Lindian Resources Ltd. is advancing towards first production at its Kangankunde rare earths project in Malawi in the fourth quarter of 2026 with major construction and mining readiness at the project.
The company confirmed that front-end commissioning is targeted for October 2026, with practical completion slated for mid-November.
A workforce of 3,318 personnel has achieved an impressive safety record, passing 800,000 lost-time injury-free (LTI-free) work hours amidst a rapid scale-up of activities.
Mining readiness has accelerated following a major milestone where access was successfully established to the top of Kangankunde for the Stage 1 pit.
The critical haul road is now complete, explosives have been secured on-site, and the production drill rig has commenced drilling the first blast pattern ahead of the planned first blast.
To support plant commissioning and a smooth operational ramp-up, ore stockpiling is well advanced, with approximately 27,000 tonnes of ore already established on the run-of-mine (ROM) pad.
On-site infrastructure is progressing ahead of schedule. Civil and structural works for the process plant are advancing smoothly, with concrete pours finalised across key processing areas.
Stripping works for the tailing storage facility (TSF) are complete, with overall TSF construction sitting at 50 per cent capacity and on track for a September completion.
Furthermore, a 27-kilometre power corridor has been completed to connect the project to the Balaka substation.
Water infrastructure is also underway, with all 17 boreholes drilled, water permits secured and planning for the site water ring main now commencing, supporting confidence in the project’s ability to meet site water requirements ahead of commissioning and production.
Lindian Resources Executive Director Zac Komur said: “Kangankunde is delivering outstanding progress, with construction, mining readiness, procurement, infrastructure and operational preparation all advancing strongly.
“The team is focused on safe delivery, disciplined execution and building Kangankunde into a scalable rare earths operation capable of delivering long-term value for shareholders and meaningful benefits for Malawi.”
Parallel to Stage 1 construction, the company is progressing its Stage 2 growth pathway. A feasibility study led by engineering firm DRA is scheduled for completion in December 2026.
Stage 2 infill drilling has wrapped up, with over 7,700 metres drilled to support an updated mineral resource estimate.
This expansion program targets a 4 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) development pathway to increase total concentrate capacity to approximately 120,000 tonnes per annum.
