Lindian Resources Aims to Operationalize Kangankunde Rare Earths Project by End of 2026
In mid-December 2025, Lindian Resources (ASX: LIN) welcomed an American delegation at its Kangankunde Rare Earths Project in Malawi. The US delegation consisted of Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS) of State at the Bureau of African Affairs, Nicholas Checker, and the US Deputy Head of Mission (DHM) in Malawi, Melania Arreaga.
This visit follows Trump’s initiative to diversify global supply chains for #CriticalMinerals, including Rare Earth Elements (#REE). Kangankunde is recognized as one of the top rare earth deposits in the world. The scale, grade, and low radioactivity of the Kangankunde deposits meet the criteria set out by several critical mineral supply initiatives.
“Following on from a very constructive round of talks in Washington, DC, it was a pleasure to sit down and continue those discussions with DAS Checker and DHM Arreaga. It was a pleasure to host the US delegation for a tour of the site and to whoour current works programs, discuss production schedules, and reiterate our near-term timelines to first production. The visit of senior officials from US shows that Kangankunde is becoming a significant part of the global rare earth supply chain.”
Lindian Chair Robert Martin
Based on geological surveys, the Kangankunde mine has an inferred reserve of 260 million tonnes with an average of 2.14% Total Rare Earth Oxides (TREO). The mineralization is dominated by monazite with traces of neodymium (#Nd) and praseodymium (#Pr).
On 10 December 2025, Lindian announced that it now owns 100% of the Kangankunde Rare Earths Project, after making good on the final instalment of USD 10 million to Rift Valley Resource Development. The final payment was initially scheduled to complete the transaction in July 2026, but Lindian decided to close the deal earlier, given the urgency of the matter.
It is to be recalled that Lindian announced its purchase of Kangankunde from Rift Valley Resource Development for USD 30 million back in 2022. In August 2025, Lindian secured funding to the tune of USD 59 million.
Lindian plans to entertain a cooperative and constructive relation with relevant stakeholders, including the US Government. The US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) provided USD 4.6 million to another Rare Earths project in Malawi at the Songwe Hil to support preliminary development.
Initially, Lindian plans to produce 15,300 tonnes of #RareEarths concentrate, with production potentially ramping up to 50,000 tonnes. Lindian has already signed a few offtake agreements, notably with Iluka Resources for the supply of 6,000 tonnes of concentrate annually. First production is forecasted to take place by the end of 2026.
