The British mining company Altona Rare Earths, listed on the London Stock Exchange, is prioritizing the development of the Monte Muambe fluorite and gallium project in Tete Province, with plans to begin construction of the mine in 2027, as part of a strategy aimed at accelerating revenue generation and supporting the future development of its rare earth project in Mozambique, according to the Engineering News website.
According to the company’s CEO, Cedric Simonet, although the fluorite, gallium, and rare earth projects are located within the same mining concession, each will follow an independent development path, including in terms of financing. This approach will allow the company to move forward simultaneously on different fronts while still benefiting from synergies in infrastructure and operational resources.
He explained that the fluorite project has the potential for faster development than the rare earths project, which is why it has been placed at the top of the company’s priorities. The expectation is that the first revenues from fluorite mining will subsequently help finance part of the development of the Monte Muambe rare earths project. Altona is currently conducting metallurgical and process engineering studies as part of the project’s pre-feasibility study. At the same time, the process of selecting contractors and technical partners for the next phases of development is underway.
The mineral resources currently identified in the project include approximately 3.4 million tons of ore with an average grade of 20.6% calcium fluoride in the Fluorite Zone and Python Target areas. According to the company, these volumes could support an annual production of approximately 50,000 tons of acid-grade fluorite, with the potential to increase to 100,000 tons per year as further drilling is conducted.
The company is also conducting metallurgical tests to confirm recovery rates and the quality of the final product, with the goal of producing fluorite concentrates with a purity of 97.5% calcium fluoride and low levels of impurities.
A preliminary feasibility study is expected to be completed during the third quarter of this year, allowing for an assessment of the project’s technical and economic viability and establishing an initial valuation of the project. If the results are positive, Altona plans to proceed with an additional drilling program as part of the definitive feasibility study, with the aim of increasing the identified mineral resources and expanding the production capacity of the future mine.
At the same time, the company continues to evaluate the potential of the gallium discovered in the area in 2025. Current resource estimates total 11.73 million tons, with an average grade of 54.7 grams per ton of gallium oxide. Work is now focused on defining the metallurgical processes required for its commercial recovery. The company is also studying the possibility of recovering heavy rare earth elements associated with fluorite mineralization, which could enhance the project’s economic value without altering the current timeline for the mine’s development.
Altona Rare Earths is a company focused on critical raw materials projects across Africa, including rare earth elements, fluorite, gallium, copper, and silver. Its flagship project, Monte Muambe in Mozambique, features mineralization of multiple mineral resources with a 25-year mining license, while the company is also advancing the Sesana copper and silver project in Botswana.
At Monte Muambe, Altona has established its first JORC resource for rare earths, is advancing a scope-level development plan, and intends to accelerate the production of acid-grade fluorite for applications in clean energy, high-tech, and industry.
The company is also evaluating the recovery of gallium from fluorite tailings and continues to seek additional assets that align with its strategy of short-term monetization combined with long-term growth in the supply of critical minerals. Located in Tete Province, the Monte Muambe project is considered one of the country’s most promising emerging mining assets in the critical minerals sector.
