Chilwa Minerals (ASX:CHW) has begun ground truthing across 47 rare earths and niobium targets at the Lake Chilwa Project in Southern Malawi.
Russell Birrell, an expert in carbonatite systems, has been engaged to assist in a soil geochemistry analysis program.
Chilwa, which has a market capitalisation of $67.66 million, intends to progress with an initial soil sampling program across several targets identified in the recent geophysics program.
The company reports two thorium anomalies at the base of the Chikala Hill in the north of the licence have already been tested. Meanwhile, a large 1.7km by 1km magnetic anomaly at Mposa east has also been tested.
Another anomaly, in the Halala area, will be investigated during the initial phase of the soil geochemistry studies, along with two thorium anomalies that lie in a cluster northeast of Mpyupyu Hill.
Chilwa adds that an intrusive body that potentially indicates concentric zoning has been sampled for the soil geochemistry analysis.
The work being undertaken is part of the development of a comprehensive diamond drilling program. The results will be used to develop and refine targets for the upcoming drilling program.
Managing Director Cadell Buss says the results being observed from the portable x-ray fluorescence (pXRF) analysis have prompted the company to move expeditiously and have these samples assayed at the ALS Ireland facility.
“Through the ongoing support of major shareholders Mota-Engil, we can ramp up activities knowing that we have the infrastructure in the camp, offices, and vehicles in place,” Buss says.
“Whilst we await the results of the soil assays, the ground truthing process continues across the full 47 targets that have been generated.”
Initial field visits were conducted across eight of the prospects within Lake Chilwa, to assess the potential for rare earths mineralisation with outcrop observations and pXRF analysis of rock chip and soil samples.
A limited number of soil samples from the eight prospects are being dispatched to ALS laboratories in Ireland for priority assaying.
The Lake Chilwa Project is located around the western and northern shores of Lake Chilwa in Southern Malawi. Malawi is underexplored with a stable regime and is an emerging mining destination.
Chilwa Minerals is an Australian mineral explorer focused on critical minerals discoveries in Malawi, Africa.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Chilwa Minerals
