VFEX and London-listed exploration company Kavango Resources is assessing strategic options to further develop its extensive land portfolio in Botswana’s Kalahari Copper Belt, including the potential formation of a joint venture to accelerate exploration activities. The review remains preliminary, with no assurance of a definitive agreement or timeline, but signals a growing recognition of the region’s mineral promise within the broader Southern African mining landscape.
Kavango’s contiguous 6,200 square kilometre licence area is located along strike from two of the Kalahari Copper Belt’s most prominent assets: MMG’s Khoemacau copper mine and Sandfire Resources’ Motheo copper-silver project. This strategic positioning places Kavango at the heart of one of Africa’s most promising copper provinces and strengthens its potential to host commercially viable deposits. The company’s exploration results to date have added weight to these prospects, with early drilling at the Karakubis prospect intersecting copper mineralisation in all seven initial holes and portable XRF measurements indicating grades exceeding 1 percent copper. Broad zones of hydrothermal alteration were also observed, reinforcing geological similarities to other successful projects in the belt.
Further technical studies have highlighted the significance of the company’s terrain. Geophysical surveys and structural analyses reveal folding and contact zones between the D’Kar and Ngwako Pan formations, which are historically associated with large-scale copper mineralisation. Additionally, satellite imagery has indicated structural parallels with Sandfire’s T3 copper mine, suggesting potential for similar mineralisation styles across Kavango’s holdings. Such evidence underscores the importance of sustained investment in Botswana’s copper frontier and aligns with the nation’s broader ambition to deepen its role in Africa’s critical mineral supply chain.
While the pursuit of a joint venture remains one of several options under consideration, Kavango notes that partnership could bring both technical capacity and financial flexibility to accelerate its exploration campaigns. A potential partner could help advance drilling and expand geophysical work while sharing the inherent risks of early-stage exploration in a geologically complex setting. This approach also resonates with the evolving ethos of equitable resource development in Africa, where collaboration increasingly centres on shared expertise and mutual benefit rather than extractive dependency.
The timing of Kavango’s strategic review coincides with favourable global market dynamics. Copper prices have remained strong through 2025, buoyed by tight supply conditions and rising demand linked to global electrification and industrial expansion. On the London Metal Exchange, copper continues to trade near multi-year highs, reflecting structural deficits that are likely to persist as energy transition initiatives accelerate worldwide. For Kavango, this price environment enhances the economic rationale for advancing its exploration and evaluating partnership opportunities.
Beyond Botswana, Kavango maintains active interests in Zimbabwe’s underexplored greenstone belts. The company recently strengthened its balance sheet through a local share subscription and has commenced resource drilling at the Bill’s Luck site on the Hillside Gold Project. In addition, it has exercised its option to acquire full ownership of the Nara Gold Project. These moves, alongside its copper ambitions in Botswana, suggest a balanced portfolio strategy that bridges short-term resource definition with long-term regional growth.
By positioning itself within both the copper and gold sectors of Southern Africa, Kavango exemplifies a new generation of junior explorers seeking to define African resource potential through partnership, scientific rigour, and economic pragmatism. The company’s ongoing review reflects a wider continental narrative in which African mineral wealth is increasingly approached through frameworks that emphasise shared value, technological innovation, and sustainable development.
