Kasiya rutile project: Committee bemoans government’s inactiveness

The Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources and Climate Change has faulted government on lacking clear road map on managing Kasiya mine, which is touted to become the biggest rutile deposit in the world.

According to the Committee’s Chairperson Welani Chilenga, the issuing of a letter to President Lazarus Chakwera by a privately-owned company – YAGLE Limited on its findings on Kasiya rutile project raises serious questions on government’s commitment in managing the mine.

In the said statement, YAGLE Private Limited reported that the mine has 1.8 million tons with a lifespan of over 140 years and a projected market value of 3.6 quadrillion US dollars.

But commenting on the development, Chilenga said government needs to come out in the open and relay facts to Malawians on how it intends to manage the mine.

“My concerns are that they have been a lot that have been said about what is at Kasiya, so I wanted to the Minister to clarify, come out clear to Malawians to explain exactly what is going on at Kasiya,” Chilenga said.

But responding to the concerns, Minister of Mining Albert Mbawala said information that was published in the YAGLE’s letter originated from the Ministry and there is nothing new.

“YAGLE took that statement from us, it’s not new information, YAGLE took it from the Ministry of Mining, we have that information in the Ministry and YAGLE took it and then twisted the information,” Mbawala said.

In the letter, YAGLE recommended the need to talk to superpowers ad equals, involving all diplomats, getting the best mining experts around the globe, getting the army involved and that all mining activities should be halted until authorities interpret the Kauniuni Report.

In February, 2021, an Australian Mining Company announced its maiden Mineral Resource Estimate of 644 Million tons of natural rutile discovery at Kasiya at a grade of 1.01 rutile (0.7% cut-off grade) as an inferred resource, including a high-grade component of 137 Million tons at a grade of 1.41% rutile (1.41% cut-off, inferred).

Results from the recent Scoping Study Report indicate that the Company has now delineated a deposit of 1.8 billion tons of rutile at Kasiya at a grade of 1.01% rutile, becoming the biggest rutile deposit in the world.

Meanwhile, government says feasibility studies are on-going at the project site.