Longonjo's nitial feedstock will be shipped as a clean, high-purity mixed rare earth sulphate to Pensana’s Saltend rare-earth oxide separation facility, in the UK.
Photo by: Pensana
Name of the Project
Longonjo neodymium/praseodymium project.
Location
Huambo, Angola – 4 km from a modern rail line leading directly into the Port of Lobito in the Atlantic Ocean.
Project Owner/s
Pensana Rare Earths holds an 84% interest in Longonjo through its 84% holding in Angola-registered company Ozango Minerais, which, in turn, owns 100% of the mining licence.
The Angolan government holds a 10% interest and the company’s Angolan partners the remaining 6%.
Project Description
Longonjo is one of the biggest rare earths deposits in the world, with an initial 20-year mine life.
The project has total proven and probable reserves of 30.1-million tonnes grading 0.55% neodymium/praseodymium oxide for 166 000 t neodymium/praseodymium and total rare-earth oxides (TREOs) of 767 000 t.
The mine execution plan is based on a staged development of the mine and processing facilities.
At full production, once the phased development is complete, the Longonjo mine will target production of up to 38 000 t/y of mixed rare-earth double sulphate or mixed rare-earth carbonate (MREC) containing 14 000 t of TREOs and up to 4 400 t of neodymium/praseodymium oxides. This equates to about 5% of the worldwide production of neodymium/praseodymium oxides a year for downstream processing or to be sold on the international market.
Initial feedstock will be shipped as a clean, high-purity mixed rare earth sulphate to Pensana’s Saltend rare-earth oxide separation facility, in the UK.
Potential Job Creation
The mine will employ about 650 people during construction and will create 420 permanent high-value jobs.
Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
Not stated.
Capital Expenditure
Initial capital costs are estimated at $200-million.
Planned Start/End Date
Longonjo is expected to produce 20 000 t of MREC starting in 2026 and 40 000 t of MREC from 2029 onwards following the planned expansion.
Latest Developments
Pensana’s major potential customers have approved the product qualification specifications for Longonjo’s proposed MREC product.
The Longonjo MREC contains 50% TREOs, of which 24% is neodymium and praseodymium, with minimal impurities, in addition to being radionuclide-free.
Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
ADP (main contractor); and MCC (main construction).
Contact Details for Project Information
Pensana Rare Earths, email admin@pensana.co.uk orir@pensana.co.uk.