Orion Minerals Limited has revealed significant findings from its recent diamond drilling program conducted at the Flat Mines area within the Okiep Copper Project (OCP) in South Africa‘s Northern Cape Province.
The standout result from drill hole OFMED153 highlights an extraordinary copper intercept, with 49 meters at 4.89% Cu, including an impressive 10.23 meters at 12.47% Cu. This represents the highest-grade drill intercept ever recorded at Flat Mines, confirming the presence of substantial high-grade copper zones in the region.
Orion’s drilling results validate historical data from drilling carried out by Goldfields of South Africa (GFSA) in the 1990s. The first two completed holes, OFMED153 and FME035, intersected significant copper mineralization, affirming the potential of the area. Errol Smart, Managing Director and CEO of Orion, commented on the findings:
“This standout intercept is one of the highest-grade intercepts reported in South Africa for the past 40 years. While it is always exciting to drill such spectacular intersections, they are not unexpected at Okiep. The high-grade copper zones confirmed by our drilling are an important and known feature in the district and at Flat Mines.”
Orion’s exploration efforts underscore the vast potential of its 641km² mineral rights holdings in the region, which contain numerous mapped, mineralized bodies. The company aims to leverage modern exploration and mining technologies to revitalize the Okiep region, which has a rich historical copper mining legacy.
With ongoing drilling and metallurgical testing, Orion seeks to further enhance its understanding of the geological and mineralization characteristics of the Okiep Copper Project. These efforts will contribute to improved resource estimation and mine design optimization, supporting the project’s advancement towards production.
