Pensana in Angola is WhyAfrica’s Pick Of The Week
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Pensana in Angola is WhyAfrica’s Pick Of The Week
Construction at Longonjo is on track and exploration commenced at Coola.
WhyAfrica’s Pick Of The Week column by Leon Louw founder of WhyAfrica and editor of the WhyAfrica magazine.
Construction at Pensana’s Longonjo Rare Earth Element (REE) project in Angola remains on track to be completed by the end of 2026 as planned.
The Longonjo REE deposit is located adjacent to the Lobito rail corridor about 60km west of the provincial capital Huambo in central Angola.
According to Pensana CEO Tim George the project’s capital costs (USD217- million) remain firmly within budget and the development timeline is intact.
Exploration drilling at Coola
Meanwhile, exploration drilling at the Coola exploration site, about 40km north of Longonjo, is imminent. George says that the drilling programme will test the potential for a deeply weathered and supergene enrichment central diatreme, as occurs at the Longonjo carbonatite.
“The central diatreme is a compelling magnetic target and is covered by 3 to 5 metres of sand and a ferricrete layer.
An initial 10 holes of 30 to 50 metres are planned to investigate this unique magnetic anomaly.
Samples collected will be analysed on site by portable XRF and mineralogical studies initiated. This will confirm the resource potential and allow for follow-up drilling to delineate the contribution that this deposit may make as a high-grade feedstock to the Longonjo operation.
“We look forward to positive confirmation of the Coola deposit to extend the use of the processing infrastructure being developed at Longonjo beyond the 20 years plus currently contemplated,” says George.
Partners commence engineering activities
Pro-Process Engineering, Lycopodium ADP Group and SRK Consulting, Pensana’s key project delivery partners at Longonjo, have commenced detailed engineering activities.
SRK has contracted a specialist drilling company to commence drilling on the tailings storage facility (TSF) to define the final excavation profile to meet Global Industry Standards on Tailings Management.
The material excavated within the primary TSF will be deployed for mine haul road construction, plant and infrastructure terracing as well as the TSF wall construction.
Upon completion of TSF drilling, the drilling contractor will re-mobilise to the Coola exploration project to commence the exploration drilling programme.
To read more about mineral exploration, REEs and critical minerals in Africa, visit the WhyAfrica website, your one-stop shop for on the ground information and business intelligence about Africa.
Remember WhyAfrica not only reports about early-stage exploration projects. We track these projects and visit many of the exploration sites during our annual WhyAfrica Road Trips across Africa to provide investors and WhyAfrica members with on the ground information about the continents top prospects.
Image: Ongoing construction at Pensana’s Longonjo REE project in Angola. Image credit: Pensana.
Pensana in Angola is WhyAfrica’s Pick Of The Week
