Mamba Exploration has struck a string of landmark heritage protection agreements with the Kimberley Land Council and traditional owners, paving the way for the start of exploration at its network of Kimberley tenements.

Mamba (ASX:M24) holds three sub-projects in WA’s far north between Kununurra and Halls Creek prospective for copper, gold, cobalt and manganese.

The agreements between the Kimberley Land Council, the Jaru, Yurriyangem Taam, Koongie-Elvire, Malarngowem and the Purnululu people and Mamba include provisions to ensure Aboriginal heritage is protected while allowing exploration to proceed.

A number of tenement applications are expected to be granted before the end of the year, with the agreements including the removal of a number of objections to Mamba’s Kimberley licences.

Many have already been withdrawn, with the remaining objections expected to be withdrawn shortly.

Framework for long future in the Kimberley

The HPAs have set Mamba up for a long future in the Kimberley region.

Not only are the HPAs covering existing tenements, but also any future tenement Mamba has an interest in.

Mamba managing director Mike Dunbar said the company was pleased to execute the agreements.

“I would like to thank not only the KLC but also the Jaru, the Yurriyangem Taam, the Koongie- Elvire, the Malarngowem and the Purnululu people for the way in which the negotiations were undertaken,” he said.

“I believe this result shows the level of mutual respect for everyone involved and highlights our desire to protect heritage for generations to come.

“These agreements not only allow Mamba to significantly increase the exploration activities in the Kimberley, but also allow us to work with the traditional owners and the KLC to ensure that we can identify and protect the heritage sites on our projects.”

Dunbar noted the “excellent working relationship” Mamba has built with traditional owners during the negotiations.

“Importantly during the negotiations, we have managed to build what we consider an excellent working relationship with the traditional owners and the KLC, which has resulted in the inclusion of a provision to include any future tenements that we have an interest in to be included,” he said.

“This significantly improves our access to any future projects that we identify in the Kimberley. We believe that this is the first time that the KLC or the traditional owners have allowed this type of provision in any heritage agreements in the Kimberley.

“We feel this is as a result of building up an excellent working relationship through mutual respect and a willingness and desire to stand as one in the protection of heritage.”

Exploration activities to ramp up in 2022 field season

The agreements pave the way for exploration activities across Mamba’s Kimberley projects to ramp up in the 2022 field season.

Planning for geochemical sampling and geophysical surveys are already well advanced.

The suite includes the Speewah East area 50km southwest of Kununurra, a 480km2 exploration licence and licence application where limited historical exploration has been completed to date, with gold, nickel and copper prospectivity.

Panoramic Resources’ polymetallic Savannah nickel mine is located to the south of the Speewah East licences.

The 900km2 Ruby Plains and Spring Creek areas 50km from Halls Creek has been focused on previously for cobalt and manganese mineralisation.

The most significant targets may be at Copper Flats, a 2320km2 network of seven EL applications around 125km east-northeast of Halls Creek and 215km south of Kununurra, which has been explored since the 1970s with numerous reports of visible, outcropping copper mineralisation.

Recently sampling by Mamba confirmed very high-grade copper and silver mineralisation with rock chips of up to 34.3% copper and 54.2g/t silver at Area 5 and up to 22.8% copper and 280g/t silver in samples at old workings in Area 4.

New prospects were also identified by Mamba during the program.

 

 

 

This article was developed in collaboration with Mamba Exploration, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing.

 

This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.