Name of the Project
Gakara rare earths project.
Location
The Gakara mining licence is located within the north-eastern Kibaran belt, in the Bujumbura province of western Burundi.
Project Owner/s
Rainbow Rare Earths has a 90% interest in the project, with a nondilutable 10% owned by the Burundi government.
Project Description
Gakara is one of the highest-grade rare earths projects globally, with 47% to 67% total rare-earth oxide (TREO).
The project hosts a deposit with a very high run-of-mine grade, averaging 54.3% TREO for 141 853 t of contained TREO, with high-quality and well understood mineralogy.
The high grade of the vein material is expected to enable Rainbow to pursue a low-risk processing route. Owing to the minimal level of processing required, complex and expensive processing facilities, as well as the use of hazardous chemicals, will not be required.
Rainbow is fast-tracking the project to production and will produce a high-grade concentrate using simple mining.
Potential Job Creation
Not stated.
All-in Sustaining Costs/All-in Costs
Not stated.
Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
Not stated.
Capital Expenditure
Not stated.
Planned Start/End Date
In September 2017, Rainbow started ore extraction at the Gasagwe site and, in December 2017, announced inaugural production and sales of its mineral concentrate.
The Gakara project entered commercial production in the 2018 financial year ended June 30, 2018.
Latest Developments
Rainbow Rare Earths exported a further 75 t of concentrate from the project’s trial mining operations, grading at about 53% total rare-earth oxides.
The concentrate was sold through the company's offtake partner thyssenkrupp Materials Trading.
Key Contracts and Suppliers
Obsideo Consulting (EPCM).
Contact Details for Project Information
Rainbow Rare Earths, email info@rainbowrareearths.com.