Chilwa Minerals Limited, which is conducting exploratory works in the country, has opened a laboratory worth over $250,000 (about K440 million) in Neno District.
Located inside a Motor Engil campsite in the district, the lab will be used to prepare samples for further testing in Europe.
Chilwa Minerals Limited Managing Director Cadell Buss said the aim was to streamline its sample processing and analysis procedures as previously, the company had to ship samples to South Africa for testing, a process that could take up to six weeks.
Buss estimates that the firm would save around eight weeks per batch, a substantial improvement in turnaround time.
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“This is a long-term investment for us. We believe we have a viable project here and this laboratory will allow us to process our samples much more efficiently, which is crucial for our operations.
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“We are not just investing in hard equipment; we’re also investing in people, and that’s just as important to us. By training and employing local talent, we can build a sustainable workforce and contribute to the economic development of Neno District,” Buss said.
On her part, Mining Minister Monica Chang’anamuno said the facility would enhance transparency of their exploratory works as Malawians have always wondered about the volumes of samples mining companies send abroad.
“This laboratory will play a pivotal role in material testing, a service that, until now, depends on external facilities either in South Africa, Australia and elsewhere.
“This dedication to innovation and investment directly aligns with Malawi’s vision 2063, which is premised on developing a self-reliant and modern mining sector,” Chang’anamuno said.
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Chilwa Minerals’ primary exploration targets are heavy mineral sands such as ilmenite and zircon as well as garnet of the silicate mineral group.
Their project is located around the northern, western and southern shores of Lake Chilwa in Zomba and parts of Machinga District.
The project comprises two licences with a total land area of 878.7km2 and includes a compliant mineral resource estimate classified at the inferred level of confidence of 2.4 metric tonnes of total heavy minerals.
The area is also highly prospective for rare earth elements such as monazite and xenotime, with existing geology workings and adjacent tenement discoveries indicating this potential.
