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Chilwa Criticial Minerals Project
Strategic Location
The Chilwa Critical Minerals Project is located around the western, northern and southern shores of Lake Chilwa in Southern Malawi.
Malawi is known as "The Warm Heart of Africa". It is a landlocked country in southeastern Africa famed for the warmth and kindness of its people. It is bordered by Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northeast, and Mozambique to the east, southeast and southwest.
Malawi is an underexplored country with a stable regime and an emerging mining destination with a supportive Government and a newly developed infrastructure network.
A Presidential 'State of the Nation' address in 2024 prioritised Agriculture, Tourism and Mining (ATM) as key focus sectors for the economic growth of Malawi.
Nearby Development Operations
Our Project is located amongst several significant mine development operations such as:
LINDIAN RESOURCES
Kangankunde REE with an inferred Resource 261Mt at 2.19% TREO for 5.7Mt TREO.
MKANGO RESOURCES
Songwe Hill REE with a total M&I Resources 21.03Mt at 1.41% TREO for 297.4kt TREO.
SOVEREIGN METALS
Kasiya Rutile-Graphite with a mineral Resource of 1.8Bt at 1.0% rutile and 1.4% graphite for 17.9Mt contained rutile and 24.4Mt contained graphite.
Infrastructure
The Chilwa Critical Minerals Project benefits from access to rail, port and supporting infrastructure with a pit-to-port solution for exporting products to global markets.
The Project benefits from the potential to utilise the Nacala rail link with final products transported circa 700km from Liwonde to the Nacala Deep Water Port for export.This established rail and port infrastructure is key to the Company’s prospects for economic development of the Project which minimises the requirement for significant capital expenditure. The railway line from Liwonde to Nacala has been upgraded and is used to transport coal from Moatize, in Tete province to the new coal terminal at Nacala.
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The rail is accessible from Zomba via the M3 which is tarred or via route S131 which is a gravel road that runs west of Lake Chilwa and passes through Domasi and Chibwana.
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Malawi is a stable and an emerging mining jurisdiction, with a supportive government for mineral extraction.
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Malawi’s long-term goal is to increase the mineral sector’s contribution to GDP over the coming years.
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Minerals with economic potential include: Phosphates (apatite), Bauxite, Kaolinitic, Coal, Kyanite, Limestones, Rare Earth (including Strontianite and Monazite), Graphite, Sulphides (Pyrite and Pyrrhotite), Titanium minerals along the Lakeshore, and Vermiculite.
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Chilwa Minerals’ project partner, Mota-Engil, has a deep and long-standing relationship with Malawi government officials and the local communities.
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Mota-Engil currently has substantial active EPC / infrastructure operations in Malawi and is capable of providing development finance for the Project as well as managing the Project operations in the future.
Dual Commodity Focus
A key differentiating feature of the Chilwa Critical Minerals Project is the presence and abundance of both Heavy Mineral Sands (HMS) and Rare Earth Elements (REE) within the project area.
Most resources projects globally have a single commodity focus, however Chilwa’s project has two distinct commodities, providing the potential opportunity for the development of multiple operations and cashflow streams.
The HMS potential of the project was well understood by the Company upon its initial acquisition of the project. Previous exploration using aircore drilling had identified a significant Inferred mineral resource, however recent drilling at Mposa by the Company using sonic drilling has resulted in greater widths and grades of mineralisation. The Company is systematically drilling out the remaining deposits and updating the previously completed studies with the aim of progressing the HMS deposits into production over the coming years.
The REE potential of the project was initially identified by the Company in early 2024 through reconnaissance drilling of the deeper portions of the oxidised horizons at Mposa. On site pXRF and subsequent assaying confirmed the presence of REEs in the clays below the HMS horizons. Subsequent geophysical surveys over the entire project area identified dozens of carbonatite and dyke targets for follow up assessment and drilling. Diamond drilling of the highly prospective Mposa East REE prospect commenced in early 2025.
Our Existing Inferred Mineral Resources
Chilwa Minerals own 100% of the mineral sands and Rare Earths at the Lake Chilwa precinct.
MPOSA
Includes Mposa Main and Mposa North.
Mposa Main is our most promising deposit and accounts for 30% of the total Project Mineral Resource with an existing Inferred Mineral Resource of 19.4Mt at 4.3% THM for 0.83Mt THM (1% cut-off).
BIMBI
Includes Bimbi and Northeast Bimbi.
Radiometric anomalies have been detected in these areas, with drilling to focus on the high-grade central part of the deposit.
NAMASALIMA
Includes Namasalima.
A recent reconnaissance indicated the presence of a large topographic high.
It was identified as a target in 2016 following a radiometric survey and mapping with 173 auger holes being drilled on the target. As none of the historical data remains, Chilwa will explore the area to determine if this feature contains HMS mineralisation.
HALALA
Includes Halala, Nkotamo, Beacon and Namanja West.
Drilling will commence at Halala due to targeted deposits identified in the Independent Geological Report.
MPYUPYU
Includes Mpyupyu (Dune) and Mpyupyu (Flat).
Mpyupyu Dune has the highest grades of the Mineral Resource with 3.5Mt at 7.1% THM (1% THM cut-off).
SOUTHERN EXTENSION
A 471km2 licence extension was granted in 2022. It currently has no historical drilling data or focused exploration however is located adjacent to a Mkango Resources project, Songwe Hill REE with a total M&I Resource (Measured Mineral Resources and Indicated Mineral Resources) of 21.03Mt at 1.41% TREO for 297.4kt TREO therefore being a promising future exploration area.
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