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Rome Resources Reports 2024 Results with Strong Drilling Progress at DRC Tin-Copper Project

Rome Resources advances DRC tin-copper project with 5,841m of drilling completed, targeting September 2025 resource estimate following £8.2m raising.

  • Following the company's 2024 final result release, Rome Resources raised £8.2 million in 2024 through AIM admission and strategic investment from Congolese mining company Stanvic Mining SARL, providing funding for extensive drilling operations at its Bisie North Project in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
  • The company has completed 5,841 meters of core drilling across the Kalayi and Mont Agoma prospects, with results feeding into a maiden mineral resource estimate expected in September 2025.
  • Operations experienced a temporary shutdown in March 2025 due to regional security concerns but resumed immediately in April 2025 with drilling continuing beyond the reporting period.
  • Significant copper and zinc mineralization has been identified alongside tin deposits, with the company initiating metallurgical studies to develop recovery processes for the multi-commodity potential.
  • The Bisie North Project is located just 8 kilometers from Alphamin's Bisie tin mine, recognized as the highest-grade tin mine globally, positioning Rome Resources in a world-class tin district.

Rome Resources is a DRC-focused tin and copper exploration company that completed a reverse takeover of Pathfinder Minerals PLC in July 2024, followed by admission to trading on AIM. The company holds interests in two exploration permits comprising the Bisie North Project in North Kivu province, eastern DRC. With a team experienced in discovering and developing Alphamin's tin deposit, Rome Resources is advancing its tin and polymetallic discoveries toward resource definition in one of the world's premier tin districts.

Operational and Financial Performance

Rome Resources successfully executed a significant capital raising program throughout 2024, establishing a strong financial foundation for its exploration activities. The company raised £4 million before expenses in July 2024 in conjunction with its admission to trading on AIM following completion of the reverse takeover of Pathfinder Minerals PLC.

A strategic milestone was achieved in December 2024 when Rome Resources secured an additional £4.2 million investment from Stanvic Mining SARL, a Congolese mining company with joint venture activities with Ivanhoe Mining in-country. This investment was completed at prevailing market prices, demonstrating confidence from a local industry participant with regional expertise.

As of December 31, 2024, the company maintained a cash balance of £4.33 million compared to £1.40 million in 2023.

Drilling Campaign

The company demonstrated operational momentum reactivating the Bisie North Field Camp and commencing drilling operations. Rome Resources deployed four drilling units across the Kalayi and Mont Agoma prospects, operated by three contractors including Orezone, Mole, and ADT.

The company recovered 3,443 meters of core. Post-reporting period activities continued this momentum, with an additional 1,587 meters recovered by June 2025. In the company report, Barrett noted the operational scale achieved:

"Rome hit the ground running immediately following Admission with a drilling programme at Bisie North with four drilling units probing the Kalayi and Mont Agoma Prospects."

The total drilling program had achieved 5,841 meters of core recovery, with 3,318 meters drilled on Mont Agoma and 2,712 meters on Kalayi. The samples undergo preparation at the Congolese Analytical Laboratory in Lubumbashi before transfer to ALS facility in Johannesburg for assay analysis.

Multi-Commodity Potential

The drilling campaign has confirmed the geological model's predictions while revealing additional mineralization potential. The Kalayi prospect shows discrete highly dipping vein trends containing cassiterite (tin oxide) as a single mineralization phase, with mineralization present from surface.

Mont Agoma has emerged as a more complex system with significant multi-commodity potential. Barrett explained the geological complexity: "Mont Agoma, however, has a complex and wide near-surface polymetallic zone showing significant copper and zinc sulphides in addition to minor cassiterite veins." The discovery of substantial copper and zinc mineralization has prompted the company to initiate metallurgical studies.

Barrett noted the strategic importance:

"As Mont Agoma is drilled out, it is clear that, in addition to the tin potential, there are a large amount of copper and zinc sulphides. The Company has therefore initiated metallurgical studies to develop a flowsheet to recover the shallower copper and zinc which represent overburden for deeper tin mineralisation."

Recent drilling has extended mineralization beyond the original surface anomaly. Mont Agoma drillhole 30, drilled outside the main geochemical anomaly, encountered significant shallow tin, pointing to additional potential along the northeast flank of the discovery.

Conclusion for Investors

Rome Resources operates in favorable market conditions for both tin and copper. The company benefits from tin's essential role in electronics, green energy technologies, and artificial intelligence applications. According to the International Tin Association estimates cited in the report, tin demand is projected to increase by 50% by 2030, driven by solar power, electric vehicles, and advanced telecommunications.

Chairman Klaus Eckhof highlighted tin's strategic importance:

"[Tin] It has a crucial role to play in the development of advanced computing power for artificial intelligence, components for electric vehicles and renewable energy systems, as well as continued base demand for other industrial applications."

Current tin pricing stands at approximately $31,000 per tonne as of the report date, reflecting strong market fundamentals. For copper, BHP's late 2024 estimate projects demand growth of 70% by 2050, primarily driven by electrification of energy networks.

Resource Estimate Timeline and Strategic Planning

Rome Resources is working with MSA Johannesburg to complete a maiden mineral resource estimate incorporating drilling data from the current campaign. The company expects this estimate to be completed around September 2025, representing a critical milestone for project valuation.

Barrett outlined the comprehensive approach:

"The MRE is seeking to cement the 'base case' resource for tin, copper and zinc which will incorporate the additional drill and assay data from the current programme and is likely to be complete on or around September 2025."

Initial indications suggest sufficient copper volume to warrant detailed assessment of multi-commodity value streams. The Board expressed confidence in the resource potential, with Barrett stating: "The Board is confident there will be sufficient potential identified in the MRE and its update to warrant further exploration, both laterally and at depth, potentially in collaboration with a strategic industry partner."

Key Takeaway

Rome Resources has positioned itself as a significant player in the critical metals sector through its strategic location adjacent to the world's highest-grade tin mine and its multi-commodity resource potential. The company's successful capital raising, operational execution despite regional challenges, and upcoming resource estimate provide multiple catalysts for investor consideration.

The September 2025 maiden resource estimate will serve as a key determinant of the project's scale and economic viability, while the company's strong cash position and experienced management team provide operational stability for continued exploration activities. With growing global demand for tin and copper driven by technological advancement and energy transition requirements, Rome Resources offers investors exposure to critical metals through a project in a proven geological district.

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