Mkango Resources Limited, which is known for its rare earths exploration works at Songwe Hill in Phalome has revealed that extraction plans will finally commence in 2024.

A response that comes 9 years later after inspecting Songwe Hill for rare earths, Mkango Resources Limited Environmental Manager Bradley Thornton opened up to locals in Phalombe district. “We need two years to conduct definitive feasibility studies to be 100% sure of what’s in the ground and how to extract it”. He defined the prior wait as a pre-feasibility study period that has shown that there is need for further investments.

Traditional leaders thanked the company for coming clean on the matter, as the wait on information on the way forward has been lengthy enough, inspiring rumors by locals saying there is availability of minerals (or lack thereof), which resulted into investors being thrown off towards the project.

Thornton also displayed a timeline by which the project is following. Plans of the timeline included needed two years to acquire funds of constructing a mine.