3 VALUABLE MINERALS DISCOVERED

MBABANE – A new group of minerals known as the Copper-Nickel-Platinum Group Elements has been discovered in the country.

The discovery was presented by the Acting Minister of Natural Resources and Energy, Jabulani Mabuza, yesterday during a briefing about the findings of the Multi-Disciplinary Geoscience Mapping in the Manzini and Hhohho regions. The Multi-Disciplinary Geoscience Mapping was conducted during the second half of last year and the beginning of this year and was completed in October. A helicopter hoisting a big boom at low altitude was seen in the two regions conducting the mineral survey which was hosted by the Geological Survey Department in the ministry. The exercise was aimed at identifying and prioritising mineral targets in the country. “The exercise came at the right time to help enable decision making on mineral exploration and exploitation. The results of the exercise have updated and improved the mineral inventory hosted by the Geological Survey Department,” he said.

Areas

Mabuza, speaking during the findings briefing, stated that the E17 million worth survey was groundbreaking as a new group of minerals from Copper-Nickel-Platinum Group Elements were discovered in three different areas in the Hhohho Region which are Siphocosini, Mhlambanyatsi and Lamgabhi-Luyengo. This group of mineral elements is used in everyday life. Nickel is a metal primarily used to make alloys like stainless steel. It is used in industries including aerospace and healthcare and in rechargeable batteries. Cobalt is magnetised and used to make simple household magnets, rechargeable simple household magnets. Platinum and Palladium serve primarily as components in catalytic converters for cars, trucks and buses.
The acting minister further revealed that the exercise uncovered new places that had gold, iron ore and diamond.

“Gold mineralisation is confirmed in areas northwest of the country.  It stretches from Nsingizini area in the north to Lomati, current Lomati Mine lease, Luhhumaneni area and Forbes Reef area in the south. As much as some of the areas were known, a much bigger deposit size has been identified from the models,” he said.Furthermore, Mabuza revealed that iron ore targets were identified from various areas north of the current Ngwenya Iron Ore Mine. Three of the deposits lie in the Malolotja Game Park being Makonjwa Hills and Luhhumaneni. He added that there was another target north of the current Lomati Mine. He explained that the mystery of Dvokolwako diamond deposit  was also unraveled by the survey since for years geologists were confused as to how there was only one diamondiferous kimberlite when the general understanding was that kimberlites occur in clusters. The minister stated that the survey unveiled three diamond targets surrounding the dormant Dvokolwako Diamond Mine.

Sampling

“This survey has drastically improved government’s understanding of the geological terrain northwest of the country. From here going forward, ground truthing will commence. This will involve ground geophysics, soil sampling for geochemical analysis and drilling for subsurface investigations,” he said. Mabuza noted that the country recognised the importance of geoscience in economic development, as it was for that reason the country made a decision to invest in the collection of high resolution geophysical data using a fixed-wing aircraft. “Due to high costs and high end technology used in mineral exploration, the exercise was being implemented in three phases,” Mabuza explained. Phase one has been completed and covered the Manzini and Hhohho regions. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy still needs to complete the exercise by conducting phases two and three that cover Shiselweni and Lubombo regions, respectively.

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