Copper Intelligence to Start Drilling in Eastern Congo

U.S. explorer Copper Intelligence is set to begin drilling operations within four to six weeks at a previously unexplored copper district in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. This region has been largely overlooked by major mining companies, which have traditionally focused on the southern Copperbelt. The country is currently the world's second-largest producer of Copper, following Chile. While provinces like Lualaba and Haut-Katanga are home to giants such as CMOC GROUP LTD-H and GLENCORE PLC, the eastern part of the nation is better known for Gold, tin, tantalum, and tungsten. Major operators in the east include BARRICK MINING CORP and ALPHAMIN RESOURCES CORP. Andrew Groves, chairperson of Copper Intelligence, announced that the company has acquired the Butembo copper licence, a high-grade prospect discovered after artisanal gold miners revealed shallow oxidized mineralization. Soil samples and surface outcrops suggest a potential district-scale deposit extending seven kilometers toward the boundary of Virunga National Park. > "Drilling is needed to determine the depth and thickness of the primary ore body." Rock samples have returned copper grades as high as 18%, which could rank among the highest in the world if confirmed at scale. The company plans phased drilling with an annual exploration budget of $1 million to $1.5 million. The project is located approximately 50 kilometers from the border of Uganda and benefits from rail links to the port of Mombasa in Kenya, offering a more efficient export route than the southern Katanga region. Security is coordinated under a joint military framework between Congolese and Ugandan forces. Copper Intelligence intends to supply the United States market exclusively. > "The plan is to be a pure American copper (supplier)." Groves emphasized that the company will not sell any of its output to China.