Arc Minerals has launched an exploration drilling programme in Botswana's Kalahari Copper Belt (KCB), targeting its PL135/2017 and PL162/2017 licences within the Virgo Project.

This initiative follows a scout drilling programme that confirmed geological formations and an induced polarization survey aiding in drill site selection.

Arc noted that the exploration at PL135/2017 will employ percussion and RC drilling to penetrate the Kalahari sand and reach the target formations.

Khoemacau Copper Mining, whose prospecting licences surround Arc’s PL135/2017 licence on three sides, was recently purchased by MMG for around $1.9bn (A$2.88bn).

The PL135/2017 licence is situated on the south-east edge of the Kalahari Copper Belt. It shares a geological setting with the Mawana Gold Discovery, which Khoemacau recently drilled, and the Zone 9 exploration target, where drilling has already intersected economic grades of copper mineralisation.

The company's prospecting permit has these discoveries at its north-western and south-eastern boundaries, respectively.

Subsequently, Diamond Drilling (DD) will explore these formations further. The planned programme includes five holes, combining 930m of percussion/RC and 1,320m of DD drilling, totalling 2,250m.

For the PL162/2017 licence, three initial holes totalling 750m of percussion/RC drilling are scheduled.

Two of these will investigate a soil geochemical anomaly extending 5km along the licence's south-western edge, and the third will probe an interpreted syncline in the north-eastern area.

Meanwhile, last year, Arc was in the news for its joint venture (JV) with a unit of Anglo American on Zambian copper interests.

Anglo American holds a 70% stake in the JV, with the remaining 30% stake held by Arc subsidiary Unico Minerals.