Junior exploration company Mukuba Resources says it is currently undertaking geotechnical services for its 100%-owned Northcore copper/cobalt project and the Nyimba polymetallic project, in Zambia.

Through the Northcore exploration project, Mukuba Resources confirmed the presence of copper mineralisation in the five specified anomalies.

“The project is still ongoing, with further drilling expected to continue into 2011. So far, 7 602 m of drilling took place in 2010, further confirming the presence of copper mineralisation in this region,” says Mukuba Resources CEO Trevor Richardson.

He notes the company uses external service providers for drilling and geophysical work and, as the owners, Mukuba Resources oversees the project’s deadline and ensures that the project is on schedule.

“A significant challenge for the Northcore project is the abundance of prospective targets the company still has to inves- tigate given that the exploration licence encompasses about 2 274 km2,” Richardson tells Mining Weekly.

He says the company deals with challenges associated with having a large land package by prioritising deadlines accord- ing to importance and the needs of the project at a particular time. “Project targets change from time to time, because we believe both the geological work on the ground and its interpretations are required to ensure the appropriate targets are prioritised before drilling. We strive to meet all the targets regardless,” he adds.

Mukuba Resources has an option to acquire 85% of the Nyimba project. The project comprises five mineralised areas and the company started working on the project in October 2010.

“We expect to delineate a significant amount of polymetallic targets within the Nyimba project licence area. So far, we have drilled one of the five mineralised areas, referred to as Chipirinyuma. Only 500 m of the confirmatory drilling programme has been completed to date and we plan to conduct more drilling on this target and the other four mineralised zones throughout this year,” he says.

Mukuba Resources reports it employs 95% of its workforce from the local community.

The company’s strategic long-term aim is to capitalise on new mining exploration opportunities in Zambia to further grow its project scope.

“I am positive about the current state of the base metals industry, because I do not expect the base metals price to decline over the next few months, owing to China’s raw metals stability. This translates into steady base metals prices,” says Richardson.

To subscribe to Mining Weekly's print magazine email subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za or buy now.