Highlights

  • Jacaranda Natural Resources (ASX:JRL) has returned high-grade copper assays from rock chip sampling at the Motloutse Project in Botswana.
  • Results include copper grades of up to 2%, with more than half the samples exceeding 1% Cu.
  • Sampling identified a new copper trend interpreted as a structurally controlled hydrothermal copper-silver system.
  • Maiden drilling at Motloutse is targeted for between December 2026 and February 2027.

Jacaranda Natural Resources Limited (ASX:JRL), a recently listed Australian exploration company, has confirmed high-grade copper mineralisation in rock chip assay results from its Motloutse Project in eastern Botswana. The sampling campaign returned copper grades of up to 2% from surface, with more than half of all samples exceeding 1% copper. Importantly, the field team identified a new copper trend during their assessment of historical trenches at the site, expanding the known mineralisation footprint beyond what was previously mapped.

A New Copper Trend Identified

The discovery of the new copper trend at Motloutse emerged during reconnaissance work on historical excavations across the project area. Geological observations, including a distinctive pink colouration in the host rock interpreted as potassium-related alteration, suggested a style of mineralisation consistent with a structurally controlled hydrothermal copper-silver system. This interpretation broadens Jacaranda's exploration model beyond an earlier focus on magmatic copper-nickel sulphide mineralisation and introduces a second potentially significant mineralisation style within the project. Chief Executive Officer Craig Hatch confirmed that the field team's observations were validated by the assay results, with grades up to 2% copper and clear continuity across the sample suite.

Motloutse Project Overview

The Motloutse Project is a large-footprint exploration licence in eastern Botswana. The project area has been the subject of historical exploration activity, and Jacaranda's current campaign involves a systematic reassessment of the geological database combined with targeted field sampling. Botswana has a well-established track record as a Mining jurisdiction, hosting major copper, diamond, and coal operations, and has benefited from a stable regulatory environment that has attracted exploration Investment from numerous Australian and international companies over many years.

Company Background and ASX Listing

Jacaranda Natural Resources completed its ASX listing in October 2026, following a prospectus offer process. The company was established to advance mineral exploration across its project portfolio, which includes the Motloutse copper project in Botswana as well as the Globe Gold Project where a maiden drilling program is currently underway. The Motloutse field visit and sampling program were conducted as part of the company's initial systematic assessment of its Assets following the completion of the IPO process.

Upcoming Drilling Program

Jacaranda has indicated that a maiden drilling program at Motloutse is targeted for commencement between December 2026 and February 2027, subject to the relocation of the drill rig following completion of the Globe Gold drilling campaign. The drilling program will be designed to test the hydrothermal copper-silver system interpretation at depth and to evaluate the potential significance of the copper trend identified during the recent field campaign. Rock chip results are acknowledged as selective surface samples that may not represent the broader system, and drilling will provide the subsurface data needed to assess the geological model.

Copper Exploration Context

Botswana lies adjacent to the Kalahari Copper Belt, a geological province stretching across Botswana and Namibia that has attracted significant exploration activity in recent years from companies seeking copper-silver deposits in sediment-hosted environments. While Motloutse is located in eastern Botswana in a different geological setting, the country's broad mineral prospectivity and the global interest in copper Supply — driven by energy transition Demand from electric vehicles, grid infrastructure, and industrial applications — underpin the strategic rationale for active exploration across Botswana's mineral tenements.

Key Takeaways

Jacaranda Natural Resources' high-grade copper rock chip results at Motloutse establish a meaningful initial exploration story for the recently listed company. The identification of a new copper trend with a hydrothermal interpretation adds geological breadth to the project and provides a foundation for the upcoming maiden drilling campaign. Results from that program will be critical in determining whether the surface grades and mineralisation model extend to economic depth.