Kaoko Copper Belt
Mining an essential element
The Kaoko Copper Belt, located in north-western Namibia, is an emerging and relatively underexplored copper province attracting increasing exploration interest. Its prospectivity is supported by geological and stratigraphic similarities to the Central African Copperbelt of Zambia and the DRC, one of the world’s most significant sediment-hosted copper provinces. More than 200 copper occurrences have been identified across the Kaoko Belt, alongside known deposits including Okohongo (10.2 Mt) and Otuani (5 Mt), demonstrating the presence of significant copper systems within the region.
Key positives include:
- Favourable geology: The belt contains prospective sedimentary sequences of the Damara Supergroup, including the Nosib and Otavi Groups. Stratigraphic contacts, redox boundaries, folding and faulting provide important controls for sediment-hosted copper mineralisation.
- Established mineralisation: Copper occurs across the belt in several styles, including stratiform and disseminated mineralisation, mineralised veins, fracture-fill and stockwork systems, with both primary sulphide and secondary oxide copper mineralisation identified.
- Significant exploration potential: Despite widespread copper occurrences and known deposits, much of the Kaoko Belt has received relatively limited modern systematic exploration, providing significant scope for the application of modern geophysics, geochemistry, mapping and drilling.
- Growing exploration activity: The belt is attracting increasing attention from explorers including Serval Resources and Kaoko Metals, which hold substantial exploration positions and are undertaking modern exploration programmes. Serval controls approximately 789 km² across four licences, with historical drilling including 20 m at 1.2% Cu and 41 g/t Ag at Omatapati, while Kaoko Metals is advancing its Chalkos Project in the Kunene Region. Their activities demonstrate the growing industry focus on the Kaoko Belt and are contributing to a better understanding of its wider copper potential.