Lindian Resources is rounding the final corner at its Kangankunde rare earths project in Malawi, with construction, mining and operational readiness all gathering pace. The company says the mine remains on schedule for first production in the fourth quarter of this year.
Front-end commissioning is targeted for late October, with mining operations now ramping up, ore stockpiled and key infrastructure rapidly approaching completion.
Lindian is constructing what is considered to be one of the most significant rare earths deposits in the Africa, hosting a massive resource of 261 million tonnes grading 2.19 per cent total rare earth oxides (TREO).
The deposit also includes a high-grade core of 26 million tonnes at a whopping 3.7 per cent TREO, from which its higher-grade material is set to provide the initial feed for the stage one process plant.
A first production target of 20,000 tonnes of concentrate per year is finally coming into view as construction accelerates. Civil works for the SAG mill are advancing, thickener installation is well underway and construction of the tailings storage facility is also progressing, while electricity is finally installed.
In parallel, mining operations are kicking into gear following initial blasts, allowing ore to be mined and stockpiled ahead of the plant’s commissioning.
Lindian Resources executive director Zac Komur said: “Kangankunde continues to make strong progress toward first production in Q4 2026. Mining is now ramping up, ore is being stockpiled and construction is advancing across the process plant, TSF, power, water and supporting infrastructure. Our immediate priority remains the safe and disciplined delivery of Kangankunde into production in Q4 2026.”
As it transitions from developer to producer, Lindian says its downstream processing capability is also approaching project readiness.
The company recently fully acquired the SARECO mixed rare earth carbonate (MREC), processing facility in Kazakhstan, which uses the same conventional sulphuric acid circuit planned for Kangankunde's product.
Unlike most bulk commodities, the real money in rare earth production is not made when the rock leaves the mine but rather post-processing when it is chemically upgraded. SARECO is one of only a handful of commercial-scale facilities outside China capable of converting mineral concentrate into higher-value MREC. Originally developed by Japanese trading giant Sumitomo and Kazakhstan's national uranium producer Kazatomprom, the facility brings considerable industrial pedigree.
By purchasing a ready-made plant, Lindian says it has sidestepped a potential A$500 million-plus bill and shaved years off the permitting and construction schedule a comparable greenfield development would require.
Lindian has flagged SARECO as a cornerstone of its downstream strategy and is mobilising an operating team of 25 experienced personnel to country, with the workforce expected to grow to about 75 by full production.
To underscore the importance of the facility, Mr Komur will relocate to Stepnogorsk in Kazakhstan to provide direct executive oversight of the plant’s integration and commissioning, slated before year end.
With a world-class deposit, a fully-funded stage one development and a clear downstream strategy taking shape, Lindian appears to have all its ducks in a row as it enters the home stretch towards becoming the world’s next major rare earths producer.
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By Andrew Todd
