An Australian mining company has received formal regulatory approval to move into the first phase of exploratory drilling in Serbia’s Ibar Valley, marking a new step in mineral exploration activity in the region. Bindi Metals confirmed that Serbia’s Ministry of Mining and Energy of the Republic of Serbia has approved an amendment to its exploration programme for the Ravni project, allowing the company to proceed with its initial borehole.
The approval, issued in the form of a project annex, represents a key regulatory milestone and enables the transition from surface-level investigations to subsurface exploration. According to the company, preparations are now focused on finalising land-access agreements, which are already at an advanced stage. These negotiations involve both private landowners and the relevant public authorities responsible for state-owned forest land, and are being conducted in accordance with Serbian legal and environmental requirements.
Once access arrangements are completed, Bindi Metals plans to launch its first drilling campaign, which will represent the initial systematic attempt to test subsurface geology in this part of the Ibar Valley. Previous surface geological work identified indications of epithermal mineralisation, a deposit style commonly associated with gold and silver systems in the wider Balkan metallogenic belt.
In parallel with permitting and access activities, the company is initiating a geophysical survey using the induced polarisation (IP) method. The survey, expected to run for approximately two weeks, is designed to refine drill targeting by identifying subsurface chargeability and resistivity anomalies consistent with mineralised structures. Results from this programme are expected in the coming weeks and will inform the placement of subsequent drill holes.
Bindi Metals has also revisited historical exploration data from the area. A borehole drilled in 2008 at the Drenjak prospect has been re-logged and re-sampled, with laboratory assay results expected within six to eight weeks. These results are intended to complement the new geophysical data and help define priority targets for the first drilling phase.
The Ravni project forms part of a broader wave of renewed interest by international junior mining companies in Serbia, where regulatory clarity, established geological potential and proximity to European markets continue to attract exploration capital, particularly in precious and polymetallic mineral systems.
