Marula Mining PLC on Thursday reported that the South African Department of Mineral Resources and Energy has accepted a prospecting right application from Marula’s wholly-owned subsidiary, South African Lithium and Tantulum Mining Pty Ltd.

Marula, a London-based mining company focused on South Africa, said the new license will cover 7,219 hectares of land. The area borders Marula’s Blesberg lithium and tantalum prospect and the Northern Cape Lithium and Tungsten Ltd project, for which Marula already has permits.

After securing the new prospecting right, Marula will hold more than 23,270 hectares of licensed land in South Africa’s Namaqualand district. The company described the area as ‘highly prospective for multiple battery and critical metals mining opportunities’.

‘This new prospecting right will expand the company’s footprint around our growing Blesberg operations, underscoring our commitment to unlocking value within the Northern Cape’s battery metals and critical metals capabilities,’ noted Jason Brewer, Marula Mining’s chief executive officer.

Besides lithium, the company is targeting tantalumm, niobium, beryllium and tungsten, along with feldspar, mica, quartz and other by-product minerals. To prioritise the area, though, Marula has cancelled a 2023 memorandum of understanding to acquire 70% of the Korridor 21 prospect, located about 30km west of Blesberg.

The DMRE must make a decision within 197 days of Marula lodging its latest application, which in this case, was in the fourth-quarter of 2024. Prior to approval, Marula must consult local landowners and register the application with the Department of Water Affairs, both of which it expects to complete in the current quarter.

Also in this quarter, Marula aims to appoint a new mining contractor for open pit operations, install the Tomra XRT 1200 ore sorter, and complete negotiations with a China-based electric battery manufacturer. The unnamed collaborator is in talks with Marula about a lithium acid leaching plant, to produce an intermediate lithium product that will be used in lithium batteries and other ‘high-value’ items.

Marula shares were down 0.3% at 4.13 pence each on Thursday afternoon in London.

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