Having identified multiple anomalies across copper, silver and lead/zinc across the north-eastern Damara Belt using AI tools, mineral exploration company Botswana Minerals has found a 9.5 km copper anomaly, a 20 km silver corridor and a 2.4 km lead/zinc zone, representing coherent, multi-element geochemical signals in one of Africa’s most “consequential metallogenic belts”, reports MD James Campbell.

After starting the first phase of exploration, comprising an analytical programme deploying the Planetary AI Xplore platform to integrate historical, regional, satellite and geophysical datasets, sharpen prospective mapping, rank targets and define geophysical survey grids, the in-progress second phase involves fieldwork.

The first phase will assess multi-element geochemical anomaly intensity relative to regional background, structural controls – particularly fault proximity governing the copper/silver trend – geophysical responses from gravity and magnetic surveys, hyperspectral alteration signatures and consistency using modelled deposit geometries.

“The principle is deliberate: invest intelligently before possibly investing heavily. The output will be a technically ranked portfolio and a defined geophysical targeting framework,” he says.

The second fieldwork phase will comprise surveys, field geochemical sampling and, ultimately, drilling. This will require additional capital, which the company aims to acquire through its own resources, potential joint venture contributions and further capital market activity.

Scale has defined the search area, with the quality of convergent indicators determining priority, says Campbell, adding that historical drilling records are reviewed to eliminate previously tested ground.

“Phase 1 will deliver a technically ranked set of geophysical survey priorities, with those displaying the strongest convergence of indicators advancing to Phase 2 fieldwork,” he highlights.

The objective in Phase 1 and 2 is to limit activity across a large area by focusing on a smaller number of high-conviction, drill-ready prospects.

“Early results are already distinguishing the copper/silver trend from the western lead/zinc domain. Transition to Phase 2 fieldwork follows the delivery of ranked geophysical priorities from Phase 1,” says Campbell.

Unlike conventional exploration methods, the Planetary AI Xplore platform replaces these methods with simultaneous, contextual analysis across all data types, drawing on multiple deposit models in parallel.

“Critically, this provides geological reasoning for every ranked target, rather than a black-box output, enabling Botswana Mineral’s geo-logists to interrogate results before committing capital,” he elaborates.