Drilling has started at ASX-listed Lindian Resources’ Kangankunde rare earths project in Malawi. 

“In early August, I set an ambitious plan to be drilling at Kangankunde within three months. With shareholder approval for the acquisition granted in late September, and the blessing of the Kangankunde community who have supported our plan . . . the Lindian team . . . worked tirelessly to prepare all necessary logistics and supplies that are necessary for a drill programme of the size we are embarking upon,” Lindian CEO Alistair Stephens said in an October 31 release.  

He added that this would be the first drill programme at Kangankunde since the 1990s and would form the basis for a mineral resource estimate (MRE) under the 2012 Joint Ore Reserves Committee code or at least an exploration target.  

“A steady stream of news in the form of assay results, metallurgical test work results, additional exploration targets, and potentially an MRE, represent multiple value drivers," Stephens said. 

The Kangankunde rare earths project is believed to have a significant resource in terms of its potential for size, grade and quality. The drilling programme now underway is expected to confirm and build on this. 

DRILLING 

The Phase 1 programme consists of 44 drill holes for 10 000 m of reverse circulation (RC) drilling and 2 500 m of core drilling on the Kangankunde hilltop. The drill pattern is based on 50 m east-west sections, and will be carried out in radial fans perpendicular to the interpreted carbonatite boundary, where the topography provides access. 

Lindian said the objective of the programme was to provide initial definition of the mineralised carbonatite and surrounding carbonatite breccia rocks within an area 800 m long and 800 m wide. It added that monazite mineralisation hosting rare earth elements was clearly visible in the rocks that crop out in this area.  

Phase 1 drilling will be limited to the Kangankunde hilltop using two RC rigs and one core rig to complete as many holes as possible until the wet season, which typically runs from December to March, limits access. 

As part of Phase 2, two additional deep drill holes are planned from drill pads near the base of the Kangankunde hill and are designed to allow drilling to continue during the early stages of the wet season.  

These two 1 000 m drill holes are designed to test the north-south and east-west axies of the carbonatite between 300 m and 800 m below the hilltop.  

Phase 2 will start after Phase 1 is completed and will be dependent on the wet season. 

METALLURGICAL SAMPLING 

During November, samples will be taken for metallurgical test work including mineralogy and recovery works, Lindian said. It is hoped by the company that the outcomes of this work programme will be available toward the end of the first quarter of next year. This will combine resource definition drilling with metallurgical recovery outcomes. 

Samples from all works will undergo sample preparation at a laboratory in Africa. Subsamples will then be shipped to Australia for assay.  

Test work will be undertaken on-site to determine bulk density of the mineralisation and surrounding rock types, which will be applicable to future resource modelling and mine planning.  

Lindian said the assay turnaround was expected to be six to eight weeks to account for transport, customs clearances, sample preparation and assaying.