Botswana Minerals plc (LSE:BMIN) (BMIN) won eight high‑priority copper prospecting licences covering about 7,000 km², a move the company said repositions it from a diamond explorer to a technology‑led copper and polymetal play.
BMIN said its proprietary dataset covers roughly 95,000 km² and includes more than 375,000 line kilometres of airborne geophysics, ground surveys, soil sampling and drill records.
The work identified "multiple high‑priority copper targets" and generated polymetallic prospectivity across copper, nickel, zinc‑lead‑silver, PGMs and gold.
The company is planning close‑interval geophysical and geochemical surveys to turn AI-identified targets into drill‑ready prospects and is in "discussions with potential joint venture partners", the filing added.
Management said cash preservation remains a priority while partner funding is sought for drilling programmes.
Diamond assets are being retained: KX36 remains a SAMREC‑compliant resource and the Thorny River project has secured its first Mining Permit, with defined exploration targets of 1.2–2.1 million tonnes, modelled grades of 46–74 cpht and diamond values of US$120–220 per carat (2017 values).
John Teeling said: "This is a pivotal period for Botswana Minerals."
The recap
• Eight copper licences awarded covering ~7,000 km², licences valid to 31 December 2028.
• Proprietary AI dataset spans ~95,000 km² and >375,000 line kilometres of geophysics.
• Thorny River advanced to development readiness with 1.2–2.1mt targets and modelled grades of 46–74 cpht.
