This includes at least 95 million tonnes of export-quality coal after washing.

The drilling was undertaken in two programs. The first five holes were to provide a broad stratigraphic picture across the prospective area and the second 11 provided infill and continuity between the original five holes.

All of the five drill holes intersected thick sequences of coal and carbonaceous rocks. The second program of 11 intersected the coal-bearing sequence with thicknesses of 33m to 118m.

According to the company’s website, the Mea project’s coal-bearing horizon has now been intersected over an area measuring approximately 12km by 10km.

The cumulative coal thickness for the site’s eight main seams is 9.41m.

There is potential for resource growth with only 10% of the licence area drilled to a resource status.

According to a company statement: “The density of drilling over this area is insufficient to calculate a global resource and initial resource definition efforts have focused on the northeast of the deposit area, where coal seams are closest to the surface.”

A-Cap CEO Paul Thomson said the Mea results contained some of the best yields and calorific values in the region.

“Our results show that there is a significant resource of export quality coal as well as high-quality feed for domestic use and possibly low-ash Pulverised Coal Injection coal. We are continuing to evaluate the quality portion of this coal and the development options available for this exciting discovery,” he said.

“In parallel A-Cap is also continuing further coal evaluation programmes at the recently announced Bolau project surrounding African Energy as well as the coal on the Letlhakane Uranium project,” added Mr Thomson.

A-Cap Resources holds over 5000km² of exploration licenses in Botswana, mining coal and uranium.