Ongwe Minerals Inc., a mineral exploration company now trading on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "OGW," has officially launched its inaugural bedrock sampling campaign at the Belmont Gold Prospect in Namibia. This marks a significant step forward in the company's 2026 exploration strategy, with a Reverse Circulation drill rig mobilized to begin operations near Khorixas.
Comprehensive Exploration Program Underway
The company has budgeted for 6,000 meters of RC drilling to define bedrock targets at both the Belmont and Manga Prospects, with completion anticipated by the second quarter of 2026. This drilling initiative is designed to outline gold mineralization beneath surface cover, paving the way for an extensive diamond drill program scheduled for the latter half of the year.
Expanding Technical Capabilities
To support the increased sampling volumes, Ongwe Minerals has expanded its technical team. Additionally, the company has restarted an extensive regional soil sampling campaign on the Omatjete Licences, focusing on areas along strike and around the Manga Prospect. This effort aims to test the Okondeka Fault Zone, which hosts significant gold discoveries in the region.
Flagship Projects in Namibia's Damara Belt
Ongwe Minerals holds a dominant land position in the emerging Northwest Damara Belt, with two key projects:
- The Khorixas Project: Covering 154,000 hectares, this project includes the Belmont Prospect, an orogenic gold system with a surface footprint of 12 by 6 kilometers. Numerous high-grade visible gold rock chips have been identified at surface.
- The Omatjete Project: Spanning 107,000 hectares, this project features the Manga Prospect, an orogenic gold system located 30 kilometers along strike from the Kokoseb gold deposit. It has a surface footprint of 4.5 by 1 kilometer.
CEO's Vision for Success
David Underwood, CEO of Ongwe Minerals, expressed enthusiasm about the exploration program. He highlighted that bedrock sampling was instrumental in the 2019 discovery of the 3.1-million-ounce Twin Hills gold deposit by Osino Resources. Ongwe aims to replicate this success by defining drill targets within the large anomalous gold areas at surface, which collectively cover over 7,000 hectares at Belmont and Manga.
Underwood noted that scout drilling at Belmont in 2024 confirmed high-grade mineralization beneath surface calcrete. The current campaign seeks to refine this mineralization into drill-ready targets for the second half of 2026. Once completed at Belmont, the drill rig will be relocated to the Omatjete Project to further define the Manga Gold Prospect.
Strategic Focus on Unexplored Territories
Much of the Damara Belt remains underexplored due to extensive calcrete and wind-blown sand cover. Ongwe Minerals is committed to advancing exploration in this region through large-scale soil and calcrete sampling programs, alongside its drilling efforts. The company's strategy emphasizes leveraging historical successes to unlock new gold discoveries in Namibia's promising geological settings.
