East Star Resources (LSE:EST), the Kazakhstan-focused gold and copper exploration and development company, has begun drilling at its Rulikha Copper Project after receiving all required permissions for Licence 3631.
A drilling contract has been executed and a rig mobilised to site, with operations starting on 5 October at no cost to East Star.
The initial programme comprises five holes across two target areas, totalling approximately 1,500 metres, designed to verify mineralisation previously identified through historical drill logs.
Rulikha is being advanced through a joint venture with Kazakh company Nova, under a binding Heads of Agreement signed on 1 September, through which Nova funds resource definition, feasibility studies, permitting, development and commissioning while Orion Development acts as operator.
East Star is fully carried to production, at which point it will hold between 25% and 35% of the mine, depending on which of the agreement's two ownership structures applies.
"We are pleased to have received all required permissions and commenced drilling at Rulikha in short order," said Alex Walker, chief executive of East Star, adding that the five holes across Target Areas 1 and 2 cover the bulk of the exploration target the joint venture aims to convert into a resource.
Rulikha carries a JORC-compliant exploration target, defined in November 2025, of up to 23 million tonnes grading 2.4% copper equivalent, largely within an open pit.
The drilling campaign sits alongside East Star's other Kazakhstan joint ventures, including a Xinhai-funded drilling programme at the Verkhuba copper deposit and an earn-in arrangement with Endeavour Mining targeting gold exploration across licences such as Piket and Snowy.