Midnight Sun is focussed on the exploration and discovery of world-class copper deposits in the heart of the prolific Zambia-Congo Copperbelt. Our vast 506² km Solwezi Project in Zambia represents multiple distinct opportunities for the discovery of transformative, multi-generational sulfide copper deposits and oxide copper mineralization that could potentially unlock significant near-term cashflow. We are surrounded by world-class operating mines and located adjacent to the largest copper mine in Zambia – First Quantum’s Kansanshi Mine. We have full control of all our assets, and are successfully exploring them, making new discoveries and advancing our top targets. And now, we are executing our plan to further explore the discoveries we’ve already made, systematically, across the extent of our property.
The Zambia-Congo copper belt is host to world-class copper deposits and some of the world’s richest mines. Many of the world’s leading mining companies are active in the region both as operators and explorers, including Barrick, Rio Tinto, Glencore, Ivanhoe Mines, First Quantum, Anglo American and KoBold Metals.
Our 100% Owned Dumbwa Target
Dumbwa is a near surface, low-strip, Tier-One exploration opportunity with very similar geology and mineralisation to Barrick’s nearby Lumwana Mine. The target features a continuous high-grade copper-in-soil anomaly, which extends for over 20 km along strike and +1 km in width, with peak values of up to 0.73% copper. It is one of four key prospects that comprise our Solwezi Project.
Ideal targets in the Zambian Copper Belt, which have turned into mines, feature key characteristics including – a large coherent soil anomaly that is consistent with the ‘right geology’, bedrock exposure close to or at surface, and biological anomalies such as copper clearings. Dumbwa has all these criteria in abundance.
Along the 20 km long copper-in-soil anomaly at Dumbwa, previous drilling has demonstrated that it is directly tied to bedrock schist-hosted copper sulfide mineralisation, representing a very large high-grade copper exploration target and an incredible opportunity for Midnight Sun to make a transformative sulphide copper discovery.
Dumbwa has long been seen as an analog to Barrick’s 1.62 billion tonne, Lumwana mine. Lumwana averages approximately 0.52% copper, is located just west of our property, and features nearly identical geology.1 Both Dumbwa and Lumwana are north-south trending, 15 degrees east dipping schist-hosted mineralised zones and both have multiple, stacked, mineralized horizons. But, by comparison, the geochemical anomaly at Dumbwa tends to have a higher copper tenor at surface and is laterally more extensive than found at Lumwana.
Our geological team is led by Dr. Kevin Bonel, the geologist responsible for leading the exploration team at Lumwana. We have the expertise of the person who led the team that transformed that analogous deposit into a tier-one asset, now driving our exploration at Dumbwa. Beyond Lumwana, Kevin has a career’s worth of experience in the belt, and several major discoveries to his credit. With Kevin at the helm of our geological team, we have the proven technical capability and depth to drive Dumbwa and our entire Solwezi Project forward.
Our Oxide Copper Opportunity1,2
Extensive oxide copper potential exists across our entire Solwezi Property package. We are currently focused on two initial key target areas featuring near-surface or at-surface high-grade oxide-copper mineralization: our Kazhiba and Mitu Targets.
By exploring these areas, making discoveries and expanding the footprint of known mineralization, there exists a unique and exciting near-term mining opportunity, that could produce significant near-term positive cash flow from the throughput of material from our property.
In April 2024, we announced a Cooperative Exploration Plan with First Quantum to jointly define potential oxide-copper feed sources on our property, for First Quantum’s SX/EW oxide copper circuit at the Kansanshi Mine, located less than 6 km’s northeast of our property and connected by haul road. This very unique near-term mining opportunity could produce significant near-term positive cash flow from the throughput of material from our property.
Kazhiba
A 2024 program completed on our Kazhiba Target delineated and confirmed a high-grade oxide-copper blanket. The program consisted of RC drilling, IP and Partial Ionic Leach Sampling TM and most importantly established “proof of concept” with regards to our plan with First Quantum. Kazhiba features a strongly variable, near-surface (low strip), unexploited, oxide-copper opportunity featuring a high-grade oxide copper blanket.
Drill Highlights from the 2024 program include: 10.69% Cu over 21 metres, 5.60% Cu over 26 metres, and 3.01% Cu over 15 metres, and 4.66% Cu over 7 metres1, all near surface.
The program also identified a north/northeastern extension to the oxide copper blanket, and a very significant new sulfide copper target which may be the potential source of high-grade oxide copper mineralization on the project, as well as several new oxide copper anomalies that share a very similar geochemical signature to the known Kazhiba oxide copper occurrence. These new targets give us opportunity and room for growth. Exploration work on the targets is underway now and will be ongoing.
Mitu
Drilling to date, intercepted numerous high-grade intervals of oxide mineralization, starting from surface
Mineralization intercepted at Mitu, contained significant cobalt and nickel in addition to high grade copper
Drill intercepts included 11.6 m of 3.44% Cu and 11.5 m of 1.41% Cu1
Initial Exploration work, in partnership with First Quantum, is underway now.
LEADERSHIP TEAM
A dedicated team of mineral exploration professionals, and geologists, with multiple discoveries and mines around the world to their credit.
RESPONSIBLE EXPLORATION
At Midnight Sun, we aim to better the communities in which we operate. We recognize that demand for responsibly mined critical metals such as copper play an integral role in electrification and a low-carbon world outlook.
