The drill programme is following up on reconnaissance work, which resulted in the discovery of rutile during a shallow soil sampling and auger programme completed in September. The initial exploration work was limited by the equipment available in
Mkango's Chief Geologist, Dr
The exploration programme will be funded from the Company's existing working capital.
Rutile Market
Rutile, anatase and ilmenite are naturally occurring titanium dioxide (TiO2) minerals, whose main uses are 90% for pigments, 5% production of titanium metal and 5% welding. Rutile is the purest, highest-grade natural form of TiO2 and is the preferred feedstock in manufacturing titanium pigment and producing titanium metal.
Finely powdered rutile is a brilliant white pigment and is used in paints, plastics, paper, foods, and other applications that call for a bright white colour. It has also been widely used in the production of glass, porcelain, and ceramics, as it is a valuable colouring agent. It can also be used to add colour to steels and copper alloys.
Titanium also has specialty uses including in welding, aerospace and military applications.
The rutile market fundamentals are robust with current and forecast pricing remaining strong. Iluka, in its Q3 2020 quarterly review, declared a weighted average received price for rutile of
About Mkango
Mkango is focused on developing the Songwe Hill ('Songwe') rare earth deposit in Phalombe district in
The main exploration target in the 51% held Phalombe licence is the Songwe rare earths deposit. This features carbonatite-hosted rare earth mineralisation and was subject to previous exploration in the late 1980s. Mkango completed an updated Pre-Feasibility Study for the project in
The main exploration targets in Mkango's remaining three 100% held licences are, in the Thambani licence, uranium, niobium, tantalum and zircon, in the Chimimbe Hill licence, nickel, cobalt and chromite and in the Mchinji licence, rutile, gold, nickel, cobalt, base metals and graphite.
Mkango also holds a 75.5% interest in Maginito with the balance owned by Talaxis. Maginito is focused on downstream opportunities relating to the rare earths supply chain, in particular, recycling and other innovative technologies for the production of neodymium alloy powders and magnets used in electric vehicles, wind turbines and other industries geared to decarbonisation of the economy.
Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure
Certain information contained in this announcement may have been deemed inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 until the release of this announcement.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of that term under applicable securities laws) with respect to Mkango, its business and the Project. Generally, forward looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as 'plans', 'expects' or 'is expected', 'scheduled', 'estimates' 'intends', 'anticipates', 'believes', or variations of such words and phrases, or statements that certain actions, events or results 'can', 'may', 'could', 'would', 'should', 'might' or 'will', occur or be achieved, or the negative connotations thereof. Forward looking statements in this news release include statements with respect to the completion of the feasibility study for Songwe, the potential for discovering high-grade rutile deposits within Mchinji licence, the potential for a new province of rutile mineralisation in the area of the licence and Mkango's plans for an exploration programme on the licence. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are based will occur. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, known and unknown risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not occur, which may cause actual performance and results in future periods to differ materially from any estimates or projections of future performance or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors and risks include, without limiting the foregoing, governmental action relating to COVID-19, market effects on global demand for the metals and associated downstream products for which Mkango is exploring, researching and developing, the positive results of a feasibility study on the Songwe Hill rare earths project and delays in obtaining financing or governmental or stock exchange approvals. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Additionally, the Company undertakes no obligation to comment on the expectations of, or statements made by, third parties in respect of the matters discussed above.
This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any equity or other securities of the Company in
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