Mining Intelligence and News
Malawi

Kangankunde (Stage 1) Project

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Australia

Kangankunde (Stage 1) Project

Location: 14 km SW from Balaka, Malawi

Project Contacts:

Level 15, 240 St Georges Terrace
Perth
Western Australia, Australia
6000

Contacts:

Additional Resources for Suppliers & Investors

Categories

Summary

Mine TypeOpen Pit
Study CompletedFeasibility
StageConstruction
Commodities
  • REE
  • Neodymium
  • Monazite
  • Praseodymium
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
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Mine Life... Lock
SnapshotThe Kangankunde Rare Earths Project is one of the largest global deposits, with high-grade rare earths and low impurity levels.

Stage 1, which includes mining, a processing plant, and supporting infrastructure, carries low technical risk and lays the foundation for future expansions.

On April 11, 2025, Lindian Resources announced that early-stage site works have officially commenced at the Kangankunde Rare Earths Project. Following on from the start of construction of a new 5-kilometre access road in February 2025, the Lindian has commenced initial civil and infrastructure development.
Latest NewsEarly Site Works Commenced At Lindians World Class Kangankunde Rare Earth Project     April 11, 2025

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Lindian Resources Ltd. 66 % Indirect
Lindian Resources Limited has 66% ownership of Malawian registered Rift Valley Resource Developments Limited that has 100% title to Exploration Licence EPL0514/18R and Mining Licence MML0290/22 for the Kangankunde Project.

It is the intent that Lindian will move to 100% ownership of RVR by making the final US$10M vendor payment at or before process plant commissioning commences.

Contractors

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SourceSource

Deposit type

  • Carbonatite hosted
  • Breccia pipe / Stockwork

Summary:

The Kangankunde carbonatite complex is located in the Chilwa Alkaline Province of Southern Malawi. The carbonatite is aged between 117-129 million years and forms a distinctive low hill, rising approximately 200 metres above the surrounding plain.

The complex has a central carbonate core surrounded by zones transitioning from carbonatite-rich rock, composed primarily of dolomite, siderite and ankerite, to fenitised polymictic breccias and gneiss.

Rare earth mineralisation is dominated by monazite ((RE)PO4). Unlike many rare earth deposits, significant mineralisation is found in all rock types at Kangankunde, albeit primarily in carbonatite-rich rocks and breccias, and even extends into surrounding wall rocks in veins and stockworks.

Structural disruptions include NW/SE striking faults with sub-vertical dips, causing up to tens of metres of displacement and affecting carbonatite mineralisation contacts with surrounding brecciated wall rocks.

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Required Heavy Mobile Equipment

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Comminution

Crushers and Mills

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Processing

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Commodity Production

Production figures for Nd2O3+Pr6O11 are shown from TREO oxide in concentrate.
CommodityProductUnitsAvg. AnnualLOM
Total Rare Earth Oxides Oxide in concentrate t 8,259369,601
Nd2O3+Pr6O11 Oxide in concentrate t 1,61372,203
Monazite Concentrate kt 15686

Operational metrics

Metrics
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Waste tonnes, LOM  ....  Subscribe
Ore tonnes mined, LOM  ....  Subscribe
Tonnes processed, LOM  ....  Subscribe
* According to 2024 study.

Production Costs

CommodityUnitsAverage
All-in sustaining costs (AISC) Nd2O3+Pr6O11 USD  ....  Subscribe
All-in sustaining costs (AISC) Total Rare Earth Oxides USD  ....  Subscribe
Assumed price Nd2O3+Pr6O11 USD  ....  Subscribe
* According to 2024 study / presentation.

Project Costs

MetricsUnitsLOM Total
Pre-Production capital costs $M USD  ......  Subscribe
OP OpEx $M USD  ......  Subscribe
Processing OpEx $M USD 402
Transportation (haulage) costs $M USD 109
G&A costs $M USD 221
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Gross revenue (LOM) $M USD  ......  Subscribe
EBITDA (LOM) $M USD  ......  Subscribe
Pre-tax NPV @ 8% $M USD  ......  Subscribe
After-tax NPV @ 8% $M USD  ......  Subscribe
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Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Feb 14, 2025
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Feb 14, 2025
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Feb 14, 2025

Workforce

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Aerial view:

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