Ongwe Minerals has expanded its Omatjete project area in Namibia by 42% with the acquisition of additional licences.
The Canada-based gold exploration company secured a 90% stake in the adjacent EPL7400 licence, covering 36,600 hectares (ha), and has applied for the EPL11268 licence, which spans 8,200ha.
Ongwe Minerals, through its Namibian subsidiary Belmont Mineral Exploration, has taken a 90% equity interest in Fallout Investments, which holds full ownership of EPL7400.
The application for EPL11268 is pending approval from Namibia’s Ministry of Industries Mines and Energy.
The additional licences will allow Ongwe Minerals to control 50km of strike along the Okondeka Fault Zone, which includes the Kokoseb deposit and the newly identified Manga Gold Prospect.
Recent structural analysis of the Omatjete area has revealed new transfer structures and a parallel fault zone known as the Okakongo Fault System. These geological features may serve as conduits for hydrothermal gold-bearing fluids.
The Okakongo Fault System is located within the Swakop Sedimentary Group, known for hosting Namibian gold deposits.
According to Ongwe Minerals, multiple granitic intrusions within the fault system add to its structural complexity and enhance its prospectivity. The setting draws geological parallels with other significant local gold discoveries such as the Kokoseb deposit, which contains an estimated 2.9 million ounces of gold.
Ongwe Minerals CEO David Underwood said: “Since the initial discovery of the Manga Gold Prospect, we have been working hard behind the scenes to expand the licence package and cover the full extent of the highly prospective Okondeka Fault Zone.
“We are happy to report that this has now been achieved, and we look forward to continued exploration of this fundamental, long-lived structure further to the east.”
Initial surface exploration conducted by Ongwe Minerals has resulted in identification of the Manga Gold Prospect, characterised by a footprint measuring 4.5km × 1km with gold presence in soil samples.
Preliminary drilling has indicated the existence of gold within the bedrock.
The area holds considerable potential for expansion and efforts are under way to further delineate the extent of Manga’s strike along the Okondeka Fault Zone.
In addition to Omatjete, Ongwe Minerals is developing two other main projects in Namibia. The company is said to hold a significant land position in the promising Northwest Damara Belt.
The first is the Khorixas Project, encompassing 154,000ha and featuring the Belmont Prospect. Belmont is an orogenic gold system with a 12km × 6km surface area and high-grade visible gold rock chips at the surface.