Intention-listed Caledonia Mining says outcomes from its 2025 exploration programme on the Motapa exploration property, in Zimbabwe, show the presence of serious gold mineralisation throughout a number of zones.
The corporate says the outcomes additionally spotlight the chance for Motapa to evolve right into a strategic extension of the Bilboes mining complicated, probably enhancing manufacturing and lengthening the life-of-mine at Bilboes by way of the event of a mixed mining operation.
Motapa lies instantly adjoining to the Bilboes gold challenge, the place Caledonia is advancing plans for a significant openpit operation based mostly on confirmed and possible reserves of 1.75-million ounces of gold in 24.1-million tonnes of ore at a mean of two.26 g/t.
The corporate says the shut proximity of the 2 tasks provides potential for shared infrastructure and operational synergies, which might improve challenge economics and cut back capital depth over time.
The 2025 drilling programme targeted on testing the continuation of sulphide mineralisation beneath the historic oxide openpits, in addition to figuring out new mineralised zones throughout the property.
Drilling has confirmed continuity of mineralisation alongside a strike size of about 6 km throughout the Bubi Greenstone Belt; a number of mineralised shear zones throughout Motapa North, Central and South; in addition to each oxide and sulphide mineralisation, supporting near-term and longer-term growth potential.
Based mostly on outcomes so far, Caledonia says it expects to publish a maiden mineral useful resource estimate for parts of Motapa within the third quarter of this yr, representing a key milestone in evaluating the challenge’s contribution to the broader Bilboes growth technique.
Chosen drilling highlights so far from Motapa North embrace 19 m at 8.08 g/t (Gap JPRC52); 6.38 m at 13.95 g/t (Gap JDD11); 12 m at 7.12 g/t (Gap JPRC63); 14 m at 4.31 g/t (Gap PLV5RC4); 17 m at 3.25 g/t (Gap JPRC51); 13 m at 3.72 g/t (Gap PLV1RC10); and 6 m at 6.89 g/t (Gap PLV1RC15).
Chosen drilling highlights so far from Motapa Central (Mpudzi) embrace 7 m at 2.39 g/t (Gap MPZRC79); 3 m at 4.79 g/t (Gap MPZRC64); and a pair of m at 5.25 g/t (Gap MPZRC117).
Caledonia CEO Mark Learmonth says these promising outcomes from Motapa show the potential to considerably improve the long-term worth of the corporate’s Bilboes challenge.
He says the constant high-grade intersections at Motapa North spotlight the chance to outline a considerable useful resource in shut proximity to the deliberate infrastructure at Bilboes.
“Whereas our instant focus stays the event of Bilboes, concentrating on first gold within the fourth quarter of 2028, Motapa represents a compelling alternative to increase mine life and enhance future manufacturing throughout a mixed mining complicated,” says Learmonth.
