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Moma - Namalope, Congolone, Nataka, Pilivili, Mualadi, Mpitini, Marrua, Quinga
Mozambique
Main commodities: Ti Zr


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The Moma heavy mineral sands ilmenite - zircon - rutile string of deposits are distributed over an interval of 200 km north from the town of Moma to Quinga in the province of Nampula on the northern coastline of Mozambique, approximately 600 km north of the Indian Ocean port of Beira. The main deposits include Namalope, Congolone, Nataka, Pilivili, Mualadi, Mpitini, Marrua and Quinga North and South.

The first deposits to be mined include Namolope, approximately 50 km NE of Moma, its large satellite Nataka orebody and Congolone which is a further 60 km to the NE of Namolope.

The Moma deposits form part of a sequence of near-coastal sand dunes extending from Richards Bay in north-eastern South Africa to Kenya in the north.

The area is characterised by a prograding coastline with numerous geological and geomorphological features. These include four geomorphological features, from inland towards the sea, namely: i). a weathered ancient Pleistocene dune complex that forms a prominent topographic ridge (the Tupuito and Tebani High Dunes); ii). the Namalope Flats; iii). the Coastal and Estuarine Flats (alluvial/paralic deposits); iv). migratory Frontal and accreted Beach/Dune complexes.

The geology of the Moma area consists of a series of unconsolidated fine to medium grained sands and silty sands with local clay units. Heavy mineral sand deposits occur at the surface in specific sand units in the two adjacent Namalope Flats and Tupuito High Dune areas. In general, the HM deposits carry approximately 85% ilmenite, 5% zircon and 2% rutile with little variation between units.

The deposit covers an area of around 25 sq. km and is approximately 8 km long, trending gradually away from the coast to the north over an interval of 2 to 6 km inland from the Indian Ocean coastline. The mine area is bounded to the NE by the major SE flowing Larde River and its floodplain, and to the south-east by coastal swamps. The Nataka satellite deposit is located immediately to the south-west of Namalope.

Published reserve and resource figures include:

Proved + probable reserves at Namalope:
    472 Mt of sand @ 4.4% HM containing 81% ilmenite, 3.6% Fe oxide for 21 Mt HM, 17 Mt ilmenite,
            0.4 Mt rutile, 1.2 Mt zircon,
Proved + probable reserves, Congolone (all proved):
    167 Mt of sand @ 3.3% HM containing 77% ilmenite, 2.5% Fe oxide for 5.4 Mt HM, 4.2 Mt ilmenite,
            0.1 Mt rutile, 0.4 Mt zircon,
Total Reserves at Namalope + Congolone:
    639 Mt of sand @ 4.1% HM containing 80% ilmenite, 3.3% Fe oxide for 26 Mt HM, 21 Mt ilmenite,
            0.5 Mt rutile, 1.6 Mt zircon.

Total Inferred resource (in addition to reserves) at Namalope + Pilivili + Mualadi + Nataka + Mpitini + Marrua + Quinga North and South:
    6000 Mt of sand @ 3.2% HM containing 82% ilmenite, 2.6% Fe oxide for 190 Mt HM, 160 Mt ilmenite, 3.6 Mt rutile, 11 Mt zircon.
  Comprising:
    Namalope - 237 Mt; Pilivili - 227 Mt; Mualadi - 327 Mt; Nataka - 4700 Mt; Mpitini - 287 Mt; Marrua - 54 Mt; Quinga North - 71 Mt;
            and Quinga South - 71 Mt of sand at comparable grades to the average listed above.

This summary is largely based on the content and linked reports of the Kenmare Resources PLC website in 2008.

The most recent source geological information used to prepare this decription was dated: 2008.    
This description is a summary from published sources, the chief of which are listed below.
© Copyright Porter GeoConsultancy Pty Ltd.   Unauthorised copying, reproduction, storage or dissemination prohibited.


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Porter GeoConsultancy Pty Ltd (PorterGeo) provides access to this database at no charge.   It is largely based on scientific papers and reports in the public domain, and was current when the sources consulted were published.   While PorterGeo endeavour to ensure the information was accurate at the time of compilation and subsequent updating, PorterGeo, its employees and servants:   i). do not warrant, or make any representation regarding the use, or results of the use of the information contained herein as to its correctness, accuracy, currency, or otherwise; and   ii). expressly disclaim all liability or responsibility to any person using the information or conclusions contained herein.

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