Chronicle Editor
Kavango Resources is making significant strides in transforming Zimbabwe’s gold exploration landscape, drawing parallels with the West Australian gold rush of the 1980s.
That period marked a pivotal moment in mining history, where innovative exploration techniques and a surge in investment led to unprecedented gold production. Kavango aims to replicate this success in Zimbabwe, a country rich in mineral resources yet underexplored in recent decades.
Kavango’s strategic acquisition of several gold projects in Zimbabwe, including the Hillside and Nara projects, signals a renewed interest in the country’s gold potential.
The company is leveraging modern exploration methods to assess the viability of bulk mine-able gold deposits, which have been largely overlooked. Historically, Zimbabwe produced more gold than Australia in the early 1980s, but years of economic challenges and lack of investment have stunted its mining sector.
Kavango’s operations are a testament to the fact that Zimbabwe is indeed open for business, inviting both local and international investors to explore its rich mineral wealth. The company’s commitment to sustainable practices and community engagement further underscores its dedication to revitalising the mining sector. By employing experienced local geologists and utilising advanced drilling techniques, Kavango is not only aiming for immediate profitability but also laying the groundwork for long-term growth in Zimbabwe’s gold industry.
By consolidating claims and employing advanced exploration methods, Kavango is well-positioned to uncover significant gold deposits. The revival of gold exploration in Zimbabwe not only promises to boost the country’s economy but also has the potential to create jobs and improve livelihoods in local communities.
Kavango’s commitment to sustainable practices and community engagement will be vital in ensuring that the benefits of mining extend beyond mere profit margins.
As the company progresses with its exploration efforts, it is likely to attract further investment, which could catalyse a broader resurgence in Zimbabwe’s mining sector. Kavango’s efforts align closely with Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030, which seeks to transform the country into an upper-middle-income economy.
The mining sector is a critical component of this vision and Kavango’s focus on gold exploration is poised to contribute significantly to national economic goals.
By tapping into the potential of Zimbabwe’s gold belts, Kavango is helping to create jobs, stimulate local economies and attract further investment into the region.
The company’s approach mirrors the bulk mining strategies that have driven success in Western Australia, where large-scale operations have become the norm. Kavango’s exploration initiatives not only aim to uncover new gold deposits but also to modernise the mining practices in Zimbabwe, ensuring that the country can compete on a global scale. The company’s commitment to maximising Zimbabwe’s gold potential is evident in its dual strategy, where in the short term, the company is leveraging modern mining techniques to generate profitable and scalable revenues within its mining arm. This proactive approach is not only driving immediate financial gains but also laying a solid foundation for sustained growth and development. Simultaneously, Kavango is strategically positioning itself for long-term success by identifying and unlocking large, open-pittable and bulk mineable deposits. By focusing on these substantial resources, the company is setting the stage for impactful, enduring contributions to Zimbabwe’s gold mining sector.
Kavango is spearheading a transformative journey to unlock Zimbabwe’s vast gold potential through a two-pronged approach, focusing on both short-term revenue generation and long-term deposit development. With the strategic two-pronged approach, the company is not only focusing on immediate profitability through modern mining methods but also setting its sights on the long-term development of large-scale, open-pit and bulk mineable deposits. This ambitious endeavour is poised to redefine Zimbabwe’s gold mining landscape and has garnered attention as Kavango seeks a secondary listing on the Victoria Falls Stock Exchange, providing local investment avenues for its ground-breaking initiatives.
Over the longer term, Kavango is focused on unlocking large, open-pittable and bulk mineable deposits, bringing them into production. This strategy has the potential to transform Zimbabwe’s gold mining industry, which has historically been characterised by small-scale, underground mining.
Zimbabwe’s gold mining heritage is rich, however, many deposits remain unexplored for modern open pit and bulk mining potential due to historical under-investment. Kavango is capitalising on this untapped opportunity, consolidating historically producing land packages and leveraging its first-mover advantage.
