Mining & Trade News

ASX-listed resources firm Kula Gold has rolled out exploration work for Niobium and Tantalum at its Wozi Project in Central Malawi, following promising results from a recent soil sampling programme.

The Wozi Niobium Project, located 225 kilometers north of the capital Lilongwe, covers an area of approximately 5.52 square kilometers within the Mozambique Orogenic Belt. The project sits on Precambrian to Lower Palaeozoic basement rocks and hosts niobium mineralisation contained in the mineral pyrochlore within a nepheline syenite stock.

Kula Gold’s MD Ric Dawson said in the statement that the move marks the company’s first major expedition into the critical minerals sector in Malawi.

He said the company has initiated a targeted reverse circulation (RC) drilling programme to quickly assess the site’s potential and define its value.

“Subject to results, we will consider engaging a specialist rare earths partner to support technical development and subsequently seek the best corporate options to add value to Kula’s shareholders,” Dawson said.

He reported that the soil sampling programme involved 238 samples collected along east-west orientated lines at 200-meter intervals, with 50-meter spacing between samples along each line.

The laboratory analysis, conducted by Intertek in Johannesburg, South Africa and Perth in Australia confirmed highly anomalous niobium concentrations along the contact zone of the nepheline syenite stock.

The programme identified a robust +0.4% Nb₂O₅ soil anomaly stretching 1.5 kilometers in strike and averaging 200 meters in width, with a peak value of 1.08% Nb₂O₅. Low tantalum and uranium ratios in the samples suggest the potential for direct reduction to ferro-niobium (FeNb)”.

Kula Gold also reported that the soil sampling results have provided clear drilling targets, with a maiden drilling programme scheduled for November 2025. Field activities will include additional rock-chip and soil sampling as well as mapping to confirm historic niobium and tantalum trenching results.

Dawson said renewed global interest in critical minerals, combined with Wozi’s proximity to other major niobium and rare earth projects in Malawi, encouraged Kula Gold to accelerate its exploration activities.

“Field activities at Wozi are about to get in full swing to progress initial ground truthing. First assays from our trenching are expected this quarter, with the important follow-up maiden drilling to follow soon,” Dawson said.

Wozi project benefits from good road infrastructure and a low-cost location, which will help reduce operational expenses. Historical exploration drilling has not been conducted on the site, meaning the current programme will be the first systematic assessment aimed at defining a potential resource.

While Wozi is now a key focus for Kula, Dawson emphasized that the Mt Palmer Gold Project in Australia remains the company’s core asset.

He described Wozi as “a quick, high-impact value-add potential to our portfolio without diverting significant resources.”

With the successful completion of soil sampling and the upcoming drilling programme, Kula Gold aims to rapidly assess the scale and economic potential of its niobium deposit.

Niobium is a critical mineral used primarily in high-strength steel alloys and emerging technologies, making it a strategic addition to Malawi’s growing portfolio of mineral resources.

Central Malawi is also host to the world’s largest rutile deposit and second largest deposit of natural graphite at Kasiya in Lilongwe.

ASX-listed Sovereign Metals is conducting feasibility studies for the Kasiya-Rutile Project.

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