Connected Minerals Starts 6,000m Drilling Program in Angola

Connected Minerals (ASX:CML) began diamond drilling on 11 September at the Bailundo Carbonatite Project in Angola. The company started operations at the primary niobium target in the Central/Southern zone, with a reverse circulation rig expected to join shortly. Both rigs will operate concurrently to maximize drilled metres before the wet season arrives in late November.

The project spans a 2,054 square kilometre licence in Huambo Province, centered on a Cretaceous carbonatite-alkaline complex along the Lucapa Graben. The iron-carbonatite core contains primary pyrochlore, accessory monazite, and rare earth element fluorocarbonates. A southern ring of calcium-carbonatite hosts phoscorite with apatite and other rare earth-bearing phases, overlain by a thick weathering profile.

Geophysical Data Refines Drill Targets

Connected Minerals completed 31 line-kilometres of ground penetrating radar and seven electrical resistivity tomography profiles to map the subsurface. The data revealed variable weathering depths rather than a uniform layer, prompting the company to expand the drilling footprint into new prospective areas. Strong conductive zones identified by electrical resistivity tomography correspond with areas where the radar signal weakens, interpreted as weathered material that reduces radar penetration.

These conductive zones are now priority targets for verification. Scout holes are positioned along the geophysical traverses to calibrate the interpretation against actual geology. This approach ensures the drilling program focuses on the most promising anomalies identified by the combined geophysical survey.

Drill Program Structure and Scale

The total program is expected to comprise approximately 6,000 metres of drilling. The Central/Southern zone includes 63 planned holes on a 100 by 100 metre grid. The Northern Rare Earth Element zone, which is undergoing its first systematic drill test, comprises 54 planned holes on a 150 by 200 metre pattern.

The diamond drilling component includes twin holes of historical drill sites and selected reverse circulation holes to verify past data. CEO Stephen Wetherall describes this as the first systematic drill testing of priority targets across the large prospective carbonatite system. The company holds an 80% interest in Bailundo through Frontier Resources Angola.

Assay Results Expected in December

First assay results from the current drilling campaign are expected during the December quarter. This timeline aligns with the company's goal to complete significant metres before the wet season restricts site access. The source material from Mining.com.au confirms the operational start and the strategic focus on maximizing data collection in the current dry period.