Overview
| Stage | Permitting |
| Mine Type | Open Pit |
| Commodities |
|
| Mining Method |
|
| Mine Life | 16 years (as of Jan 1, 2022) |
Lofdal is now a fully permitted project. |
Source:
p. 2
The Lofdal property comprises exclusive prospecting license (EPL) 3400 and Mining License (ML) 200. The EPL and ML are held by Namibia Rare Earths (Pty) Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Namibia Critical Metals Inc.
Namibia Critical Metals owns a 95% interest in the Lofdal project with the remaining 5% held for the benefit of historically disadvantaged Namibians. The terms of the JOGMEC joint venture agreement with the company stipulate that JOGMEC provides $3,000,000 in Term 1 and $7,000,000 in Term 2 to earn a 40% interest in the Lofdal project. Term 3 calls for a further C$10,000,000 of expenditures to earn an additional 10% interest. JOGMEC can also purchase another 1% for C$5,000,000. To date, JOGMEC, has approved funding Term 1 and 2 expenditures totaling C$8,875,000.
On August 16, 2022, Bannerman Energy Limited completed the transaction to acquire a 41.8% shareholding in Namibia Critical Metals Inc.
Contractors
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Deposit Type
- Vein / narrow vein
- Hydrothermal
- Intrusion related
- Metamorphic hosted
- Carbonatite hosted
Summary:
The Lofdal property is underlain by Paleoproterozoic metamorphic rocks of the Huab Metamorphic Complex, which outcrop as an inlier of the Congo Craton surrounded by stratified rocks of the Damaran Orogen.
Rare earth element mineralization in the Lofdal Carbonatite Complex is closely associated with the carbonatite dykes and related hydrothermal alteration. These occur within an area of more than 200 km2 .
Of particular significance is the frequent enrichment of heavy rare earths in the dykes and in structurally controlled hydrothermal alteration zones, which trend predominantly in NE - SW and NNE - SSW directions.
The REE mineralization in the Lofdal Carbonatite Complex is variable and includes both LREE and HREE enriched varieties that appear to have been introduced in separate mineralizing events.
Mineralization in Areas 4 and 2B is structurally controlled and hydrothermal in origin. The host structures are first- and perhaps second-order basement structures that were apparently reactivated more than once during the mineralizing event. Repeated movement promoted the introduction of several generations of hydrothermal fluids, which resulted in a complex series of overprinting alteration events. The mineralization is dominantly present in xenotime and is interpreted to be related to the waning stages of hydrothermal alteration related to carbonatite intrusion. The highest-grade mineralization does not occupy a consistent position ........
Summary:
The proposed mining method is conventional open pit mining. Mineralised rock and waste would be drilled, blasted, loaded by hydraulic shovels and hydraulic excavators into off-highway dump trucks, and hauled to the processing plant.
There are two primary Lofdal deposits currently under consideration. These are to be mined as open pits, with the normal sequence of drilling, blasting and hauling. Due to the nature of the deposit, the resultant pits are narrow and deep. Currently no backfilling is contemplated.
The proposed mining method is the development of a slot in front of the mineralised zone at each level. The centralised slot will enable waste mining on one side while mining mineralised material on the other side. This methodology will also facilitate separating mineralised material from waste material.
The target ROM feed to the processing plant is 2 000 000 tonnes/annum. The plant feed is mineralised material with a TREO >= 0.1%. In the current schedule the production ramps up to this over 4 years.
Mineralised material with TREO >=0.05% and <0.1% is sent to a stockpile so it may be possible to process at a later stage if economics allow.
The combined Life of Mine of the two pits is 16 years.
An assumed maximum pit slope angle of 63° is applied to all slopes other than the low wall side, which follows the orebody and is at approximately 50°. With the inclusion of the ramp system the overall highwall slop ........
Source:
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Flow Sheet:
Summary:
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Reserves at May 12, 2021:
Mineral Resource Estimates above 0.1% TREO cut-off grade.
| Category | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | Contained Metal |
|
Measured & Indicated
|
44.77 Mt
|
Total Rare Earth Oxides
|
0.172 %
|
76.95 kt
|
|
Measured & Indicated
|
44.77 Mt
|
Light Rare Earth Oxides
|
0.082 %
|
|
|
Measured & Indicated
|
44.77 Mt
|
Heavy Rare Earth Oxides
|
0.086 %
|
|
|
Measured & Indicated
|
44.77 Mt
|
Dysprosium
|
0.0091 %
|
|
|
Inferred
|
8.67 Mt
|
Total Rare Earth Oxides
|
0.172 %
|
14.92 kt
|
|
Inferred
|
8.67 Mt
|
Light Rare Earth Oxides
|
0.09 %
|
|
|
Inferred
|
8.67 Mt
|
Heavy Rare Earth Oxides
|
0.076 %
|
|
|
Inferred
|
8.67 Mt
|
Dysprosium
|
0.0078 %
|
|
Source:
Corporate Filings & Presentations:
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