Arras Minerals (TSX-V:ARK) plans to double its 2026 drilling program to 40,000m at the Elemes Copper-Gold Project in Kazakhstan after completing a C$25 million ($25.39 million) bought deal financing.
The company has completed more than 18,000m across 27 holes to date, with four drill rigs operating at the project. Drilling has focused on the Berezski North, Central and East targets, with exploration holes also completed at Novii and the K-Ozek epithermal target.
“We are doubling the size of the current drill program to 40,000m that we aim to complete by the end of the year,” President Darren Klinck says.
According to the company, assay results have been received from four holes, with laboratory delays attributed to high sample volumes.
At Berezski North, eight wide-spaced drill holes tested porphyry and breccia-style mineralisation, with assay results for six holes still pending. According to the company, several step-out holes targeted deeper porphyry mineralisation and continuity of breccia zones.
Arras completed a top-of-bedrock drilling program in May 2026 comprising 381 holes for 6,002m across the Berezski and Aimandai trends. The work targeted a 5km magnetic low between Berezski Central and North targets, as well as a coincident copper-molybdenum soil geochemical anomaly north of Berezski North.
“With more than 30,000m drilled by Arras so far at the Berezski trend on the Elemes project, we are improving our understanding of the geology and structure across the approximately 10km strike with at least three porphyry centres identified,” CEO Tim Barry says.
Results from the 6,000m top-of-bedrock program are expected within weeks and will help prioritise targets at Berezski East, Central, and the 5km zone between Berezski North and Central. The company also plans to evaluate targets at the Aimandai trend located 7km east.
Elemes comprises two exploration licences covering 531 km² in northeast Kazakhstan, located 13km southwest of Ekibastuz. The project is located within the Bozshakol-Chingiz metallogenic belt near KAZ Minerals’ (LSE:KAZ) Bozshakol copper–gold mine.
Arras will balance definition drilling at Berezski North, Central, and East with continued exploration and new target testing throughout the trend during the expanded program. According to the company, the financing provides funding through to the end of 2027.
Write to France Pinzon at Mining.com.au
Images: Arras Minerals
