ASX- and TSX-V-listed Jervois Global has initiated the underground resources programme at the RAM deposit at its Idaho Cobalt Operations (ICO) in Idaho, in the US.
The endeavour, carried out in collaboration with local contractors Small Mine Development and Major Drilling, is supported by a $15-million agreement with the US government.
Under the terms of the funding agreement, Jervois’ direct expenditure for the resource extension programme, encompassing exploration development drifts, drilling activities, logging, assaying, mineral resource modelling and other associated supervision costs throughout the fourth quarter, will be entirely covered by the Department of Defense.
The RAM resource extension programme has completed about 50% of the underground exploration drift and step-out drilling to define potential extension of the existing RAM mineral resource has commenced.
ICO’s mineral resource and reserve is already the biggest and highest-grade confirmed cobalt orebody in the US.
Cobalt is a critical mineral in the US and is used in aerospace, defence and energy transition technologies.