Perth-based African multi-commodity developer, Sovereign Metals, has successfully identified six new highly promising rutile targets across its Malawi ground holdings in Africa.
The company has been on a systematic campaign to explore for rutile mineralisation since receiving some very encouraging preliminary metallurgical test work results at its Wofiira rutile prospect.
Sovereign successfully recovered a concentrated ore product that contained 96% titanium dioxide at a recovered grade of 1.1% rutile at Wofiira, a result that is on par with many of the world’s leading rutile producers.
A combination of soil sampling and shallow auger drilling looks to have nailed significant new rutile mineralisation, with the additional targets now scheduled for further work that will include more auger drilling.
Across its land holdings, Sovereign collected 649 soil samples and then analysed them via portable XRF.
136 samples with high titanium dioxide values were then further analysed on-site for rutile mineralisation. The onsite sample preparation methodology uses wet-tabling, magnetic separation and XRF to semi-quantify the rutile mineralisation grade.
According to the company, the newly defined rutile zones appear to be open in all directions and results to date indicate that near-surface rutile zones span approximately 2.2km.
Sovereign also sunk 35 auger holes into its six new targets. The samples were processed onsite and samples that indicated recoverable rutile grades were transported to Australia for quantitative analysis.
Rutile is a highly sought-after mineral used as a high-grade titanium feed source, currently selling for about USD$1,000 per tonne. The major uses for rutile are in the manufacture of refractory ceramics, as a pigment and for the production of titanium metal.
Finely powdered rutile is a brilliant white pigment utilised in paints, plastics, paper, foods and other applications that call for a bright white colour.
Sovereign has identified extensive rutile mineralisation right from the surface at Wofiira, with the rutile contained within a soft, free digging type material.
With two highly sought-after mineral commodities, graphite and rutile both within the bounds of its Malawi play, Sovereign is spoilt for choice and will certainly be encouraged by its newly delineated rutile targets.
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By Matt Birney
