New investors in Kayelekera Uranium Mine (KUM) in Karonga, Lotus Resources Limited, have announced commencement of drilling at the recently acquired Livingstonia tenement in Rumphi North and at regional prospects like Chilumba.

The drilling, according to managing director Keith Bowes, is, among others, aimed at converting the historic resource at Livingstonia to a JORC 2012 resource [Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves].

It involves a 30-hole (4 000 metre) reverse circulation (RC) drill programme at Livingstonia, while multiple Greenfield targets are also being considered, including the untested Chilumba prospect where a major radiometric anomaly has been identified.

The development comes just a month after the company announced acquisition of the project at $25 000 (about K20 million).

The new project is located some 90 kilometres southeast of KUM in Karonga, hosts an historical inferred mineral resource of 8.3 million tonnes.

According to Bowes, as quoted in a statement from Lotus dated November 30 2021, the aim of this exploration programme is threefold.

He said: “Firstly, to convert the historic resource at Livingstonia to a JORC 2012 resource; secondly, to test the multiple extensions around the Livingstonia resource that have been poorly tested; and finally, to test a number of Greenfield targets, including the Chilumba prospect, that has a major radiometric anomaly and has never been drill tested.”

In an interview, mining governance expert Elyvin Chawinga said it was high time Malawi learnt from previous mistakes.

She said: “First the government needs to strengthen the relationship between the communities and the company. From the word go they need to have a mutual understanding of the benefits that the mine will have.