Ivanhoe Mines has made an important new discovery of high-grade copper on its 100%-owned Western Foreland licenses in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This, according to media reports, counts as the company’s third largest discovery while in DRC.
Furthermore, Makoko discovery is said to be the first of multiple high-potential target areas identified by Ivanhoe’s exploration team to be tested by drilling. An initial, independent resource estimate for the Makoko copper discovery is expected in the current financial quarter.
In addition, Ivanhoe Mines recently began exploration drilling on other targets identified in the Western Foreland area to test for high grade copper. The mining firm’s executive co-chairperson Robert Friedland said that the latest discovery serves to validate their exploration model for the geologic features controlling the high-grade copper mineralization in the region.
He further elaborated that the model reflects the accumulation of in-depth, proprietary geological insights gained by Ivanhoe’s exploration team during nearly two decades of exploring in the region. Mr. Friedland also expressed his optimism in the success of their exploration of the Western Foreland areas in years to come.
This, he says more or less goes without saying seeing as to how they are in the privileged position of owning 100% of a massive exploration land package with outstanding geological potential. Moreover, the site is located next to Kamoa and Kakula discoveries – Ivanhoe’s other projects. These two have since been independently established as the world’s fourth-largest copper project..
Exploration on Ivanhoe’s Western Foreland licences began in July 2017 with the construction of all-season access roads, bridge construction and the development of new camp facilities. At the time, Ivanhoe simultaneously undertook airborne and ground-based geophysical surveys and revisited previously acquired geophysical and geochemical data sets. The interpretative work would later lead to the definition of a number of promising exploration targets, of which Makoko was the first to be tested with drilling.
The initial discovery hole at Makoko was drilled in September 2017. Follow-up and infill drilling has been ongoing since then. The majority of the drilling to date at Makoko has intersected the copper-rich zone between 400 m and 800 m below surface.
