CKR Carbon has begun an underground exploration at the Aukam graphite project in Namibia, in support of an application for a mining license early next year.
As part of the initial work, the company surveyed the underground adits and open pit at the mine.
So far, two adits have been surveyed, and the lower adit extends into the hillside for a total of 165m with two of the largest stopes.
The upper adit is located 27m above the lower adit and extends 75m into the hillside, while the open pit is located about 30m above the upper adit and 57m above the lower adit.
Prior to undertaking exploration, CKR is making the underground workings safe to adhere to Namibian safety regulations and also to best practice within the global mining industry.
The company also prepared blast holes in both adits in preparation for the blasting, which will begin once explosives initially arrive on site with the remaining bad hangings in the adit.
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By GlobalDataThis will follow clearance of the winze area at the back of the lower adit.
Once the adits have been made safe, the company further plans to undertake detailed mapping of the exposed graphite veins and use the results in planning an underground drilling programme.
Through its wholly-owned Namibian subsidiary Micron Investments, CKR has an option to acquire 63% of the Aukam graphite project from Next Graphite.
Located on 34,082.15ha in southern Namibia, the project is close to the port city of Luderitz and hosts three underground adits that were mined periodically between 1940 and 1974.
CKR recently completed a bulk sampling programme at Aukam and has signed a letter of intent to sell the graphitic material produced during the programme.