Tsodilo Resources (TSX-V:TDO) has entered into a collaborative research initiative with the University of Cape Town, Department of Geological Sciences, to support its critical minerals and rare earths exploration program in Botswana.
Under the collaboration, the University of Cape Town (UCT) will identify and quantify rare earth element-bearing mineral phases using automated mineralogy, determine major and trace element composition of key minerals, and constrain the distribution of rare earths at the mineral scale.
The UCT will also use oxygen isotope geochemistry to infer the origin of ore-forming fluids and develop a genetic model for rare earth mineralisation in the Gcwihaba skarn system.
Tsodilo says the exploration program will apply an integrated analytical approach combining automated mineralogy, microanalytical geochemistry, and isotopic analysis to characterise rare earths mineralisation and associated fluid systems.
CEO James Bruchs says partnering with the UCT will help expedite the evaluation of the Gcwihaba Project, strengthening the company’s understanding of the system and supporting the potential expansion of known mineralisation.
“The skarn project has demonstrated the presence of a wide range of rare earth elements and additional critical minerals identified on the US Geological Survey 2025 critical minerals list,” Bruchs says.
“We will also be engaging the scientists and technicians from Botswana Institute for Technology Research & Innovation and Botswana Geoscience Institute, with respect to sample preparation and analysis where possible.”
Tsodilo Resources is an international mineral resource explorer engaged in the discovery of economic metal deposits in Botswana. The company wholly owns the Gcwhihaba Project area which consists of five metal prospecting licences all located in the northwest district of Botswana.
Gcwihaba is considered prospective for base, precious, platinum group, and rare earth metals.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Tsodilo Resources
