Rome Resources (RMR) has initiated the mobilisation of equipment and personnel to its Bisie North tin and copper project in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The BAC contract helicopter returned to the DRC over the weekend and is now preparing for phased mobilisation of the crews and equipment to the project site over the coming days.
This marks the start of the next phase of exploration following the release of the company's maiden mineral resource estimate on 30 October 2025.
This resource estimate confirmed Bisie North as a large, multi-metallic system, with significant tin, copper, zinc and silver mineralisation defined at Kalayi and Mont Agoma.
However, drilling to date has only tested a small portion of the licence area and only to shallow depths of approximately 220-to-250 metres.
Geological modelling indicates the existence of exploration targets across the two deposits of between 102,000 and 260,000 aggregate tonnes of contained tin, highlighting the scale of potential growth as the system is drilled deeper and along strike.
Accordingly, this next phase of exploration is designed to begin testing the deeper potential.
Deeper tin zones beneath the main Mont Agoma polymetallic system will be targeted. Modelling of this area indicates tin grades are likely to strengthen with depth as copper declines, consistent with geological patterns in regional analogues, such as Alphamin's Bisie mine.
In addition, the Mont Agoma East tin zone, where a near-surface 23 metres tin intercept was identified after the completion of the resource estimate, will now be drilled out ahead of inclusion in a follow-up resource estimate.
Meanwhile, at Kalayi, the potential for thicker, higher-grade zones at depth will be investigated.
Drilling will commence first on Mont Agoma, where the three rigs are currently positioned, before moving to Kalayi once the initial sequence of drill holes is completed.
"We are very pleased to restart operations so soon after delivering the maiden mineral resource estimate, which confirmed Bisie North as a significant, multi-metallic system with exceptional growth potential,” said Paul Barrett, chief executive of Rome Resources.
“This new drilling phase is designed to test exactly where the system is expected to become highest grade specifically at depth beneath Mont Agoma, within the newly identified Mont Agoma East zone, and below the known high-grade shoots at Kalayi. This is a strategically important programme for Rome Resources, focused on the deeper source of the tin. With mobilisation underway, we look forward to advancing drilling rapidly and updating the market as results come through."
View from Vox
The maiden resource estimate clearly showed that Rome Resources has an asset of some significance at Bisie North. Just quite how big it is remains to be seen, but there’s all sorts of upside on offer, not to mention the presence locally of one of the world’s major producers. So this new programme should add significant further value, and it will be well worth watching for updates.