Aldoro Resources is targeting niobium maiden drilling at the Kameelburg Rare Earths Project for the end of Q3 2024, subject to regulatory approvals.
Niobium is a rare element in the earth’s crust, with an abundance of 20 ppm.
It is mainly found in minerals containing tantalum, iron, calcium, yttrium, manganese, and other elements.
The Kameelburg Project is 60 km southwest of Otjiwarongo, about 300 km from the capital Windhoek.
The rare earth project includes licenses EPL 7372, 7373, and 7895.
Aldoro Resources Ltd. is an ASX-listed mineral exploration and development company.
Aldoro has a portfolio of critical mineral projects, including rare earth, niobium, lithium, rubidium, and base metal projects.
The company’s flagship project is the Kameelburg Rare Earth Element/Niobium Carbonatite Project.
Other Aldoro projects in Western Australia include the Wyemandoo lithium-rubidium project, the Niobe lithium-rubidium-tantalum project, and the Narndee Igneous Complex in Western Australia.
Aldoro Resources signed a $241,000 plus 500,000 fully paid ordinary shares joint venture agreement with Logan Exploration Investments on August 30, 2023.
Recent metallurgical test work by the reputable Bureau Veritas Minerals achieved a successful open-cycle niobium recovery level of 62.4% for a selected Kameelburg sample.
Provides solid confidence leading up to planned maiden drilling targeting rich niobium dykes at Kameelburg.
The processes resulted in an upgrade of the head feed of 0.74% Nb2O5 to 5.5% Nb2O5, a multiple of 10.6 times with a 62.4% recovery rate of Nb2O5.
The initial test phase considered the recovery rate and upgrade values to be encouraging.
The forward process will focus on a finer grind and micro-floatation to increase the grade and recovery.
On June 20, 2024, assay results indicated up to 10.38% Nb2O5 and 9.89% Treo.
A total of 74 highly prospective rock samples were recently collected from various before-site and mafic dykes.
Large-scale geological mapping of Kameelberg carbonatite is nearing completion.
Track access clearance and preparation for underground water supplies are underway for the upcoming maiden diamond drilling programme.
This provides additional confidence to previous niobium findings.
Aldoro Resources hired Dr. Zhiguo He of the Central South University of China in June to undertake a commercialization review on the extraction of REE and Niobium minerals at the Kameelburg Project.
The review encompasses the processing and beneficiation of both projects.
It provides Aldoro with a process that delivers a high recovery rate of contained REE and niobium and produces a commercial grade concentrate of REE and niobium.
AMCOR explored Kameelburg from 1967 to 1970, using the National Institute of Metallurgy (NIM) to commission investigations into surface rock sampling (12 rock chips).
Eleven drill holes and two bulk samples into the carbonatite produced three technical reports from the Council of Geosciences (RSA).
Kinloch Resources Pty Ltd. undertook two phases of sampling in 2012 and 2013.
Researchers Ao Liu, Wenrou Su, and Jie Wu say the available reserves of niobium resources globally are about 4.3 million tons (measured by the metal niobium), and more than 130 kinds of minerals containing niobium have been found.
They also say Africa has some niobium resources, mainly in columbite-tantalite minerals, but the production is low and unstable.
Additionally, the researchers point out that the main niobium-producing countries in Africa are the DRC, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Mozambique.
Mordor Intelligence says China’s niobium resource consumption has increased from 3,000 tons to more than 20,000 tons from 2004 to 2013 and is expected to reach 23,500–33,600 tons in 2030.
According to Mordo Intelligence, the niobium market size is estimated at 106.85 kilotons in 2024 and is expected to reach 171.49 kilotons by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 9.92% during the forecast period (2024–2029).
The construction industry is the largest consumer of niobium across the world.
In the construction industry, high-strength niobium micro-alloyed plate products are used to construct bridges, viaducts, high-rise buildings, etc.
Heavy machinery, pressure vessels, etc., represent additional applications of micro-alloyed plates.
Structural sections are widely used in civil construction, transmission towers, etc., where niobium competes with vanadium.
Furthermore, niobium has also found application in high-strength and wear-resistant rails for railway tracks operating under high axle loads.
The building and construction industry is currently driving the demand for high-strength, low-alloy (HSLA) steel, which provides cost savings through weight reduction in buildings and prevents infrastructure failures.
