Etango North-East Drilling Ramps Up: Can Connected Minerals Sustain High-Grade Uranium Momentum?
Connected Minerals Ltd has greenlit a Phase 2 drilling campaign at its Etango North-East Uranium Project in Namibia, following impressive Phase 1 results that revealed economic uranium grades in nearly all holes drilled.
- Phase 2 drilling of ~18 holes for 2,800 metres set to start mid-late August 2025
- Hammerstein Drilling contracted again after successful Phase 1 collaboration
- Phase 1 delivered economic uranium grades in 14 of 15 holes
- Geology aligns with nearby world-class Bannerman Energy Etango Project
- All permits secured for Phase 2 drilling at Ondapanda Prospect
Phase 2 Drilling Confirmed at Etango North-East
Connected Minerals Ltd (ASX – CML) has announced the commencement of a Phase 2 Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling program at its Etango North-East Uranium Project in Namibia. The upcoming campaign will comprise approximately 18 holes totaling 2,800 metres, with drilling expected to begin in mid to late August 2025. This follows the company’s highly encouraging Phase 1 results, which saw 14 of 15 holes yield economic uranium grades.
Building on Exceptional Phase 1 Results
The initial Phase 1 drilling, conducted in May 2025 at the Ondapanda Prospect, delivered standout intercepts including intervals with uranium grades exceeding 300 parts per million (ppm) eU3O8. Notable results included 5 metres at 358 ppm eU3O8 and individual metre intervals reaching as high as 814 ppm eU3O8. These results have reinforced the potential of the project’s mineralisation, which is hosted in multiple stacked alaskite (leucogranite) units.
Geological Context and Strategic Location
The Etango North-East Project lies within Namibia’s Erongo Region, a prolific uranium province. The geology closely mirrors that of Bannerman Energy’s nearby world-class Etango Uranium Project, which boasts a substantial resource of 429 million tonnes at 225 ppm U3O8. Connected Minerals’ exploration area is underpinned by structurally complex basement rocks intruded by uranium-bearing leucogranites, suggesting significant upside potential as drilling continues.
Experienced Contractor and Permitting in Place
For Phase 2, Connected Minerals has re-engaged Hammerstein Drilling, a well-established contractor based in Swakopmund, Namibia, who successfully completed the Phase 1 program. All necessary permits for the upcoming drilling are secured, allowing the company to maintain momentum in its exploration efforts. The Phase 2 program will focus on both extensional and infill drilling to better define the mineralised zones at Ondapanda.
Next Steps and Validation
While radiometric downhole gamma probing has provided rapid grade estimates, Connected Minerals plans to validate these results through chemical assays conducted by ALS Global laboratories. The company is also preparing for further exploration activities to delineate the extent of uranium mineralisation, with the ultimate goal of advancing the project toward resource estimation and development.
Bottom Line?
Phase 2 drilling at Etango North-East could unlock a significant uranium resource, but assay confirmations and geological complexities remain key hurdles ahead.
Questions in the middle?
- Will Phase 2 drilling confirm and extend the high-grade uranium zones identified in Phase 1?
- How will chemical assay results compare with radiometric estimates from downhole gamma probing?
- What impact will these exploration results have on Connected Minerals’ resource estimates and project valuation?
