Royal Road Minerals has announced that it has obtained all necessary permits to commence drilling at its “Alouana” project, aimed at extracting copper and gold in eastern Morocco. The company views this project as a significant step in strengthening its presence in the mining sector within the kingdom, in partnership with investors from Saudi Arabia.
Royal Road Arabia (RRA), the entity entitled to acquire the Alouana project, is set to benefit from robust investment support, being a joint venture between Royal Road Minerals and the Saudi investment firm Mido, based in Jeddah. Mido has diverse investments across mining, industry, real estate development, and services.
Notably, RRA signed an option agreement in October 2023 to fully acquire Moroccan firm Izugar Resources, the current holder of the project licenses.
Spanning an area of 84 square kilometers, the Alouana project encompasses four exploration licenses covering a region with a history of small-scale mining activities dating back to the early 20th century. Approximately 45 sites for traditional underground and open-pit mining of copper and gold have been identified.
The area features unique geological formations with mineral bodies at varying depths, although no exploratory drilling has been conducted previously, paving the way for new discoveries.
The company is preparing to launch a drilling campaign targeting four key areas of the site, focusing on determining the thickness of mineral formations near the surface and lateral extensions of the minerals.
The campaign aims to explore the economic potential for mining in the OPZ and HTZ areas, located on the Alouana hills, while also assessing mineralization possibilities at greater depths in the RBZ region.
Tim Coughlin, CEO of Royal Road, emphasized that “determining the thickness of surface mineralization in the OPZ area is a crucial initial goal for the drilling campaign, followed by exploring its lateral extensions to the southwest.”
He added, “We are excited to begin this ambitious program, as each drill hole has been meticulously designed to fully explore the mineral system at Alouana.”
The initial drilling program will include geological and geochemical testing to identify exploratory drilling sites, reflecting Royal Road Minerals’ commitment to developing high-value projects in the mining sector, thereby strengthening its partnership with Saudi Arabia and expanding its investment horizons in Morocco.
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