Key Highlights

  • Globe Metals & Mining commenced early mining activities at the Kanyika Niobium Project in Malawi, in batches of about 5,000 tonnes.
  • The company says the work supports resource verification and future plant commissioning, with commercial production targeted for early 2028.
  • The 2018 JORC resource totals 68.3 million tonnes at 2,830 parts per million niobium pentoxide at a 1,500 parts per million lower cut.

Globe Metals & Mining Limited (ASX:GBE) has commenced early mining activities at the Kanyika Niobium Project in Malawi, according to an announcement dated 23 October 2026. The company says the work is a preliminary step intended to support resource verification and future plant commissioning, rather than commercial production, which it is targeting for early 2028.

Mining is progressive, in batches of about 5,000 tonnes of excavated material. Each mining area is about 50 metres long, 16 metres wide and 2.5 metres deep, reached by a 40-metre ramp. Globe selects the areas using geological drilling data, near-surface mineralisation and the existing mineral resource model.

Ore is hauled about 600 metres to a designated stockpile, while non-ore material is managed separately for use in infrastructure. The work is carried out by local contractor OG Plant Hire and supervised by Globe's on-site technical team. The company says the excavated material is predominantly fine-grained and unconsolidated, and that no hard rock has been encountered so far.

Objectives of the programme

Globe lists three aims. The first is to improve confidence in the mineral resource through bulk sampling and grade verification. The second is to build stockpiles of niobium-bearing ore as feedstock for future processing plant commissioning and testing. The third is to use suitable non-ore material for plant terraces, foundations, roads and other infrastructure.

The planned mining area is estimated to average about 0.45 per cent niobium pentoxide and 0.015 per cent tantalum pentoxide. Globe says these figures are based on 2018 drilling data and remain subject to verification, which is part of the purpose of the bulk sampling.

Resource base

The project's mineral resource estimate dates from 11 July 2018 and is reported under the JORC code. At a 1,500 parts per million niobium pentoxide lower cut, it totals 68.3 million tonnes at 2,830 parts per million niobium pentoxide and 135 parts per million tantalum pentoxide. That comprises 5.3 million tonnes measured at 3,790 parts per million, 47 million tonnes indicated at 2,860 parts per million and 16 million tonnes inferred at 2,430 parts per million.

At a higher 3,000 parts per million lower cut, the resource is 22.8 million tonnes at 4,220 parts per million niobium pentoxide and 190 parts per million tantalum pentoxide, made up of 3.4 million tonnes measured, 16.6 million tonnes indicated and 2.8 million tonnes inferred. Globe states that it is not aware of new information that materially affects the 2018 estimates and that the assumptions still apply.

Community and preparatory works

The start of mining was marked by a traditional ceremony attended by three local area chiefs, who formally expressed their support. Completed preparatory work includes the Phase 1 compensation programme, access road upgrades, site clearing, preparation of mining and stockpiling areas, and improvements to accommodation and facilities.

Outlook

Globe Metals & Mining (ASX:GBE) is targeting first production at Kanyika in early 2028. Interim chief executive and chief financial officer Charles Altshuler said the company sees Kanyika as a potential alternative source of niobium and tantalum for global markets. The announcement does not describe funding for plant construction, offtake agreements, processing plant design or any dates beyond the early 2028 production target. It also gives no figure for the cost of the early mining work or the quantity of ore expected to be stockpiled in total.

The announcement states that mining has started and that bulk sampling results are still to come.