Lindian Resources Approaches First Production With 125,000t Ore Stockpiled
Key Takeaways
- Approximately 125,000 tonnes of ore is already stockpiled on the ROM pad ahead of schedule, removing mining from the commissioning critical path and de-risking the ramp-up to first production.
- First Monazite Concentrate production is targeted by end of 2026, with Practical Completion targeted for December 2026 and site energisation — the critical near-term dependency — planned for October 2026.
- Malawi's Minister of Mining, Thoko Tembo, visited Kangankunde on 23 September 2026 and initiated the project's 14th production blast, reinforcing the project's national significance and government support.
- The site workforce exceeds 3,000 personnel with over 85% Malawian nationals, while the downstream strategy spans the 100%-owned SARECO MREC facility in Kazakhstan, a Carester separation partnership, and an active Iluka Resources offtake agreement.
- Executive salaries for Robert Martin and Zac Komur were increased to A$1,000,000 per annum each, reflecting the company's expansion into a multi-jurisdictional integrated rare earths producer.
Kangankunde closes in on first concentrate with 125,000 tonnes of ore stockpiled ahead of schedule
Lindian Resources (ASX: LIN) is closing in on a defining moment at its Kangankunde Rare Earths Project in Malawi, with approximately 125,000 tonnes of ore now stockpiled on the Run of Mine (ROM) pad ahead of schedule and first Monazite Concentrate production targeted by the end of 2026. The project is firmly transitioning from construction into commissioning, with Practical Completion targeted for December 2026. Underlining the project’s national significance, Malawi’s Minister of Mining, Thoko Tembo, visited the site on 23 September 2026, inspecting active mining areas and initiating the project’s 14th production blast.
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Q4 2026 execution milestones at a glance
- Approximately 125,000 tonnes of ore established on the ROM pad, ahead of schedule
- 14 production blasts completed; drill-and-blast, ore haulage and ROM stockpiling continuing
- Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) bulk earthworks complete
- 33kV powerline complete; site transformer installation and energisation planned for October 2026
- Tipume Accommodation Camp expanded to 130-person capacity (up from 90)
- Site workforce exceeds 3,000 personnel (the substantial majority Malawian), while over 85% of Lindian’s direct workforce are Malawian nationals
Mining ahead of the curve: why stockpiling 125,000 tonnes early matters
A ROM (Run of Mine) pad is essentially a holding area where blasted and hauled ore sits before being fed into the processing plant. Building a large ore stockpile before the plant is ready to receive it is a deliberate strategy, not an incidental byproduct of early mining progress.
The logic is straightforward. By accumulating substantial feedstock in advance, Lindian removes mining from what engineers call the “commissioning critical path.” That means when the plant is ready to receive its first ore, the feed supply is already waiting rather than being the variable that determines when production can begin.
This approach reduces start-up risk and supports a smoother ramp-up toward steady-state production. The Stage 1 pit is now open, the haul road is complete, and the owner-operator mining fleet is performing strongly. Grade control sampling is also progressing to support ore definition and feed planning. With 125,000 tonnes already stockpiled and mining continuing, Lindian enters commissioning with meaningful operational momentum already banked.
Process plant: round-the-clock progress toward energisation
Construction of the Kangankunde process plant is advancing 24 hours a day across day and night shifts. Civil works in the SAG mill area are progressing toward completion, thickener installation is complete with the tank erected and structural steel in place, and structural works across the gravity separation circuit (including shaking table, MGS, LMIS and WHIMS areas) are well advanced. Piping, cable racking, electrical and instrumentation works are progressing across completed plant areas.
The critical near-term dependency is site energisation, planned for October 2026. Energisation unlocks motor testing, control system commissioning and the progressive energisation of individual plant systems ahead of ore introduction. For the TSF, bulk earthworks are complete, with toe dam lining and associated piping works the remaining items advancing toward commissioning readiness.
Minister of Mining’s visit reinforces Kangankunde’s national significance
On 23 September 2026, Minister Thoko Tembo visited Kangankunde alongside the Secretary for Mining, senior Ministry of Mining officials, representatives of the Balaka District Council and traditional authorities. The delegation toured the mining pit, ROM pad, TSF and process plant before the Minister initiated the project’s 14th production blast, a symbolic and practical marker of mining momentum.
