Rome Resources Plc has begun a small-scale tin mining programme at its Kalayi project in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a regulatory step aimed at converting the asset’s current permit into a full mining licence.
The AIM-listed critical minerals explorer said the programme targets shallow mineralisation near earlier trenching in the northern part of the deposit. Successful conversion of PEPM 13274 is expected to help unlock Rome’s proposed acquisition of the remaining 27.5% interest in Kalayi Tin SARL, increasing its ownership of the Kalayi project to around 79%.
Early signs were encouraging, the company said, with portable XRF readings of up to 17% tin reported in the exposed mineralised zone. Operations will include driving a short mining adit along strike, with a small washing plant expected to produce 60% to 80% tin concentrate for sale through the state facility at Walikale.
Rome said any revenue from concentrate sales would be modest and incidental to the programme’s main regulatory and geological objectives, which include generating metallurgical and processing data and improving understanding of the Kalayi vein system.
Chief executive Paul Barrett said converting the permit into a full mining licence was “central” to the ownership increase plan, adding that Rome expects to receive outstanding assays from recent drilling “very shortly” before updating the market on those results and the Kalayi Mineral Resource Estimate.
