--- title: "Orion Minerals Confirms High-Grade Copper Continuity At Okiep In New Drill Hit" type: "News" locale: "en" url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/291082248.md" description: "Orion Minerals reported a new high-grade copper intercept at its Okiep Copper Project in South Africa. Drill hole OFMED158 returned 3.96m at 4.64% Cu, extending mineralisation down-dip from previous results. This confirms the continuity of a high-grade zone but has not yet been incorporated into the resource model. The result supports the company's 2026 resource optimisation program, with future focus on further drilling to validate continuity and potential resource updates." datetime: "2026-06-29T02:12:32.000Z" locales: - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/291082248.md) - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/291082248.md) - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/291082248.md) generator: "portal-rs" --- # Orion Minerals Confirms High-Grade Copper Continuity At Okiep In New Drill Hit \*\*Orion Minerals\*\* has reported a new high-grade copper intercept from **Flat Mine East** within its **Okiep Copper Project** in South Africa’s Northern Cape, extending mineralisation **39m down-dip** from a previously reported standout result. The new diamond drill hole returned **3.96m at 4.64% copper**, including **0.95m at 14.19% copper** from **322.69m** down-hole, according to the company’s price-sensitive exploration update. The intercept sits below hole **OFMED157**, which previously returned **7.88m at 9.24% copper**, including **3.33m at 17.12% copper** from **311.26m**. The company said the latest result confirms a high-grade, norite-hosted copper zone continues at depth and remains open, while also supporting its **2026 resource optimisation drilling program** in the **Flat Mines** area. The practical point is that **OFMED158** adds another data point to Orion’s geological model, but the company also flagged that the latest hole has not yet been incorporated into the mineralisation model. It means any near-term effect on the resource shape, grade or tonnage still depends on further drilling and updated modelling. **Flat Mine East Background** **Flat Mine East** forms part of Orion’s **Okiep Copper Project**, a broader copper district project covering **703 square kilometres** in the Northern Cape. Within that district, the **Flat Mines area** is being advanced as a defined development area rather than an early-stage greenfields target. Orion’s **March 2025 Mineral Resource** for the **Flat Mines deposits** was **10.0Mt at 1.3% Cu** under **JORC 2012** using a **0.7% copper cut-off**. In its **FY2025 annual report**, Orion separately described the **Okiep Flat Mines Area** as a lower-capital starter project. That report said the **2025 DFS** outlined a **12-year life-of-mine**, with optimisation work under way to improve project outcomes by bringing forward production, reducing capital expenditure and improving mine selectivity. **Drill Result and Program** Orion said the **OFMED158** mineralised interval consists mainly of blebby to disseminated **bornite** and **chalcopyrite** hosted in **norite**. In the company’s interpretation, that supports a structural model linking the new intercept to the **FME lower zone**. To frame the result, Orion also pointed to nearby holes. Hole **OFMED154** previously returned **78.00m at 1.57% Cu**, including **15.00m at 4.80% Cu** and **9.27m at 3.01% Cu**. Hole **OFMED153** returned **49.35m at 5.05% Cu**, including **21.66m at 9.41% Cu**. The company said **OFMED154** sits **50m along strike east** of **OFMED153**, using those intersections to support a broader continuity case across both strike and depth directions. This drilling forms part of Orion’s **2026 resource optimisation drilling program at Okiep**. **What Comes Next** The next technical milestone is whether Orion converts this and nearby drilling into an updated mineralisation model and then into changes to the resource envelope at **Flat Mines**. The company has already said **OFMED158** is not yet incorporated into the model, so the immediate task is geological interpretation rather than a direct resource revision. A second point to watch is the question of thickness and continuity. While **OFMED158** extends the zone down-dip and supports Orion’s interpretation that the system remains open at depth, the new intercept is narrower than **OFMED157**. That means follow-up drilling still needs to show that high-grade sections are continuous enough, and broad enough, to materially influence optimisation outcomes. **Continuity Matters More Than Width** The **OFMED158** intercept adds another data point supporting Orion’s view that a high-grade copper zone at **Flat Mine East** continues at depth within the **Okiep** project area. Even so, the result is narrower than the earlier **OFMED157** hit, so the main test now is whether further drilling and modelling convert that continuity into a materially improved resource and stronger project optimisation outcomes. For now, the most concrete near-term watchpoints at Okiep are more drilling results from **Flat Mine East**, any updated resource or optimisation work for **Flat Mines**, and how effectively Orion deploys its existing funding across drilling, studies, and development planning. ### Related Stocks - [ORN.AU](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/ORN.AU.md) ## Related News & Research - [Paladin Energy reports new high-grade drill results at Patterson Lake South uranium project in Saskatchewan](https://longbridge.com/en/news/297718030.md) - [Aurania Commences Drill Program at Thor's Valley Gold Project in Iceland | AUIAF Stock News](https://longbridge.com/en/news/298310937.md) - [Northstar Gold presents Bryce property as drill-ready 4,650-ha gold-copper option opportunity](https://longbridge.com/en/news/298231859.md) - [A2GOLD COMPLETES 4,400-METRE DRILL PROGRAM AT TAYLOR AND MOBILIZES RIG TO EASTSIDE TARGET PENTE | AUXXF Stock News](https://longbridge.com/en/news/298314349.md) - [Phoenix Metals wins amended permit to start drilling at Greenwood project in British Columbia](https://longbridge.com/en/news/298307196.md) --- > **Disclaimer: This article is for reference only and does not constitute any investment advice.**