The rig was mobilised through in-country drilling partner Optimine Exploration, allowing two priority prospects to be tested at the same time.
Donkey Hill hosts 800m of mapped, outcropping copper mineralisation across three trends.
The prospect sits just 2.2km from Otniel and Kaoko Metals’ (ASX:KAO) maiden drilling is designed to test whether that surface mineralisation continues at depth.
Historical grab samples at Donkey Hill returned up to 69.6% copper.
The second rig means Donkey Hill can be drilled without putting the ongoing Otniel program on hold.
KAO’s first two holes there intersected visible copper mineralisation over 51.83m and 60.25m respectively.
Assays from those maiden holes are expected in around two to three weeks, while an update on the expanded Otniel drilling program is due in the coming days.
Managing director Gerard O’Donovan said starting drilling at Donkey Hill delivers on the company’s commitment to accelerate exploration following the recent capital raising.
“With encouraging early results returned from Otniel, we can now advance two priority targets simultaneously.
“Donkey Hill has a substantial footprint of outcropping copper mineralisation, and we are looking forward to testing how this mineralisation develops at depth.”
The addition of the second rig follows the company raising $20m through a placement to accelerate Chalkos drilling.
The exploration push comes as copper runs through a physical squeeze outside the US.
Reuters reported three-month LME copper hit a record US$14,703/t on September 8, with LME warehouse stocks down nearly 40% since late May and Shanghai Futures Exchange inventories down 85% from their mid-March peak.
Tightness is also showing up further upstream.
The 2026 miner-smelter treatment and refining charge benchmark fell to zero, while spot charges moved deeply negative amid constrained mine production and a shortage of copper concentrate.
