Further Sampling and Test Work at Blesberg
Summary by AI BETAClose X
Marula Mining PLC
("Marula'' or the "Company")
2 September 2025
Further Bulk Sampling and Metallurgical Test Work Underway at Blesberg
Marula Mining PLC (AQSE: MARU A2X: MAR) an African focused mining and development company, is pleased to provide the following update in respect to additional metallurgical test work and bulk sampling at the Blesberg Lithium and Tantalum Mine in South Africa ("Blesberg" or the "Project") that are being conducted by its South African operating subsidiary, Southern African Lithium and Tantalum (Pty) Ltd ("SALT").
The Company's technical team and executive management collected an approximately 30-tonne bulk sample from the Blesberg mine site. The sample is currently being prepared for a comprehensive metallurgical test work aimed at evaluating the chemical and physical properties of the material and optimising future processing strategies that are aimed at maximising recoveries of all key strategic and critical minerals, as well as high-value industrial mineral by-products that have been identified.
The bulk sample is to be crushed and sorted into -80mm and -25mm size fractions to simulate the proposed processing plant feed conditions and to enable comparative analysis across particle sizes. The material will then undergo a series of testing to further assess the physical and chemical characterisation of pegmatitic host rock, liberation and particle size distribution analysis, magnetic susceptibility and leachability testing and optical sorting and flotation response analysis.
In addition, optical sorting, wet high intensity magnetic separation, heavy liquid separation, gravity separation and dense medium separation testing is to be undertaken.
The results of these work programmes will provide insights into the metallurgical behavior of the Blesberg ore and support the development of an optimised and scalable first phase processing flowsheet that will feed into the Company's planned lithium acid leaching plant to produce an intermediate lithium product for use in the manufacture of lithium batteries and other high value lithium products.
As announced on 23 June 2025, testing indicated the presence of high-value by-product industrial minerals within the lithium-bearing pegmatites at Blesberg, based on results from metallurgical test work. The ore consists primarily of microcline and plagioclase feldspar, making up between 60% and 80% of the material.
Assay results included:
· Al₂O₃ grades of approximately 18%
· Combined CaO and MgO grades of less than 1%
· Combined Na₂O, K₂O, Li₂O, and Rb₂O grades exceeding 11%
· Combined Al₂O₃, K₂O, CaO, and MgO grades of over 30%.
The Company is continuing to advance its applications for a Mining Right at Blesberg and has satisfied two of the three key conditions with Environmental Authorisation for the Mining Right and submission of an updated Social Labour Plan having already been progressed. The Company's Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment ("B-BBEE") structure for SALT, is currently being completed in compliance with Section 100(2)(a) of the MPRDA and the requirements of Mining Charter III.
Further updates on the metallurgical test work and B-BBEE structure will be provided in due course.
The Directors of Marula are responsible for the contents of this announcement. This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of UK Market Abuse Regulation.
About Marula Mining
Marula Mining (AQSE: MARU A2X: MAR) is an African focused battery metals investment and exploration company and has interests in several high value mining operations and mine development projects in Africa: the Blesberg Mine and Northern Cape Lithium and Tungsten Project, all in South Africa; the Boteti Lithium Brines Project in Botswana; the Larisoro Manganese Mine and Kilifi Manganese Processing Operation both in Kenya; the Kinusi Copper Mine, the Nyorinyori Graphite Project and the NyoriGreen Graphite Project all in Tanzania. As we advance operations at these battery metals focused projects, Marula will continue to build and expand its interests in other high-quality projects in Africa.
Marula's strategy is to identify and invest in advanced and high-value mining projects throughout East, Central and Southern Africa that the Directors believe would deliver returns for its shareholders. The Board and management team aims to establish Marula as a socially and environmentally responsible, sustainable, and profitable producer of critical metals and commodities that are of increasingly strategic importance to modern technologies and the global economy. Marula's shares are traded on AQUIS Stock Exchange (AQSE) in London and A2X Markets in South Africa. Marula is exploring opportunities to admit its shares to trading on Kenya's Nairobi Securities Exchange and South Africa's Johannesburg Stock Exchange.
For enquiries contact:
|
Marula Mining PLC Jason Brewer, Chief Executive Officer
Faith Kinyanjui Mumbi Investor Relations |
Email : jason@marulamining.com
Email : info@marulamining.com
|
|
AQSE Corporate Adviser Cairn Financial Advisers LLP, Liam Murray / Ludovico Lazzaretti |
+44 (0)20 7213 0880 |
|
A2X Advisor AcaciaCap Advisors Proprietary Limited Michelle Krastanov |
+27 (11) 480 8500 |
Caution:
Certain statements in this announcement, are, or may be deemed to be, forward looking statements. Forward looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as ''believe'', ''could'', "should" ''envisage'', ''estimate'', ''intend'', ''may'', ''plan'', ''potentially'', "expect", ''will'' or the negative of those, variations or comparable expressions, including references to assumptions. These forward-looking statements are not based on historical facts but rather on the Directors' current expectations and assumptions regarding the Company's future growth, results of operations, performance, future capital and other expenditures (including the amount, nature and sources of funding thereof), competitive advantages, business prospects and opportunities. Such forward looking statements reflect the Directors' current beliefs and assumptions and are based on information currently available to the Directors.
RNS may use your IP address to confirm compliance with the terms and conditions, to analyse how you engage with the information contained in this communication, and to share such analysis on an anonymised basis with others as part of our commercial services. For further information about how RNS and the London Stock Exchange use the personal data you provide us, please see our Privacy Policy.
Latest directors dealings
- 5 hours ago Oxford Nanopore Technologies
- 6 hours ago AVI Global Trust
- 6 hours ago LSL Property Services
- 6 hours ago Bluebird Merchant Ventures (DI)
- 7 hours ago Power Probe PLC