Location | |
---|---|
Location | Mangaoka |
Region | Diana Region |
Country | Madagascar |
Coordinates | 13°43′00″S 48°07′00″E / 13.71667°S 48.11667°E |
Production | |
Products | Rare earths |
Owner | |
Company | Tantalum Rare Earth Madagascar Sarl. |
The Ampasindava mine is the site for a possible rare earths mine in Madagascar. [1] The concession is located in the municipality of Mangaoka, Diana Region in northern Madagascar on the eastern side of the Ampasindava Peninsula. [1] The deposit has reserves amounting to 130 million tonnes of ore grading 0.08% RE. [1] The mine is owned by Tantalus Rare Earths Malagasy Sarl. In 2019, ISR Capital signed a memorandum of understanding with the China Nonferrous Metal Mining Group to develop the mine. [2] [3] Conservation groups have opposed development of the mine, pointing to possible damage the mine could have on wildlife, such as Mittermeier's sportive lemur which is native to the peninsula. [4] [5] As of September 2020, Reeenova applied for a full license to begin mining the deposit. [6]
The first exploration licenses for the mine was held by Calibra Resources and Engineers in 2003, sold to Zebu Metals in 2008, and then to Tantalus Rare Earths in 2009. [7] In 2012, Tantalus agreed to supply the rare-earth products of the mine to the company Rhodia. [8] Tantalus went bankrupt in 2015. [9] [10] In June 2016, 60% ownership of Tantalus was held by the Singapore-based REO Magnetic Pte. Ltd., and 40% by the Germany-based Tantalus Rare Earths AG. In June and July 2016, the REO sold its stake in the mine to the Singapore-based ISR Capital Ltd. [11] [12] [13] In 2019, ISR was renamed Reenova Investment Holding. [14] Rennova sold its 75% interest in the project in 2021 for $4.5 million USD to the GRM Group. [15]