Business
REEs on a
growth path
I
n recent years, there has been a steady interest in REEs,
combined with a stabilisation in price since around 2011.
This led to the active development of exploration and early
stage projects on REE projects worldwide. China still dominates
the REE primary market, but more African REE projects are
being developed. The total Chinese production is thought to be
approximately 105 000 tonnes per year.
African REE projects
Currently, the only producing REE mine in Africa belongs to Rainbow
Rare Earths in the Karonge/Gakara vein system, west of Burundi. The
deposit is mined free dig without any site beneficiation. The only other
African REE project that has any potential for near future operation
34 AFRICAN MINING MARCH - APRIL 2019
is the Steenkampskraal deposit in South Africa. Steenkampskraal is a
historical thorium mine owned by Steenkampskraal Monazite Mine,
a subsidiary of Rare Earth Extraction, now a wholly owned subsidiary
of Great Western Minerals Group. This too is a vein-hosted REE
deposit. At the time of writing, the project was busy with the bankable
feasibility study (BFS).
The remaining REE deposits are in various stages of exploration
and development. In Malawi, the Kangankunde carbonatite
complex is owned and operated by Lynas Corporation following an
extended legal process. Lancaster Exploration’s Songwe carbonatite,
also in Malawi, a wholly owned subsidiary of Mkango Resources,
holds the prospecting rights. The Nkombwa Hill carbonatite
www.africanmining.co.za