Globe Metals & Mining Ltd (ASX:GBE) is confident that the appointment of Louis Schoeman as project manager will assist in developing the Kanyika Niobium Project in Malawi and bringing it into production.
The company expects to benefit from Schoeman’s previous experience in Africa, including more than six years at Kumba Iron Ore, a division of Anglo American (JO:AGLJ), where he rose to the position of senior project manager.
In this role, he was part of the team that completed the successful Kolomela Iron Ore Mine in the Northern Cape province of South Africa.
“Pivotal time” for company
Globe’s chief executive officer Grant Hudson expressed his enthusiasm, stating: “We are pleased to welcome Louis to our growing team of industry experts, and his appointment comes at a pivotal time for Globe as it transitions to production.
"With his deep understanding of the challenges associated with the implementation of mining projects in Africa, Louis will play a vital role in advancing Globe’s shovel-ready Kanyika Niobium Project in Malawi.”
Relevant experience
Prior to the Kumba Iron Ore role, Schoeman worked for 20 years at various construction and engineering companies in Africa and Australia where he held senior positions across the petrochemical, mining and industrial chemical processing sectors.
He has a N. Dip (Mech Eng) from Vaal University of Technology (formerly Vaal Triangle College for Advanced Technical Education) and has completed the Program in Project Management from the University of Pretoria in South Africa.
About Kanyika Project
The Kanyika Niobium Project is in central Malawi, about 55 kilometres northeast of the regional centre of Kasangu and is secured by Large-Scale Mining Licence No. LML0216/21 which grants the company security of tenure and the right to mine niobium, tantalum and deleterious uranium.
Programs totalling 33.8 kilometres of percussion and core drilling have defined the extent of mineralisation.
Resource estimate
Structured and progressive engineering studies have resulted in the current (JORC 2012) mineral resource estimate and given rise to significant improvements and simplifications in the process flowsheet.
Using a 1,500ppm niobium lower cut-off, the project has total resources of 68.3 million tonnes at 2,830ppm niobium and 135ppm tantalum with 5.3 million tonnes in the measured category and 47 million tonnes in the indicated category.
At a 3,000ppm cut-off, the resource stands at 22.8 million tonnes at 4,220 ppm niobium and 190 ppm tantalum with 3.4 million tonnes in the measured category and 16.6 million tonnes of indicated resources.
Improved recoveries
In addition, Globe has undertaken substantial metallurgical optimisation work and commissioned the pilot plant design work to demonstrate and further optimise metallurgical processes.
Metallurgical optimisation studies have improved recoveries from 62% in 2012 to 75% today, through novel patented metallurgical processes.
The Kanyika operations will produce a pyrochlore mineral concentrate that contains niobium and tantalum in commercially valuable volumes to be shipped to a refinery for advanced processing into high-purity materials.