Mining licences for the Thambani uranium tantalum and niobium exploration have been renewed. The government of Malawi issued four retention licences RTL0015/16/17/18/21 granted for five years from 20 October 2021 to 19 October 2026, covering a total of 98.4 km2.
Mkango Resources revealed the report and said that with the recent significant increase in international uranium prices, they are currently reviewing strategic exploration and development options, including opportunities for joint ventures and other potential avenues to create further project value.
Exploration activities
The Thambani retention licences are located in the Southern Region of Malawi, within the Mwanza District in the northern part of the licence and the Chikwawa District in the south. The licences are approximately 120 km west of Blantyre which is served by Chileka International Airport, and about 30 km from the large town of Mwanza, the administrative headquarters of Mwanza District, which is located on the main road from Blantyre to Tete in Mozambique.
Thambani is the main trading centre within the licence. Secondary gravel roads provide vehicle access from Mwanza town to the project area. The Thambani trading centre is connected to the national high voltage electricity grid and is approximately 30 km from the new US$4 billion Tete–Nacala railway which transverses southern Malawi, passing through the southern part of the retention licences. Mkango’s exploration activities to date have focussed on the Thambani Massif, a large body of nepheline syenite gneiss which is expressed in two prominent ridges, the East and West Ridges, respectively.
