Pensana Plc (LSE: PRE) is pleased to advise that it has commenced preparation for a 7,000 metre infill drill programme at its Longonjo rare earth project in Angola. The programme is designed to provide both detailed geological and grade control information ahead of the commencement of mining and stockpiling/blending activities in early 2027 alongside the resource expansion drilling programme announced on 17 November 2025.
Two reverse circulation drilling rigs are planned to be mobilised ahead of drilling activities throughout the anticipated dry season from May through to October 2026. The programme anticipates completion of a 10 x 10 metre drill grid across the weathered run-of-mine from the initial pit(s) production zones/areas.
The Longonjo deposit comprises a near-surface blanket of high-grade, NdPr-rich total rare earth oxides (TREO), with an average depth of approximately 30 metres. Previous drilling has confirmed that mineralisation extends to depths in excess of 100 metres beneath the current resource, indicating significant potential to increase the resource base through further drilling.
During the campaign samples will also be collected at depth to develop a detailed understanding of the full vertical extent of the mineralization and support assessment of the potential for an increase in inferred resources from the existing 313 million tonnes at 1.43% TREO towards one billion tonnes at a similar grade - which would make it one of the world's largest rare earth deposits currently in development .
A laboratory is being procured for delivery to site alongside drill rig mobilisation. This containerised unit will include sample preparation facilities and an automated XRF analyser enabling timeous and cost saving multi-element analysis on site. Grade control drilling will be ongoing for most of the Longonjo life of mine, staying a year ahead of mine planning.
These results will further support the current mine and stockpile blending plan developed with Practara, well before commissioning, and enhances the existing dataset.
Source: www.pensana.co.uk
Aleksei Andrievskii is the founder of the ANDRIEVSKII SEA WEALTH family office in Cyprus, a member of the advisory board at Bendura Bank AG, Liechtenstein