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
Pensana has successfully delineated a near-surface Joint Ore Reserves Committee-compliant reserve of 22-million tonnes grading 3.04% total rare earth oxides (TREOs) containing 139 457 t of neodymium/praseodymium (NdPr) oxides, making it one of the world’s largest and highest-grade, undeveloped magnet metal rare earth deposits, with a mine life exceeding 20 years.

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

Initial production will be 20 000 t/y of a highly marketable clean mixed rare-earth carbonate (MREC), including light rare-earth elements and heavy rare-earth elements. A proposed second phase expansion will result in production increasing to 40 000 t/y of MREC containing 14 000 t of TREOs, and up to 4 400 t of NdPr oxides. This equates to about 5% of the worldwide production of NdPr oxides a year for downstream processing or sale 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.

The workforce is expected to increase towards a peak of about 750 personnel in 2026.

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
Main construction started in May 2025. Longonjo is expected to be commissioned in 2027, producing 20 000 t/y of mixed MREC, with a planned expansion to 40 000 t/y once initial operations have been established.

Latest Developments
Pensana has reported that, following the early works programmes funded by Angola’s sovereign wealth fund during 2025, main construction is now well under way and on budget, with first production on target for commissioning in 2027. 
Reported progress includes:

• completion of site preparation and the start of construction of the SRK-designed tailings storage facility (in line with the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management;
• the establishment of a concrete batching plant, completion of the fabrication of the 2 MW regrind circuit ball mill; 
• the start of construction of a 250 t/d modular sulphuric acid plant; and
• procurement/detailed design progressing for key long-lead equipment items. 

Pensana has also reported that permanent power, potable water, wastewater treatment, telecommunications and site security infrastructure were installed and commissioned in 2025.

Meanwhile, Pensana has started preparation for a 7 000 m infill drill programme at the project.

The programme is designed to provide detailed geological and grade control information ahead of the start of mining and stockpiling or blending activities in early 2027, alongside the resource expansion drilling programme announced in 2025.

Two reverse circulation drilling rigs are planned to be mobilised ahead of drilling activities throughout the anticipated dry season from May to October.

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); Deugro (international procurement and logistics); Lycopodium Group and SRK Consulting (project delivery partners); and ABG Sundal Collier (Pensana’s financial adviser).

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