Online Reporter
Sikhulekelani Moyo
Zimpapers Business Hub
CALEDONIA Mining Corporation Plc says its 2025 drilling programme at its Motapa gold mining project in Bubi, Matabeleland North, has delivered consistent high-grade intercepts and confirmed continuity of mineralisation.
This strengthens the case for a combined mining complex with its flagship Bilboes project 110 kilometres north of Bulawayo.
In a recent statement, the Victoria Falls Stock Exchange-listed miner said results from Motapa North and Central returned multiple wide, high-grade sulphide and oxide zones along a 6km stretch of the Bubi Greenstone Belt.
According to Caledonia, standout intersections included 19 metres at 8.08 grams per metric tonne (g/t) gold, 12m at 7.12g/t gold, 6.38m at 13.95g/t,17m at 3.25g/t gold.
Motapa Central also returned encouraging oxide results, with 7 at 2.39g/t, 3.00m at 4.79g/t and 2m at 5.25g/t gold.
“These promising results from Motapa demonstrate the potential to significantly enhance the long-term value of our Bilboes project. The consistent high-grade intersections at Motapa North highlight the opportunity to define a substantial resource in proximity to the planned infrastructure at Bilboes,” said Caledonia chief executive officer Mr Mark Learmonth.
“While our immediate focus remains the development of Bilboes, targeting first gold in Q4 2028, Motapa represents a compelling opportunity to extend mine life and increase future production across a combined mining complex.
“The consistent high-grade intersections at Motapa North highlight the opportunity to define a substantial resource in close proximity to the planned infrastructure at Bilboes.”
Motapa lies directly adjacent to Bilboes, where Caledonia is advancing a major open-pit sulphide operation.
Bilboes holds a proven and probable reserve of 2,26g/t gold, based on a technical report dated October 31, 2025.
Caledonia said Motapa’s 2 200-hectare mining lease adds both brownfield and greenfield upside to Bilboes.
Shared processing, power and logistics could lower unit costs and extend mine life beyond the current Bilboes plan.
The 2025 drilling programme has covered 22 364m of trenching, 4 143m of diamond drilling and 18 547m of reverse circulation drilling, focused on sulphide mineralisation at Motapa North and oxide targets at Motapa Central.
Mr Learmonth said Bilboes remains the immediate focus with first gold targeted for Q4 2028, but Motapa could add years of production.
Caledonia expects to publish a maiden mineral resource estimate for portions of Motapa in Q3 2026. The estimate will inform optimisation studies and the overall Bilboes development strategy.
