Exploring Gold Exploration Potential in Botswana: Insights from North Arrow Minerals’ CEO Ken Armstrong
Introduction
North Arrow Minerals, a TSX Venture-listed company, has undergone a significant shift in its exploration strategy. CEO Ken Armstrong shares the exciting pivot from diamond exploration to gold in Botswana’s Kraaipan Greenstone Belt. In an exclusive interview, Armstrong provides an overview of the company’s transition and their exploration goals in this promising region of Southern Africa.
Company Overview and Shift in Focus
North Arrow Minerals, known for its expertise in North American and African exploration, recently turned its focus toward gold exploration. This shift comes after years of diamond exploration, which proved challenging in the junior sector. Faced with difficulties raising capital, the company found new opportunity in the gold sector, aided by key partnerships and local experience in Botswana. Armstrong highlights the potential for a major discovery in an underexplored belt of rock that stretches from Botswana into South Africa.
Exploration Strategy in Botswana
The gold project in Botswana covers a 60-kilometer stretch of the Kraaipan Greenstone Belt. This greenstone belt, known for its rich history of gold deposits, provides an ideal setting for exploration. Armstrong discusses the project’s early-stage exploration, starting with detailed magnetic surveys and structural analysis of outcroppings in the southern extent of the belt. With high-quality data from drone-assisted remote mapper systems, the team is ready to identify targets and begin drilling. The project is still in its infancy, but Armstrong is confident that they will discover significant gold mineralization beneath the desert sands.
Permitting and Progress in Botswana
One of the major advantages of working in Botswana is the ease and transparency of the permitting process. The country offers a streamlined procedure for acquiring prospecting and exploration licenses, which includes permission to carry out work programs. Armstrong explains that, with the right permits already in hand, the company is poised to move forward with its exploration efforts without significant delays. The company has already begun applying innovative exploration techniques to navigate through the Kalahari Desert sands that cover much of the region.
Gold Exploration Undercover: The Challenge and the Opportunity
The presence of sand in the Kalahari Desert poses a unique challenge to exploration. The sand can reach depths of up to 70 meters, hiding the underlying rocks where gold mineralization may exist. However, Armstrong remains optimistic, stating that their approach will overcome this barrier. Using a combination of structural geology and high-resolution magnetic surveys, the company plans to target mineralization that is hidden beneath the sands, following the successes of similar operations in nearby South Africa
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Future Prospects and Milestones
With a robust exploration program set to run through the end of June, North Arrow Minerals is targeting rapid advancements in drilling and analysis. Armstrong outlines the immediate goals, which include identifying mineralization and structural complexity, as well as gathering enough data to move to more advanced exploration phases. Positive results from this initial phase will open up the possibility for continuous exploration throughout the year.
Conclusion
The gold project in Botswana represents a major opportunity for North Arrow Minerals. With a well-structured exploration plan, experienced local partners, and a clear vision for success, Armstrong and his team are primed to make an impact in the gold sector. The project’s potential to uncover significant mineralization beneath the Kalahari sands could unlock long-term value for both the company and its investors.
Call to Action:
Stay updated on North Arrow Minerals’ progress and follow the company’s exploration journey in Botswana through their website or check their stock on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol NAR.
