OUR COMMENTS on Mkango Mining Plans

OUR COMMENTS on Mkango Mining Plans 

In June 2017 it was headlined that Canada's Mkango Resources would start mining rare earth in Malawi in 2020  READ HERE In 2018 we were informed that the feasibility study would be completed in 2019. Early this year we heard, Talaxis will invest a further £7 million (about K6.6 billion)  to fund the completion of the feasibility study for Songwe, which will be the main focus for 2019, Upon receiving the Talaxis money the company reported that the feasibility study for Songwe, which is currently underway and expected to be completed in 2020. which had been the initial date for starting the mining.  And this month we have been informed that the mining will start in 2024 READ MORE.

The explanation provided is: “We need two years to conduct definitive feasibility studies to be 100 per cent sure of what’s in the ground and how to extract it. After analysing the findings, we will compile a document to be used to raise funding for the project before we can start constructing the mine”.  

Mkango does not seem to be in a particular hurry.

And for a company have another exploration licence – Thambani, the pace and the schedules they are working do not help us in planning for our future on this vital resource.

For more than a decade now a major rare earth resource at Kangakunde has been held up one south Africa mineral explorer, Mr. Michael Saner, asking US100 million dollar. Apparently, he has relented and was joining up with another Australian company to get started. Y=There is apparently some disagreed over ownership or  something (READ HERE)and, once again, the countries are being held at ransom.

We have heard no sounds of protest from the government.

We believe the government should insist on harder timelines for such projects.