Blencowe Resources (BRES) has received the first assay result from the deep drilling portion of the Stage 7 exploration programme it recently carried out at its Orom-Cross graphite project in Uganda. Six holes were drilled, three at the newly identified Iyan deposit, and three at Beehive.
Analysis of core from the first hole at Iyan confirms substantial high-grade graphite mineralisation with near-continuous graphite intercepted from near surface to approximately 100 metres.
Key mineralised intervals from this hole include 18.85 metres at 7.01% total graphitic content from depths of four metres to 32.7 metres, 29.47 metres at 5.34% TGC from 32.7 metres to 62.2 metres, and 10.88 metres at 5.10% TGC from 62.2 metres to 73.1 metres.
The hole concluded still in mineralisation, underscoring both the depth continuity and the likelihood of a significantly larger system extending below the current drilling limits.
Iyan lies immediately adjacent to the company’s Northern Syncline deposit, and represents a new mineralised zone that is not included in the current JORC resource reported in November 2025.
Assays are pending from the other five deep holes drilled, as well as from a further 186 holes completed across these extensions, step-outs and shallow drilling as part of the broader Stage 7 programme.
"These preliminary results from our first deep hole at Iyan have exceeded expectations, both in the exceptionally long intersections and the consistently higher grades returned,” said Blencowe’s executive chairman Cameron Pearce.
“The picture emerging at Iyan is of a continuous orebody extending from surface to around 100 metres, and we were still in graphite when drilling stopped so its full depth is yet to be defined. Iyan is a newly identified deposit named in recognition of local communities, and it represents a significant addition to our resource potential. Together with the Beehive deposit, these two new zones sit alongside Northern Syncline and Camp Lode within our 21-year mining licence and close to the proposed plant site.”
View from Vox
The exceptional continuity and grades encountered over long intervals in this first deep hole indicate the potential for a material expansion of resources in future JORC updates from Blencowe. This isn’t a new idea – it’s long been recognised that the mineralised footprint at Orom-Cross is likely to be substantially larger than the one already outlined in the official JORC numbers. Still, it’s nice to get confirmation that the company is able to back up this idea with data. Some external estimates have put the overall mineralised footprint at Orom-Cross at as much as three billion tonnes of ore. No wonder executive chairman Cameron Pearce calls it “one of the most significant graphite deposits globally”.