【Ferro-alloys.com】: Critical minerals company Pensana Rare Earths is preparing a $11-million drilling and metallurgical programme aimed at increasing the Joint Ore Reserve Commitee-compliant mineral resource estimate at its Longonjo project in Angola to over one-billion tonnes, potentially placing it among the world’s largest rare earths deposits.

The programme, set to start early in 2026, will include 25 000 m of vertical core drilling to extend the near-surface, neodymium/praseodymium-rich total rare earth oxide blanket, currently averaging about 30 m in depth, down to over 100 m. Metallurgical sampling and testwork will also support mine planning and processing optimisation.

Pensana chairperson Paul Atherley this week highlighted the project’s strategic significance, noting the growing global demand for rare earths amid China’s plans to expand processing capacity at Bayan Obo in Inner Mongolia. “The style of mineralisation at Longonjo has very significant depth extensions, and we are confident this programme will rapidly deliver a substantial increase to our already world-class resource inventory,” he said.

Longonjo is well positioned to take advantage of multibillion-dollar infrastructure investments along the Lobito Corridor, including rail, hydro-electric power, and port facilities, enabling rapid scale-up to meet international demand.

The project will also supply feedstock to Pensana’s US partner eVAC, supporting production of 2 000 t of advanced magnets in Sumter, South Carolina, initially, rising to 12 000 t/y by 2029.

Atherley said the integrated mine-to-magnet supply chain from Longonjo to the US would strengthen Pensana’s position as a major non-Chinese rare earth producer and appeal to offtake partners seeking to reduce reliance on China’s export controls.

• [Editor:Alakay]