Key Takeaways:
Arkle Resources PLC shares rose 12% to 0.73p after the explorer announced plans to accelerate a 4,000-metre drilling programme at its Erongo uranium project in Namibia starting in June 2026.
"The integrated work... has fast-tracked a portfolio of high-priority uranium drill targets across two of the most productive mineralisation styles in the Erongo belt," Rory Harding, Interim Chief Executive Officer, said in a May 22 statement. "The quality of the data has allowed us to compress that timeline."
The decision follows the completion of Phase 1 geophysical work that defined multiple targets across both paleochannel and leucogranite-hosted styles. A 1,500-metre drill programme will test the paleochannel target, while a subsequent 2,500-metre programme will target a large uraniferous leucogranite (ULG) body after trenching work commences next week.
The project's location is significant, sitting within a district that hosts world-class deposits including Orano's Trekkopje and Bannerman Energy's Etango project. Arkle's 2025 surface sampling returned high-grade results up to 3,855 ppm U₃O₈, and the upcoming drilling aims to confirm grade and continuity at depth, with results expected throughout the second half of 2026.
The accelerated exploration consists of two distinct phases. The first, a 1,500-metre reverse circulation (RC) programme, is set to begin in June at the Eastern EPL 8995 paleochannel target. Arkle said this area is interpreted as being contiguous with the channel systems of the adjacent Trekkopje and Marenica deposits.
The second phase, a 2,500-metre RC programme, will commence in the third quarter of 2026. This will test a large ULG target extending approximately 1 kilometre by 700 metres, a style of mineralisation analogous to major regional mines like Rössing and Husab. This drilling is contingent on results from trenching and sampling that will begin in late May.
Arkle's licences are situated in the Erongo region of Namibia, one of the most productive uranium provinces globally. The area has produced over 350 million pounds of U₃O₈ over the past 45 years. The company's exploration efforts are focused on identifying resources similar to those of its neighbours. For comparison, the adjacent Trekkopje mine is one of the world's most significant calcrete-hosted uranium deposits. The positive geophysical interpretation and high-grade surface samples, with up to 2,782 ppm U₃O₈ in calcrete samples, support the potential for a similar discovery.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
