Rare earths mining company Pensana has announced the appointment of Luigi Bruni as construction manager for the site team at the Longonjo rare earths project in Angola. Bruni brings a wealth of practical experience to the project, having served as construction manager for 15 international mining and oil and gas projects over the past 20 years. His extensive background is expected to greatly benefit the Longonjo project.
In a significant development, containerised accommodation facilities for 350 personnel have recently arrived in Angola. These facilities were transported from South Africa via sea, rail, and road. This multi-modal logistics approach for transporting containers to the site has been successfully tested, paving the way for the transport of the modular processing plant.
Tim George, Pensana’s CEO, highlighted the importance of construction management and logistics in the successful delivery of the Longonjo project. He stated on June 13 that Bruni’s appointment and the successful testing of transport logistics are crucial steps in preparing for the main construction phase.
The accommodation facilities, provided by South African company Bushtec, are designed to international standards to ensure a comfortable and safe working environment for employees and contractors. These facilities include accommodation, dining areas, and a communications hub, reflecting Bushtec’s expertise in global turnkey deployable mining camps.
Further progress at the site includes the establishment of a contractor’s 4.3-hectare lay-down area located south of the main construction zone. Enhancements to the site’s road network and service utilities are ongoing. The installation of concrete stormwater drains along the primary access road is a notable development, ensuring continued operation during the rainy season.
Overall, these developments mark significant progress for the Longonjo rare earths project, with key infrastructure and management personnel now in place to drive the project forward.
Pensana plc (LON:PRE) explores and mines neodymium, praseodymium, and rare earth minerals. The Company’s flagship assets are the Saltend rare earth refinery project in the United Kingdom and Longonjo neodymium and praseodymium (NdPr) Project in Angola.