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Released November 13, 2012 | JOHANNESBURG
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Written by Richard Finlayson, Senior International Editor for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Malawi, one of Africa's poorest countries, has the continent's largest reserves of rare earth minerals, with discoveries of more than 30 million tons of the minerals and a mining life span of 30 years.
The minerals include niobium, zirconolite, tantalum and rare earth oxides, which are key in electronics manufacturing, said Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Cassim Chilumpha.
The mineral discoveries are in Machinga, Phalombe, Kasungu and Ntcheu, with more finds probable in other districts. Rare mining could contribute 20% of the country's GDP in the future, Chilumpha said.
Mkango Resources (Calgary, Alberta) CEO William Dawes said that the rare earth minerals at Songwe Hill in Phalombe have a life span of 20 years. The hill has a resource estimate of 31.8 million tons, he said.
Malawi has abundant mineral resources to be exploited, such as bauxite, heavy mineral sands, monazite, coal, uranium, precious and semi-precious stones, limestone, niobium, dimension stones and rock aggregates, Chilumpha said. Despite the country having no mining history, the Australian government has projected Malawi to become a mining hub in the short to medium term, he added.
"We have issued 65 mining licenses, of which 43 are foreign firms and the rest for locals," Chilumpha said. "To derive the maximum potential of the mining industry through the economic recovery plan (ERP), the government will aim at increasing production and value addition of mineral resources. To achieve this, we will have to revise the Mining Act, establish legal and institutional frameworks, update the geological information system, and undertake a crash program to train mining engineers, legal experts in mining and other related fields in the sector."
It is envisaged that Malawian consortiums will be formed as a way to ensure that earnings remain and circulate in the country.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, and eight offices outside of North America, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.
The minerals include niobium, zirconolite, tantalum and rare earth oxides, which are key in electronics manufacturing, said Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Cassim Chilumpha.
The mineral discoveries are in Machinga, Phalombe, Kasungu and Ntcheu, with more finds probable in other districts. Rare mining could contribute 20% of the country's GDP in the future, Chilumpha said.
Mkango Resources (Calgary, Alberta) CEO William Dawes said that the rare earth minerals at Songwe Hill in Phalombe have a life span of 20 years. The hill has a resource estimate of 31.8 million tons, he said.
Malawi has abundant mineral resources to be exploited, such as bauxite, heavy mineral sands, monazite, coal, uranium, precious and semi-precious stones, limestone, niobium, dimension stones and rock aggregates, Chilumpha said. Despite the country having no mining history, the Australian government has projected Malawi to become a mining hub in the short to medium term, he added.
"We have issued 65 mining licenses, of which 43 are foreign firms and the rest for locals," Chilumpha said. "To derive the maximum potential of the mining industry through the economic recovery plan (ERP), the government will aim at increasing production and value addition of mineral resources. To achieve this, we will have to revise the Mining Act, establish legal and institutional frameworks, update the geological information system, and undertake a crash program to train mining engineers, legal experts in mining and other related fields in the sector."
It is envisaged that Malawian consortiums will be formed as a way to ensure that earnings remain and circulate in the country.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, and eight offices outside of North America, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.
