The exploration of Lake Chilwa valuable heavy minerals (VHM) has demonstrated a high percentage of ilmenite and other high-value minerals, boosting the country’s potential to benefit from the mining sector, it has emerged.
VHM consists of minerals used in production of metals such as ilmenite, rutile and zircon, which are highly sought-after minerals, particularly in the manufacturing of electric vehicles, among others.
A report produced by the project owner, Chilwa Minerals Limited, indicates that the 4.2 metric tonnes (MT) samples collected from the site show that 90 percent of the minerals are valuable heavy minerals, consisting 76 percent ilmenite, 9.5 percent zircon, 1.6 percent rutile and 1.6 percent almandine garnet.
Reads the report in part: “Themtest work continues to demonstrate the positive value that we believe the Chilwa heavy mineral sands possesses.
“While the historical resource indicates that the project has reasonable grades compared to similar projects, these results have suggested not only a potentially larger tonnage and resource, but also a high
percentage of valuable heavy minerals at approximately 90 percent in the sand lithological unit.”
Data from the Ministry of Mining shows that Lake Chilwa’s mineral quantity is 64 million MT at 3.9 percent total heavy minerals, which is an even higher percentage compared to some other sites where mining has already commenced.
Chilwa Minerals Limited managing director Cadell Buss said in an interview yesterday that the company is expected to commence an additional bulk test work programme to investigate the mineralogical properties of the material sourced from Mposa deposit, the actual site of exploration, and isolated products for quality assessment.
“This bulk test work programme will also provide crucial information on probable metallurgical recoveries of the valuable heavy minerals through conventional wet and dry separation techniques, which will be
used to evaluate the potential and economic viability of the Mposa deposit,” he said.
Geologist Ignatius Kamwanje said in an interview yesterday that it is encouraging because there are also rare earth deposits, which co-exist with niobium although more exploration needs to be done to establish the volumes.
“It is a viable project because the results show that the valuable heavy minerals have total heavy mineral of 3.9 percent, which is higher than other mines where the rate is at 3.03 percent,” he said.
Former minister of Energy Grain Malunga, who is also a geologist, said the project has just started exploration, adding that the actual value is discovered at feasibility study.
He said indication of more ilmenite at 76 percent than rutile at 1.4 percent means that it would be an expensive project, considering that it is cheaper to extract rutile, but added that the project is viable.
“The valuable heavy minerals resources are critical in the modern world and countries are searching for more supply,” said Malunga.
On the potential of the deposits to sustain production for more years, he said the area with potential valuable heavy mineral deposits lies between Lake Chilwa and Lake Chiuta, which is big enough to have a mine life of at least 10 years.
Meanwhile, the Chamber of Mines and Energy forecasts that foreign exchange inflow from mining will start being realised early 2026 as Lotus Resources Limited first uranium exports at Kayekelera Uranium Mine in Karonga are expected by December this year following its imminent reopening in September.
The mine’s restart is expected to have instant impact by increasing the sector’s contribution to the gross domestic product to five percent in 2025 from one percent in 2024 and hitting 12 percent by 2027.
The Malawi Government Annual Economic Report 2025 projects that the mining sector will grow by 5.6 percent and 8.5 percent in 2025 and 2026, respectively
