Modern Mining November 2020

Pre-drill rig mobilisation underway at Haneti

Progress at Pensana’s Longonjo project Pensana Rare Earths Plc (LSE: PRE, ASX: PM8) is mak- ing significant progress to bring Longonjo online, said to be the first major rare earth mine in over a decade. With this project, the company also seeks to establish a sustainable magnet metal supply chain to meet the burgeoning demand from the EV and Offshore Wind industries. Two studies are currently underway, a feasibility study into the production of a mixed rare earth sulphate in Angola, which is being undertaken by a number of internationally recognised consultants in Perth, Western Australia and the recently announced Wood Group study into the establishment of a UK-based pro- cessing facility to produce separated rare earth oxides. The Longonjo mine and concentrator study is well advanced with the capital costs in line with the US$130-million reported in the Preliminary Feasibility study in November 2019. In March 2020, the scope of the studies was expanded to include the processing of the concentrate to produce a mixed rare earth carbonate (MREC), and in early October a high grade MREC was successfully produced. 

Katoro Gold plc (AIM: KAT), the AIM listed gold and nickel exploration and development company, has given an update with respect to the planned drilling programme targeting the dis- covery of nickel and platinum group metals (PGM) at the Haneti Project in Tanzania. Katoro Gold PLC holds a 65% own- ership interest in Haneti with 35% held by Power Metal Resources PLC (POW). Pre-drill rig mobilisation is now underway to finalise preparations for the maiden drilling programme targeting nickel sulphide and PGM mineralisation. The technical team mobilising to site will shortly liaise with the Tanzania Ministry of Minerals and regional/local government, prepare equipment for mobilisation and arrange ground operational staffing. The drill contractor availability has now been confirmed and the key objective is for mobilisation of the drill- ing rig and field team to site as soon

Louis Coetzee, chairman of Katoro Gold.

as possible, subject to applicable COVID‑19 related restrictions. Louis Coetzee, chairman of Katoro Gold plc, comments: “I am very pleased that we are able to announce the mobilisation of the first exploration drill- ing program at Haneti. We believe that Haneti holds significant potential to host a world class nickel deposit within a previously identified 80km long ultra- mafic complex. Previous exploration work in this complex delivered nickel values as high as 13,6% and 2,33 g/t combined platinum and palladium.” 

November 2020  MODERN MINING  7