copper Project","Verkhuba Copper Deposit"],"featured_image":"https://i0.wp.com/www.share-talk.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/404e9aa9-77ce-475d-b686-575ebd2b21ec.jpg?fit=1727%2C911&quality=89&ssl=1","format":"news","language":"en-GB","content":"[East Star Resources Plc (LON: EST)](https://eaststarplc.com/) has commenced drilling at its **Rulikha Copper Project in Kazakhstan** after receiving all required approvals for Licence 3631.\n\nA drilling contract has been executed, and the rig has been mobilised to site, with operations beginning on **5 October 2026**.\n\nThe initial programme is expected to comprise **five drill holes across two target areas for approximately 1,500 metres**.\n\nThe drilling is designed primarily to **verify historically logged copper mineralisation** and support the joint venture’s objective of converting the historical exploration target into a defined mineral resource.\n\nImportantly for East Star shareholders, the programme is being undertaken **at no cost to East Star**.\n\nThe company signed a binding Heads of Agreement with Kazakh partner **Nova Ltd** on 1 September under which Nova will farm into Rulikha and fund the project through development and into production.\n\nUnder those terms, East Star says it is **fully carried to production**, at which point it would retain between **25% and 35% of the producing mine**.\n\nThat structure potentially gives East Star exposure to future project development without requiring it to fund the large capital commitments normally associated with advancing a copper discovery through drilling, resource definition and mine development.\n\nChief executive **Alex Walker** said the current drilling is focused on Target Areas 1 and 2, which contain the majority of the historical exploration target identified from earlier drill logs.\n\nFor investors, the immediate catalyst is now the **drilling itself rather than permitting**, with the programme having moved from planning into field execution.\n\nHowever, the current holes are intended to confirm and validate historical geological information. They do not yet represent a completed Mineral Resource Estimate, and the scale and grade of any economic mineralisation will depend on the new drilling results.\n\nThe next key milestones are therefore **completion of the approximately 1,500-metre programme, assay results and evidence that the historical mineralisation can be converted into a formal resource capable of supporting further project development**.\n\nThe combination of active drilling and a **fully funded farm-in structure** materially reduces East Star’s direct financing exposure, while leaving the company with a potentially significant minority interest should Rulikha ultimately advance to production."}