Lindian Resources has rolled out another round of dazzling wide, high-grade rare earth hits at its giant Kangankunde rare earths project in Malawi with a resource upgrade due by the end of the month. The African operation already hosts a massive 261 million tonnes at an impressive grade of 2.19 per cent total rare earth oxides (TREO), including 5.7 million tonnes of contained TREO in the inferred category.
Highlights from the final results of the completed infill program show an 80m hit grading 3.83 per cent TREO from surface in addition to 100m going 3.09 per cent TREO also from surface.
Wider assays delivered a 150m hit at 2.6 per cent TREO from surface including 21m grading a whopping 4.49 per cent TREO from surface. A second 150m section returned 2.62 per cent TREO from surface including 90m at 3.54 per cent TREO from 58m.
Lindian’s third-phase infill campaign included 45 reverse-circulation holes across 4886m. Data from the program will be used to detail mine design and scheduling for Kangankunde in addition to an ore reserve estimation.
The average grade of rare earths critical metal elements neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr) remains consistent at about 20 per cent of the total TREO with peaks of up to 23.5 per cent of the total TREO recorded.
Previous results from the infill campaign include 120m at 3.66 per cent TREO, 80m going 3.59 per cent and 150m grading 3.38 per cent, with each section starting right from surface. Another 100m hit going 3.29 per cent TREO from surface included a 1m segment at an astounding 21.23 per cent TREO from 27m.
Lindian Resources chief executive officer Alistair Stephens said: “Assays for the Phase 3 drill program are now finalised. Lindian’s technical team has completed more than 20.7 kms of drilling at Kangankunde in less than 15 months to define what is one of world’s best rare earths deposits with excellent grade, non-radioactive material, a high NdPr ratio and enormous scale.”
Just last week the company announced it is fully permitted to begin the construction, mining and mineral processing steps at Kangankunde after receiving a permit to extract ground water at the site.
With the water permit secured, Lindian now has mining, exploration, environmental and social impact and assessment licences in place in addition to an explosives permit and it is now all systems go for what is generally considered to be the best hard rock rare earths deposit in the world.
A total of 22,702m have been drilled since October 2022 from all three phases for drilling, including 20,717m for resource definition drilling and 1985m for two deep drill holes that defined deep continuous mineralisation below the current mineral resource.
Lindian is expected to release the findings of its feasibility study into the first stage of mining and mineral processing at the project this quarter.
Management says early-stage mine development works should be fully funded from existing cash reserves and is investigating other non-dilutive funding options. The company also says it has been fielding considerable interest from rare earths industry participants for offtake deals, including the option for a pre-payment debt facility for project development.
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By Michael Philipps
