REG - Aterian PLC - Commencement of Work at KCB, Botswana

AterianAnnouncement

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RNS Number : 8287Z  Aterian PLC  09 April 2026

9 April 2026

 

Aterian plc

("Aterian" or the "Company" or the "Group")

 

Commencement of Work at KCB, Botswana

Aterian plc (LSE: ATN), the critical minerals exploration and development
company, is pleased to announce the commencement of a soil geochemical
programme over its licence PL2622/2023 ("Project") within the Kalahari
Copperbelt ("KCB") located in the northwestern region of the Republic of
Botswana ("Botswana").

 

The programme represents an important step in advancing the Company's copper
exploration strategy in one of the world's most prospective emerging copper
belts.

 

Charles Bray, Executive Chairman of Aterian plc, commented:

"Our strategy is clear: execute disciplined, data-driven exploration to
rapidly identify, prioritise and advance high-impact drill targets within
proven geological terrain. With major industry participants actively
consolidating positions across the KCB, we believe Aterian is exceptionally
well positioned, holding strategically located licences with strong geological
credentials within a competitive geological terrain.

Importantly, this commencement of fieldwork is designed to accelerate our
pathway to value creation, with a clear line of sight towards geophysics and
subsequent drilling. We seek results to build a robust pipeline of drill-ready
targets.

We are now entering an increasingly active phase of exploration across both
our Botswana and Morocco portfolios, and look forward to delivering a steady
flow of results. We remain confident that our systematic approach, combined
with the quality of our ground, positions Aterian to generate meaningful
discovery potential and long-term shareholder value."

Overview

The Project is located east-north-east of several active exploration and
development projects operated by industry peers within the Kalahari
Copperbelt.

 

Following a detailed geophysical review and targeting exercise undertaken by
independent consultants, the licence area is considered most prospective in
its south-western portion. This area is interpreted to lie down-dip of the
Galileo Fold structure to the west and is bounded by a magnetic basement high
to the east.

 

A well-defined southwest-northeast striking magnetic linear anomaly, parallel
to the northwestern boundary of the licence, is interpreted as a response to
the magnetic marker sandstone within the lower D'Kar Formation - a key
stratigraphic horizon associated with copper-silver mineralisation in the KCB.

 

 

Soil Geochemical Programme

The soil geochemical survey will cover approximately 90 km² and is designed
to test the identified structural and stratigraphic targets.

 

Key parameters of the programme include:

·    Sample lines are oriented northwest-southeast to intersect the
magnetic anomaly

·    Line spacing of approximately 2 km

·    Sample spacing of approximately 100 metres along each line

The programme is designed to identify geochemical anomalies associated with
potential copper-silver mineralisation and to refine targeting for follow-up
exploration.

 

Next Steps

Based on the results of the geochemical survey, the Company intends to:

·    Define priority target areas for follow-up work

·    Conduct at least two deep Induced Polarisation ("IP") / resistivity
traverses (c. 5 km each) over the identified magnetic anomaly

·    Progress towards drill targeting, subject to results

This phased exploration approach is designed to efficiently advance the
Project while managing capital allocation.

 

Kalahari Copperbelt

The Kalahari Copperbelt is one of the world's most prospective regions for
undiscovered sediment-hosted copper deposits (USGS, 2020). The belt extends
approximately 1,000 km from western Namibia into northern Botswana along the
northwestern margin of the Kalahari Craton and hosts several large stratabound
copper-silver deposits.

 

Mineralisation typically occurs within metasedimentary rocks that were folded
and metamorphosed during the Damara Orogeny. Deposits are generally
stratabound or structurally controlled, with ore bodies 5-40 m thick and
strike lengths of 1.5-4 km. Copper mineralisation is commonly associated with
the base of the D'Kar Formation near its contact with the underlying Ngwako
Pan Formation.

 

Aterian's licences are strategically located within this emerging copper
district, including:

·    One Atlantis licence lies about 50 km east of MMG's Khoemacau Copper
Mine Zone 5 deposit (92.9 Mt at 2.0% Cu and 21 g/t Ag),

·    while another is 7 km west of the Banana Zone deposit (157 Mt at
0.86% Cu and 11 g/t Ag).

In March 2024, MMG Limited acquired Cuprous Capital Ltd, the parent company of
Khoemacau Copper Mine, for US$1.73 billion.

 

 

 

Qualified Person

The technical disclosure in this regulatory announcement has been approved by
Simon Rollason, Chief Executive Officer of Aterian Plc. A graduate of the
University of the Witwatersrand in Geology (Hons). He is a Member of the
Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, with over 30 years of experience
in mineral exploration and mining.

 

- ENDS -

 

This announcement contains information which, prior to its disclosure, was
inside information as stipulated under Regulation 11 of the Market Abuse
(Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019/310 (as amended).

 

Engage directly with the Aterian PLC management team by asking questions,
watching video summaries, and seeing what other shareholders have to say.
Please navigate to our interactive investor hub here:
https://aterianplc.com/s/fcf8eb (https://aterianplc.com/s/fcf8eb)

 

For further information, please visit the Company's website:
www.aterianplc.com (http://www.aterianplc.com) or contact:

 

Aterian Plc:

Charles Bray, Executive Chairman - charles.bray@aterianplc.com
(mailto:charles.bray@aterianplc.com)

Simon Rollason, CEO & Director - simon.rollason@aterianplc.com
(mailto:simon.rollason@aterianplc.com)

 

Financial Adviser and Joint Broker:

AlbR Capital Limited

David Coffman / Dan Harris

Tel: +44 (0)207 7469 0930

 

Joint Broker:

SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP

Ewan Leggat / Devik Mehta

Tel: +44 20 3470 0470

 

Financial PR:

Bald Voodoo - ben@baldvoodoo.com (mailto:ben@baldvoodoo.com)

Ben Kilbey

Tel: +44 (0)7811 209 344

 

Subscribe to our news alert service: https://atn-l.investorhub.com/auth/signup
(https://atn-l.investorhub.com/auth/signup)

Notes to Editors:

About Aterian plc

www.aterianplc.com (http://www.aterianplc.com)

 

Aterian plc is an LSE-listed exploration and development company with a
diversified African portfolio of critical metals projects.

Aterian plc is actively seeking to acquire and develop new critical metal
resources to strengthen its existing asset base while supporting ethical and
sustainable supply chains as the world transitions to a sustainable, renewable
future. The supply of these metals is vital for developing the renewable
energy, automotive, and electronic manufacturing sectors, which are
increasingly important in reducing carbon emissions and meeting global climate
ambitions.

 

Aterian has a portfolio of multiple copper-silver (+gold) and base-metal
projects in Morocco. Aterian holds a 90% interest in Atlantis Metals, a
private Botswana-registered company holding eleven mineral prospecting
licences for copper-silver in the world-renowned Kalahari Copperbelt and three
for lithium and salt brine exploration in the Makgadikgadi Pans region. The
Company also holds an exploration licence in southern Rwanda, where it is
evaluating the tantalum and niobium opportunity, in addition to further
exploring for pegmatite-hosted lithium.

 

The Company's strategy is to seek new exploration and production opportunities
across the African continent and to develop new sources of critical mineral
assets for exploration, development, and trading.

 

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