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Lindian on track for December rare earths production at Kangankunde

Power and plant installation milestones reached at Malawi project

By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time2 min
Sources2 outlets
ASX 300-listed Lindian Resources says construction at its Kangankunde rare earths project in Malawi has hit key milestones, keeping it on track for first monazite concentrate production in December, with plant transformers scheduled to be fired up in the first week of November.

Lindian Resources is closing in on becoming a rare earths producer, with construction and operational readiness advancing on multiple fronts at its Kangankunde project. The project is considered one of Africa's most significant rare earths deposits, hosting a 261-million-tonne resource grading 2.19 per cent total rare earth oxides, including a high-grade core of 26 million tonnes at 3.7 per cent that will feed the stage-one plant.

Structural steel installation in the plant's wet high-intensity magnetic separation and magnetic gravity separation areas is now 90 per cent complete, while shaking table installation is 80 per cent done. The regrind mill has been installed and piping is being laid.

On the power front, the 33-kilovolt overhead transmission line has been commissioned through to the transformer yard. Both 1250 kilovolt-ampere plant transformers have passed factory acceptance testing and are back on site, ready to be switched on in the first week of November. The company says this will allow time for motor testing and electrical commissioning ahead of introducing the first ore to the plant.

"Every milestone brings us closer to becoming a rare earths producer," said Lindian executive director Zac Komur.

Mining operations have continued to build feed stockpiles, with 149,000 tonnes of ore now on the run-of-mine pad, up 19 per cent from 125,000 tonnes in September. Mining has also moved to the pit's upper levels, with drilling ongoing.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • The December production target is a test of whether Kangankunde, one of Africa's most significant rare earths deposits, can move from construction to actual supply.
  • Rare earths are critical to magnets, electronics and defence applications, and new production outside China matters for supply-chain diversification.
  • For investors, the November power commissioning is the final major step before the plant receives its first ore.

Background

Rare earths are a group of minerals essential to modern technology, from electric vehicle motors to wind turbines and military systems. Global processing capacity is heavily concentrated in China, and Western governments have been seeking alternative sources. Kangankunde is one of several projects trying to add non-Chinese supply, with Lindian Resources, an Australian-listed company, developing the Malawi deposit.

Key Perspectives

Lindian Resources: The company is confident in its timeline, with executive director Zac Komur saying each milestone brings it closer to becoming a rare earths producer. Investors: The focus is on whether the December date is met and whether the plant ramps up smoothly after first ore is introduced. Critics/Skeptics: Commissioning new processing plants can run late, and the project's performance in the first weeks of power and ore feed will test construction quality and logistics in Malawi.

What to Watch

  • Firing of the two 1250 kVA transformers in the first week of November.
  • The introduction of first ore to the plant and whether first monazite concentrate is produced in December.
  • Growth of the run-of-mine stockpile beyond 149,000 tonnes to support continuous feed during ramp-up.

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

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