Discussions during the visit covered workforce and skills development, local procurement, community engagement and the project’s long-term contribution to Malawi’s mining sector and broader economy.
The workforce numbers speak clearly to the project’s local impact. More than 85% of Lindian’s direct workforce is Malawian, while the wider site construction workforce exceeds 3,000 personnel, the substantial majority of whom are Malawian nationals. As Kangankunde transitions from construction into operations, the expatriate workforce is expected to progressively reduce as skills transfer to the local workforce continues.
Zac Komur, Executive Director
“What is most encouraging when you walk the site today is how clearly Kangankunde is moving from construction into operations. The plant is taking shape quickly, mining is established and the focus of the team is increasingly on finishing systems, commissioning and preparing to operate the asset…
We are now focused on execution through the final stages of construction and into commissioning. Every completed system takes us another step closer to production.”
Honourable Minister Thoko Tembo, Minister of Mining
“As government, we’re very happy that Lindian has taken the initiative. We have been having problems with electricity, and they have taken the initiative to set up a solar plant. This is something we would encourage a lot of mining companies to do, and we’re very happy that they have done that.
We expect a lot more than just revenue. We’ve got the jobs that the project will create, and the local people who will be supplying it. Not just from the tax – we expect that Kangankunde can open doors, develop Malawi and help with other areas as well.”
From mine developer to integrated rare earths producer: the bigger picture
Lindian’s Board framed a recent executive remuneration review explicitly around the transformation of the company from a single-project developer toward an integrated, multi-jurisdictional rare earths producer. That description captures what is now a substantially more complex business operating across multiple jurisdictions.
The Lindian Resources rare earths project has been building toward this commissioning phase through a series of funding and development milestones that established the capital base now funding round-the-clock plant construction at Kangankunde.
The downstream strategy centres on the 100%-owned SARECO MREC hydrometallurgical processing facility in Kazakhstan, which provides a direct pathway to convert Kangankunde monazite concentrate into higher-value Mixed Rare Earth Carbonate (MREC). Independent testwork by ANSTO has continued to validate the technical potential of this integrated flowsheet. Lindian has also secured access to heavy rare earth feedstock containing dysprosium, terbium and yttrium, broadening the potential product suite from the SARECO facility.
The Iluka Resources long-term strategic partnership and offtake agreement provides an established pathway for Kangankunde concentrate into a major Western rare earths refining supply chain. A strategic partnership with Carester adds a further downstream step, incorporating a planned rare earth oxide separation facility in Kazakhstan and a long-term binding offtake arrangement for heavy rare earth products.
Reflecting this expansion in executive scope and responsibility, the Board approved an increase in annual base salary for Executive Chairman Robert Martin and Executive Director Zac Komur to A$1,000,000 per annum each, exclusive of director fees of $156,000 and superannuation, effective 1 July 2026, following an independent benchmarking review against comparable ASX-listed companies and executive positions. Zac Komur has relocated to Kazakhstan to provide direct executive oversight of SARECO while travelling regularly to Kangankunde.
| Strategic Asset | Location | Stage | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kangankunde Rare Earths Project | Malawi | Construction — first production targeted Q4 2026 | Flagship asset; targeted lowest-cost-quartile TREO producer |
| SARECO MREC Facility | Kazakhstan | Operational — advancing | Downstream hydrometallurgical processing of monazite concentrate into MREC |
| Carester Separation Facility | Kazakhstan | Development — planned | Pathway to separated rare earth oxide products |
| Iluka Resources Partnership | — | Active offtake | Western supply chain pathway for concentrate and Stage 2 |
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What’s next: the path to first production
The near-term execution sequence is well defined:
- Site transformer installation and site energisation — October 2026
- Progressive motor testing and control system commissioning
- Individual system commissioning across plant areas
- Ore introduction
- First Monazite Concentrate production — targeted end of 2026
With 125,000 tonnes of ore already stockpiled and waiting, and each plant system progressively moving toward completion, the gap between construction and first production is narrowing. Every system signed off brings Kangankunde one step closer to becoming an operating asset.
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