Longonjo Rare Earths Refinery Project

Longonjo municipality of Huambo Province, Angola
Pensana is developing one of the world’s largest and highest-grade magnet metal rare earth deposits

The Longonjo rare earths deposit is located adjacent to the Lobito rail Corridor approximately 60 km west of the provincial capital of Huambo in central Angola.

 

The project currently under development comprises an open pit, concentrator and recovery plants, tailings storage facility (designed to meet the requirements of the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management), process water supply, bulk power supply, mine infrastructure, workshops, offices, accommodation village, recreational facilities, and other associated infrastructure.

 

The Longonjo operation will extract, concentrate, calcine and chemically refine the free dig material to produce a high-value mixed rare earth carbonate (MREC) to be railed 273km to the Atlantic port of Lobito for export.

 

Site infrastructure works commenced in 2023 with main construction activities scheduled to start in 2024.

Concentrator and Recovery plants

LocationLongonjo municipality of Huambo Province, Angola
GeologyWeathered carbonatite between 20 and 30 meters thick, containing monazite and bastnaesite
Mineral Reserves30Mt at 2.55% TREO for 767 kt TREO
Mineral Resources313Mt at 1.4% TREO for 4.4Mt of TREO
Life of Mine20+ years (Ore reserves only)
Mining TypeOpen Pit, predominantly free-dig
Licensing & permittingFully licensed & permitted to operate, with mining right, environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA), and environmental license in place
OwnershipPensana Plc 84%
Angolan Sovereign Wealth Fund 10%
Others 6%
Sustainability

Construction and operation of the Longonjo mine and processing plant will be allied with ESG best practice including alignment to the International Finance Corporation (IFC) performance standards, the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM) and designed alongside the development of a comprehensive environment and social impact assessment (ESIA) from the outset of the process.

 

Pensana’s commitment is to develop the lowest carbon footprint for rare earths based on low carbon solar energy and the access to hydro-electric power.

 

As part of the commitment to the local communities, community engagement has been undertaken throughout the project progression with a focus on training for operational readiness and prioritization of local employment providing long term economic gain for the communities affected.

Infrastructure

Longonjo has convenient access to the sealed national road and Lobito Corridor railway line, both of which pass within approximately 5 km of the project area. Furthermore, the mine is strategically situated near the national grid linked to the 2GW Laúca hydropower scheme, which presently extends to Caála, located 45 km east of Longonjo.

Deep Water Port of Lobito

Deep Water Port Infrastructure

2GW Laúca hydropower scheme

Longonjo Rail Station

Recent Project History & News