Connected Minerals Ltd is preparing to commence a maiden 6,000-metre drilling programme at its Bailundo Carbonatite Project in Angola. The campaign, which includes both reverse circulation and diamond drilling, marks the first systematic resource evaluation of the project since the company acquired 100% of the project operator, Frontier Group CRM Pty Ltd.

Drilling is scheduled to begin this month, with the company aiming to complete the work before the onset of the wet season in November 2026. The programme is designed to evaluate the continuity, geometry and grade of shallow niobium and rare earth element mineralisation across two primary target areas, providing the necessary data to support a maiden JORC Mineral Resource Estimate, which the company expects to deliver by the end of the June 2027 quarter.

Site mobilisation is well advanced, with drilling contracts executed and infrastructure preparations underway. The company is currently finalising drill targeting, supported by the interpretation of recently completed airborne and ground geophysical surveys.

“Exploration at Bailundo is now moving decisively from planning into execution. Crucial preparatory and early exploration activities, funded by Ilwella, have continued throughout the Transaction completion process, allowing us to maintain strong momentum and advance the Project. Two large, surface-expressed niobium and rare earth targets have been defined and the geophysical surveys will refine our understanding and potentially identify new target areas. Drilling contracts have been executed, site infrastructure and access works have commenced, and our in-country operational team has continued to expand.”

— Stephen Wetherall, Chief Executive Officer

The current focus at Bailundo follows the company’s previous exploration activities during the 2025 calendar year, when it concentrated its maiden drilling campaigns on uranium projects in Namibia.

Read the full announcement: Bailundo Advances Maiden Approx 6,000m Drill Programmes