Prospect Resources Hits 1.51% Copper at Nyungu as Four Rigs Chase Zambia Scoping Study
Key Takeaways
- Nyungu Central infill drilling returned 10m @ 1.10% Cu from 97m and 5.7m @ 1.51% Cu from 162m, extending a run of +1% copper intercepts.
- 24 of 36 Phase 3 holes (11,895m drilled) still have assays pending, including 17 infill and 7 extensional holes, so results should flow over the coming months.
- Shikezi aircore defined two copper anomalies 2km apart, the larger over 1km long, but pXRF readings are indicative only and below the 0.2% Cu cut-off.
- Four diamond rigs are active, with 7 holes planned at Chipimpa and an 8-hole programme begun at Kamafamba, neither yet reporting results.
- The Scoping Study is due Q1 2027, built on a 208.1Mt @ 0.42% Cu resource containing 877kt of copper.
Nyungu Central infill drilling delivers more +1% Cu intercepts
Two more infill diamond holes at Nyungu Central have returned copper intersections above 1%, adding to a run of strong results for Prospect Resources (ASX:PSC). The update from the Mumbezhi Copper Project (90% Prospect) in north-west Zambia also covers new aircore results at Shikezi and a four-rig drilling programme.
The headline intercepts are 10m @ 1.10% Cu from 97m in hole NCDD042 and 5.7m @ 1.51% Cu from 162m in hole NCDD041. Management says the results show consistency, continuity and quality of higher grade mineralisation as the company works towards its Scoping Study.
Sam Hosack, Managing Director and CEO
“…our targeted infill diamond drilling programme continues to demonstrate consistency, continuity and quality of higher grade mineralisation, further strengthening confidence in the scale and composition of the Nyungu Central deposit as we advance the wider Mumbezhi Project towards Scoping Study completion.”
For you as an investor, the point is repeatability. Infill drilling is designed to tighten the spacing between holes so the company can test whether grades hold between them, and these results point the same way as earlier ones.
Hole-by-hole results
The table below reproduces the significant intersections reported for the two holes, with by-product cobalt and gold where the company included them.
| Hole | From (m) | Width (m) | Cu % | By-product |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCDD042 | 97.0 | **10.0** | **1.10** | 0.03% Co, 0.11 g/t Au |
| NCDD042 | 115.0 | 6.6 | 0.47 | 0.41 g/t Au |
| NCDD042 | 132.0 | 4.0 | 0.39 | 0.09 g/t Au |
| NCDD041 | 162.4 | **5.68** | **1.51** | 0.06 g/t Au |
| NCDD041 | 113.0 | 6.0 | 0.48 | Not specified in release text |
NCDD042 is a partial result, with 122 assays from 209m depth still pending at the date of the release. Intercepts are relatively shallow, and the company reports down hole length, not true width.
Drilling progress and pipeline
Here is where the programme stands:
- 36 Phase 3 diamond holes completed at Nyungu Central for 11,895m
- 24 holes with assays pending (17 infill and 7 extensional)
- 17 infill holes identified as priority
Hosack said that with laboratory turnaround times continuing to improve and a large suite of assays pending, the company expects a strong flow of results over the coming months.
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Shikezi aircore defines two copper anomalies
Aircore drilling at Shikezi has defined two coherent copper anomalies about 2km apart. The larger extends for more than 1km along a southeast to northwest trend and has been prioritised for future diamond drilling, while the second extends over 600m and remains open.
The programme comprised 62 vertical holes for 1,327m. Shikezi sits approximately 18.5km east-northeast of Nyungu Central, about 20km west of Barrick’s Lumwana Copper Mine, and the anomalies are interpreted to be associated with copper mineralisation hosted within thrust sheets identified from existing airborne aeromagnetic data.
The better portable XRF (pXRF) intercepts, all open at end of hole, were:
- SZAC043: 25m @ 501ppm Cu from 2m
- SZAC047: 22m @ 448ppm Cu from 3m
- SZAC013: 25m @ 309ppm Cu from 0m
- SZAC021: 20m @ 236ppm Cu from 1m
- SZAC055: 17m @ 207ppm Cu from 13m
These are not laboratory assays. The company states pXRF values are reported as indications of copper anomalism and prospectivity, and the grades are well below the 0.2% Cu cut-off grade applied for Mineral Resource reporting. They are presented for target generation purposes only, and no Mineral Resource estimate relies on them.
Why aircore matters
Aircore is a shallow drilling method that collects samples from near the surface, and the company describes it as a suitable first-pass targeting method. A pXRF is a handheld analyser that gives quick, indicative copper readings in the field.
The drilling followed up soil geochemical results from a project-wide survey completed in 2025 and termite hill sampling undertaken earlier this year. For you, the relevance is pipeline: the company says the anomalies reinforce its view that Mumbezhi hosts multiple opportunities for future resource growth and new discoveries.
Four rigs and regional targets under test
Four diamond rigs are operating on site. Two remain active at Nyungu Central, with the other two completing regional exploratory drilling at Kamafamba and Chipimpa.
| Prospect | Programme | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Chipimpa | **7** holes planned, approximately **2,100m** | A **2.5km** long cluster of conductive anomalies from airborne electromagnetic (AEM) data, analogous to those associated with Nyungu Central |
| Kamafamba | **8** hole programme, first hole underway | Chargeable/resistivity induced polarisation (IP) anomalies and surface copper geochemical anomalies, about **10km** east-southeast of Nyungu Central |
At Kamafamba, historical drilling by Argonaut Resources NL in 2015 returned shallow, anomalous copper, including KMDD003 at 17.6m @ 0.40% Cu from 134.5m. Drilling at both prospects has only commenced, and no results have been reported from either.
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Scoping Study and what to watch
The Mumbezhi Scoping Study remains on track for completion and release in Q1 2027. It builds on the May 2026 JORC Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resource estimate of 208.1Mt @ 0.42% Cu (0.49% CuEq) for 877kt of contained copper.
Items to watch from here:
- Pending assays from the remaining Nyungu Central holes
- The remaining NCDD042 assays from 209m depth
- Diamond drilling of the larger Shikezi anomaly
- First results from Chipimpa and Kamafamba
Together, the infill holes, the Shikezi anomalies and the two regional drill programmes give Prospect several targets running at once across the Mumbezhi tenure.
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