CMR Collaborates with Addison Mining for Initial Resource Assessment
Critical Mineral Resources plc (CMR), the company leading the exploration of the Agadir Melloul copper project in Morocco, announced on Thursday, August 20, that it has engaged the independent British firm Addison Mining Services Ltd to undertake the first estimation of the mineral resources at the site. This estimation will comply with the Joint Ore Reserves Committee (JORC) code and is expected to be published in October 2026, according to CMR's statement.
This initial independent assessment will focus solely on the drilling conducted within an area that represents approximately 5% to 6% of the total land covered by CMR's current permits. Notably, this estimation will not include additional areas where the company holds exclusivity for potential acquisitions. CMR has confirmed that exploration activities will continue simultaneously with the resource estimation, emphasizing its focus on the northern part of Zone 1.
Exploration and Data Analysis Underway
Addison has commenced the examination of geological data, drilling results, and chemical analyses that have been compiled for the project. This will be followed by a site visit to directly assess the geology and mineralization. The British firm, which specializes in resource and reserve estimation as well as compliance reporting under JORC standards, is tasked with transforming this wealth of data into an initial independent quantification of Agadir Melloul's mineral potential.
The anticipated estimation in October will primarily rely on drilling campaigns conducted by CMR in 2025 and 2026. These campaigns will consist of delineation drilling, infill drilling, and extensions around the northern part of Zone 1. Over the past twelve months, CMR claims to have amassed a substantial set of drilling data, geological observations, and analyses, which will provide the technical foundation for this first estimation.
James Hogg, the chief geologist and managing director of Addison, expressed that the initial findings from the site are "extremely encouraging" given the observed geology and mineralization, as well as the potential size of the target. He also noted that the knowledge of the terrain and the methodologies applied by CMR’s teams have provided reliable input data for establishing the first estimates.
According to Charlie Long, CEO of CMR, the selection of Addison and the initiation of this independent assessment represent "a significant milestone for Agadir Melloul." He highlighted that this evaluation will provide the project with its "first independently estimated mineral resource," forming a technical basis for future work, while also noting that the initial scope will remain limited to a small portion of the current permits.
CMR emphasizes that 94% to 95% of its current area will remain outside of this initial resource quantification. The limited scope of this exercise is one of the key points raised by CMR. By selecting a coverage of 5% to 6% of the current permits, the first estimation will inherently exclude 94% to 95% of this area from the initial quantification, not to mention additional lands under exclusive rights for future acquisitions.
Charlie Long further asserts that this first JORC estimation "does not include the additional lands on which we hold exclusivity for future acquisition," while exploration continues in other sectors of the project. Therefore, CMR plans to utilize the forthcoming estimate as an initial independent benchmark for the potential of Agadir Melloul, before subsequent geological work allows for a gradual expansion of the evaluated scope.
As reported by barlamane.com.
