Victoria Falls Stock Exchange-listed bullion producer Caledonia Mining’s 2025 exploration at the Motapa property in Zimbabwe has returned high-grade intersections that could turn the project into a strategic extension of its Bilboes mining complex, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Ryan Chigoche
The company envisions a combined operation that would enhance production and extend Bilboes’ life. Motapa lies directly adjacent to Bilboes, which has proven and probable reserves of 1.75 million ounces of gold in 24.1 million tonnes of ore at an average grade of 2.26 grams per tonne.
Shared infrastructure and operational synergies between the two properties could improve project economics and reduce capital intensity, Caledonia noted.
The 2025 drilling programme tested sulphide mineralisation below historical oxide open pits and identified new zones across Motapa. Results confirm the continuity of mineralisation along a six-kilometre strike within the Bubi Greenstone Belt, with multiple shear zones at Motapa North, Central and South. Both oxide and sulphide mineralisation support near-term and long-term development.
“These promising results from Motapa demonstrate the potential to significantly enhance the long-term value of the company’s Bilboes project,” CEO Mark Learmonth said. “The consistent high-grade intersections at Motapa North highlight the opportunity to define a substantial resource in close proximity to the planned infrastructure at Bilboes.”
Learmonth added: “While our immediate focus remains the development of Bilboes, targeting first gold in the fourth quarter of 2028, Motapa represents a compelling opportunity to extend mine life and increase future production across a combined mining complex.”
Selected highlights from Motapa North include 19 metres at 8.08 grams per tonne (hole JPRC52), 6.38 metres at 13.95 g/t (JDD11), 12 metres at 7.12 g/t (JPRC63), and 14 metres at 4.31 g/t (PLV5RC4). At Motapa Central (Mpudzi), highlights include 7 metres at 2.39 g/t (MPZRC79) and 3 metres at 4.79 g/t (MPZRC64).
A maiden mineral resource estimate for portions of Motapa is expected in the third quarter of this year.
The 2024 exploration programme comprised 12,724 metres of trenching, 4,143 metres of diamond drilling and 5,433 metres of reverse circulation drilling. In 2025, Caledonia completed 22,364 metres of trenching, 1,562 metres of diamond drilling and 18,547 metres of reverse circulation drilling. Surface trenching at Motapa South has also identified anomalous areas with no evidence of historical open-pit workings.
The significance of Bilboes to Caledonia extends beyond its reserve grade. As the company’s first wholly owned flagship project, it represents a shift from its historic reliance on Blanket Mine, offering full cash flow retention and a platform for growth in Zimbabwe’s gold sector. The Motapa drill results therefore carry strategic weight: they suggest Bilboes could evolve from a standalone asset into a multi-deposit hub, lowering per-ounce costs through shared infrastructure and potentially pushing output beyond 200,000 ounces annually.
