Government through Mineral Development Company Botswana, a 100% state owned mineral investment enterprise has thrown its weight behind the much anticipated Iron Ore project in the North West District.
During a televised press briefing in July this year Minister of Mineral Resources, Green Technology & Energy Security Lefoko Maxwell Moagi said iron ore prices are at their highest, encouraging investors to come on board onthe project that could be one of the world ‘s largest iron ore mines.
“Our Mining investment agency Mineral Development Company Botswana is supporting the project, this will help to also cultivate investor confidence because this is a very big project with massive commercial potential” Minister Moagi said last week.
Tsodilo Resources Limited through its wholly onwed subsidary Gcwihaba Resources (Pty) Ltd recently announced that its exploration work in Ngamiland has moved to laborotory assement stage.
The Company has initiated geochemical analysis for grade determination and geotechnical test-work for Rock Mass Rating (RMR) evaluation for the Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) of its Xaudum Iron Formation (XIF) project, near Gumare in the Northwest district of Botswana.
Xaudum Iron Project takes its name from Xaudum river that runs from the Namibian boarder.Tsodilo revealed in a statement that 755 samples from 10 drill holes within the project Block 2 area have been sent to ALS Chemex in South Africa for analysis by element analysis by X-ray fluorescence.
Futhermore 34 samples from 7 drill holes representing the main iron geological domains have been sent for geotechnical laboratory test-work assessment to the Department of Mining and Geological Engineering at the Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST).
At BIUST 18 samples will undergo Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) testing;8 samples will undergo Brazilian Tensile Strength (Brazilian Test) testing; and another 8 will undergo Direct Shear Strength tests on a selection of common discontinuities.In 2014 James M.
Bruchs Chairman and CEO of Tsodilo Resources Ltd said the Xaudum Iron Project has the potential to supply iron ore and iron products to not only the whole southern African region but to the world.”This resource is also only the ‘Tip of the Iceberg’ given the previously reported Exploration Target of between 5 and 7 billion of tonnes.” he said
