Aim-listed Kefi Minerals on Friday reported that fieldwork had started at its Hawiah exploration licence, in Saudi Arabia.
The fieldwork began with a modest cost but a potentially high-impact induced polarisation and resistivity geophysical survey aimed at better defining the large volcanogenic massive sulphide target for drilling.
This survey follows the previous self-potential (SP) geophysical survey that identified two strong anomalies under the main 6-km-long gossan.
Modelling of these geophysical survey results should provide a robust interpretation of the geometry of any possible sulphide mineralisation, allowing for a more accurate drill design and targeting, Kefi said on Friday.
A follow-up trenching programme was planned to start following completion of this geophysical survey. The trenching would enable targeted collection of samples from the area above the second untested eastern SP anomaly, which Kefi said would then allow for a geochemical signature to be defined to further refine drill targeting within the apparently large structure.
Based on refined drilling targets flowing from this work programme, an initial 2 500 m diamond scout drilling programme was planned to start during the third quarter of this year.
This exploration programme marks the resumption of exploration at Hawiah after two years, following the resolution of local access issues, regulatory overhauls and a subsequent licence renewal.
"Our targeted exploration programme has been steadily working towards drilling Hawiah and our team is confident that the odds of making a significant discovery are relatively high," Kefi chairperson Harry Anagnostaras-Adams commented.
In addition to its exploration assets in Saudi Arabia, Kefi is also developing the Tulu Kapi mine, in Ethiopia.