As the government amplifies its commitment on carrying out geological survey on critical minerals’ presence in the country, the Helium One Global licensed for exploration has discovered 4.7% of helium concentrations at Rukwa Rift Basin.
The Helium One Global on Monday this week in its breakthrough statement described the high concentrations as a big milestone toward achieving commerciality at the earliest opportunity.
“When performing the Basement Drilling Stem Testing (DST), high concentrations of helium began to flow to the surface, following reverse circulation and yielding a compositional mix up to 4.7% helium, 1.5% argon, 8% oxygen and 86% nitrogen” read the statement from the company.
Adding “a measured helium concentration of 4.7% equates to almost nine thousand times above background levels.”
According to the statement, the company has identified that the frequency of helium increases with depth and is preferentially carried in hot fluids.
In another Development, Helium One Global’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Lorna Blaisse commented that he was delighted with the findings from Itumbula West-1, saying they clearly confirmed the presence of the producing helium province in the Rukwa Rift Basin.
He appreciated all collaborators including the Ministry of Minerals and the Mining Commission of Tanzania among others involved in bringing the project to the point of success. Commenting on the findings, Assistant Commission in the Ministry of Minerals, Mr. Francis Mihayo said the positive results from the Helium One Global’s exploration deepen hope for helium presence in Tanzania.
He said the discovery of helium stands as the basis for further exploration, which will lead into feasibility study and finally exploitation.
University of Dar es Salaam’s Head of School of Mines and Geosciences, Dr Elisante Mshiu who doubles as the President of the Tanzania Geological Society (TGS) noted that concentration of 4.7% helium as per the finding signals existence of huge volume of the rarely critical mineral.
“Concentration of 4.7% is massive and is indicating the presence of gas,” Dr Mshiu said.
He said further exploration will be undertaken at the area followed by setting of demarcation as guide to valuation through calculation in relation to the market price to get the actual volume of helium available.
Dr Mshiu expressed his optimism that the country can emerge as the global leading supplier of helium upon effective exploitation of the discovered deposits.
Today, helium is produced primarily in just four countries including in the United States of America (USA), Qatar, Algeria and Russia, whereby limited number of suppliers result into an increase in demand and its price worldwide.
It has essential multiple uses including on medicine manufacturing, space explorations, balloons, high tech manufacturing of televisions (TVs), computers, tablets, phone and fibre optic cables.
The findings were released the same day the Deputy Minister for Minerals, Dr Steven Kiruswa at the ongoing Indaba Mining 2024 in South Africa, reaffirmed the country’s commitment on undertaking geological surveys on critical minerals’ presence which are essential in achieving transition to clean energy.
Dr Kiruswa said the exploration will identify critical minerals reserve for benefaction and value addition. The Indaba Mining 2024 is the conference themed “Embracing Power of Positive Disruption: A bold new future for Africa mining” which brought together a diverse of mining investors and government leaders at Cape Town from across the continent to figure out best ways for effective exploitation of minerals including the rare earth one.
“We believe that if systematic exploration is undertaken, using state-of-the-art technologies and innovations across the country, there will be new discoveries of critical minerals deposits which will ultimately contribute to the expansion of cleaner energies,” he said.
Currently, he said among the already identified critical minerals resources in the country are nickel, cobalt, manganese, lithium, and graphite.
Dr Kiruswa welcomed investors to come in Tanzania and establish benefaction facilities and manufacturing industries for the critical minerals’ born vital products including electric vehicles’ batteries and solar equipment plants.
On ensuring all critical minerals within the continent are exploited, he called upon other African countries to use Public Private Partnerships (PPP) as Tanzania has been engaging the private sectors in exploring critical minerals including nickel, cobalt and lithium as well as helium.
He said according to the African Union report, the continent has 30% of the world’s mineral reserves with 91% of platinum and hence it is up to all countries to harness the resource for the continent’s socioeconomic transformation.
Helium One Global holds prospecting licences totalling more than 2,965 Kilometres Square across three distinct project areas which are Rukwa, Balangida, and Eyasi located within rift basins in the north and south-west of Tanzania.
The Company’s flagship Rukwa Project is located within the Rukwa Rift Basin covering 1,900 kilometre square in the south-west.
Source link : https://africanminingmarket.com/tanzanias-major-breakthrough-in-helium/17811/amp/
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Publish date : 2024-02-07 08:00:00
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