This untapped potential mirrors geologically similar territories like Western Australia, where open-pit and bulk mining have catalysed exponential growth in gold production.
“Our two-pronged strategy ensures we are making as positive an impact as possible when it comes to supporting Zimbabwe’s mining industry and uncovering its true gold endowment,” said Kavango chief executive officer, Mr Ben Turney.
“We have made a strong start to both our mining and exploration efforts since entering the country and look forward to bringing local investors along with us as we accelerate from here.”
This forward-looking approach underscores Kavango’s dedication to not only reaping immediate rewards but also shaping a prosperous future for the nation’s mining industry. Kavango’s proactive stance as a first mover in Zimbabwe’s underdeveloped gold mining landscape is pivotal. By consolidating historically-producing land packages and employing modern exploration techniques, the company is at the vanguard of harnessing this latent opportunity. The strategic consolidation of claims into strategically-sized projects covering large ore bodies underscores Kavango’s commitment to maximising the nation’s gold potential and driving sustainable growth. “Open pit and bulk mining have transformed the mining industry of territories like Western Australia,” said Mr Turney. “The same opportunity is clearly present in Zimbabwe, with the country’s many greenstone belts holding enormous undeveloped gold discovery potential. This is what Kavango is targeting.” Recent developments have underscored Kavango’s rapid progress and tangible impact in Zimbabwe’s gold mining sector. The company’s maiden resource estimate for the Nara gold project revealed significant potential for near-term gold production and non-dilutive free cash flow. Additionally, Kavango’s foray into revenue through gold production at the Hillside project marks a significant milestone, with plans to double current production to one kilogramme of gold per month in 2024. Furthermore, Kavango’s exploration efforts have yielded promising results, with the discovery of substantial gold content at the Hillside Prospect Four gold asset in Matabeleland. Earlier this year, Kavango’s first hole at Hillside Prospect Two intersected a wide, high-grade gold zone beneath the centre of a series of historic and artisanal mine workings. Kavango is drilling its two latest holes on either side of this hole to test the continuation of the mineralised zone along the strike.
The company believes this zone is much wider and deeper than its exploration has so far revealed. Alongside its work at Prospect Two, Kavango is taking strong strides towards making open-pittable gold discoveries across its other Hillside target areas. At Prospect Four, drilling earlier this year intersected high-grade gold, while IP surveying identified up to five potentially mineralised zones over a 700m width and 500m strike. Kavango is also searching for open-pittable and bulk mineable deposits at its Nara and Leopard projects in Zimbabwe.
At Nara, the company has interpreted a 200m wide shear corridor along five kilometres of strike coinciding with historic and current production. Its first phase of drilling testing this shear is nearing completion. Meanwhile, at Leopard, Kavango is assessing the discovery potential of two prospective areas. One is located in a historically producing shear zone, while the other has a historic resource estimate. “We’re making excellent progress at Hillside,” said Mr Turney. “The two holes we’re drilling stand to tell us a great deal about the project’s gold discovery progress and will guide our exploration efforts from here.
“Meanwhile, we are confident in the potential presented by Nara and Leopard. We look forward to seeing what the rocks have to tell us as we continue to gather drilling and exploration data.”
These achievements not only validate the company’s strategic vision but also underscore its pivotal role in reshaping Zimbabwe’s gold mining landscape. Alongside its efforts to make open-pittable and bulk mineable gold discoveries, Kavango has also begun to produce gold through its mining arm.
The company’s first focus has been Hillside, where it is using the site’s two stamp mills and processing plant as a means of production. Kavango Resources is at the forefront of a transformative movement in Zimbabwe’s gold exploration landscape, inspired by the successful gold rush in West Australia. By combining modern exploration techniques with a commitment to sustainable practices, the company is not only revitalising the mining sector but also contributing to Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030. As Kavango continues to make prog
ress in its exploration efforts, it stands as a beacon of hope for the future of Zimbabwe’s mining industry, demonstrating that the country is indeed ready to reclaim its status as a significant player in the global gold market.
Online Reporter