Name of the Project
Longonjo neodymium/praseodymium project.

Location
Huambo, Angola – 4 km from a modern rail line leading directly into the Port of Lobito in the Atlantic Ocean.

Project Owner/s
Rare earths developer Pensana Rare Earths holds an 84% interest in Longonjo through its 84% holding in Angola-registered company Ozango Minerais, which, in turn, owns 100% of the mining licence.

The Angolan government holds a 10% interest and the company’s Angolan partners the remaining 6%.

Project Description
Longonjo is one of the biggest rare earths deposits in the world, with an initial 20-year mine life.

The mine execution plan is based on a staged development of the mine and processing facilities.

At full production, once the phased development is complete, the Longonjo mine will target production of up to 38 000 t/y of mixed rare-earth double sulphate or mixed rare-earth carbonate (MREC) containing 14 000 t of TREOs and up to 4 400 t of neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr) oxides. This equates to about 5% of the worldwide production of neodymium/praseodymium oxides a year for downstream processing or to be sold on the international market.

Initial feedstock will be shipped as a clean, high-purity mixed rare-earth sulphate to Pensana’s Saltend rare earth oxide separation facility, in the UK.

Potential Job Creation
The project is expected to create 600 high-value jobs, of which more than 50% are expected to be allocated to young people.

Once in full production, the project will create an estimated 2 400 direct and indirect jobs.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
Not stated.

Capital Expenditure
Capital cost is estimated at $217-million, including contingencies, which Pensana claims is among the lowest for rare earth developments of this scale.

Planned Start/End Date
Longonjo is expected to produce 20 000 t of MREC starting in 2026 and 40 000 t of MREC from 2029 onwards following the planned expansion.

Latest Developments
Pensana has announced an upgraded Joint Ore Reserves Committee-compliant ore reserve for the project, now averaging 3.04% TREO. This includes 139 000 t of NdPr oxide and supports a mine life exceeding 20 years, positioning Longonjo as one of the world’s largest and highest-grade undeveloped magnet metal projects.

The processing plant is designed to handle 800 000 t/y of ore, with a feed grade of 4.12% TREO during the initial five years and a low strip ratio of 0.25:1 waste to ore.

Site infrastructure and access roads are already in place, and contractors are mobilising. Construction of the modular process plant is set to start shortly.

Initial output of 20 000 t/y of high-purity MREC is scheduled for late 2026. Pensana has received strong interest for this Stage 1 production volume and early expressions of interest for a potential expansion to 40 000 t/y.

Pensana has reported that pricing and delivery schedules have been secured for all key long-lead equipment, including the ball mill, acid plant and thickeners. About 70% of equipment packages, including all Tier 1, 2, and 3 contracts, have been externally priced and tendered.

Site infrastructure design, budgeting and contractor selection are complete, with contractors now mobilised. The modular approach to plant construction allows for efficient on-site assembly and preshipment testing.

Agreements with key service providers – including the Port of Lobito, Benguela Railway (Caminho de Ferro de Benguela), Lobito Atlantic Rail Consortium and national utility RNT – have been concluded.

Suppliers of long-lead equipment, such as milling systems, flotation columns, calciners, acid and reagent plants, as well as thickeners, have been preselected and integrated into the design process.

Environmental planning has started in parallel with operational readiness programmes. 

Meanwhile, a recruitment drive – to support a robust training programme to prepare for operations during the construction phase – is under way in Angola.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
ADP (main contractor); MCC (main construction); NCP International (equipment); Bushtec (accommodation facilities); ProProcess Engineering (modular process units); Grupo Nov (contractor); and Deugro (international procurement and logistics).

Contact Details for Project Information
Pensana Rare Earths, email admin@pensana.co.uk or ir@pensana.co.uk.