Investor Insight
With its high-quality uranium assets in Tanzania, as well as a highly experienced corporate and in-country management team, Moab Minerals presents a compelling case for investors evaluating opportunities in the rapidly growing uranium market.
Overview
Moab Minerals (ASX:MOM) is an exploration company with the primary goal of developing its uranium assets in Tanzania. On the 8th July 2024 the company announced the acquisition of a majority stake in Katika Resources, a Tanzanian company, that holds the Manyoni and Octavo uranium projects. The Manyoni project was previously explored by Uranex Ltd from the early 2000’s until 2013. The Octavo uranium project is adjacent to Rosatom’s world class Nyota uranium deposit (Mkuju River project), which was formerly held by ASX listed Mantra Resources before the AU$1.02 billion takeover in 2011.
Tanzania is a global leader in identified uranium resources, which coupled with a supportive government, puts the country in a good position to establish itself as a significant player in the global nuclear energy sector. Significant Tanzanian deposits include Namtumbo (Mkuju), Bahi, Galapo, Minjingu, Mbulu, Simanjiro, Lake Natron, Manyoni, Songea, Tunduru, Madaba and Nachingwea. Of these projects, Mkuju River is the largest, boasting a mineral resource of 8,500 tons U3O8 and, once operational, will be the country’s first operating uranium mine.
With a high-calibre team of highly experienced mining and business leaders with successful track records, and a Tanzanian based team of technical experts, Moab is well positioned and well-funded to deliver on its commitment to expedite the exploration and development of its uranium projects in Tanzania.
Company Highlights
- Moab Minerals is a uranium exploration company developing its primary uranium assets in Tanzania - Manyoni and Octavo.
- Tanzania is a global leader in identified uranium resources and companies operating in the country benefit from a supportive pro-mining government.
- Positive outlook for uranium, with demand expected to increase by 28 percent in 2030, and 51 percent by 2040.
- The Company is looking to start drilling 1,500 metres in August/September to validate historical drill results from Uranex (early 2000’s-2013) and to test extensions of the known mineralization at Manyoni.
- Additional upside exists from Moab’s uranium-vanadium asset (REX project) located in Colorado and within trucking distance of the White Mesa Mill.
Key Projects
Manyoni Uranium Project
The Manyoni Uranium Project is strategically located just outside of the town of Manyoni in the Republic of Tanzania, and benefits from established infrastructure such as a modern railway and highway system, as well as available power and water resources.
Manyoni is located in the central part of the Tanzanian Archaean Shield, a stable platform of granite-gneiss terrane with marginal greenstone belts. The uranium is deposited in a shallow playa lake system as schröckingerite (in the lake sediments) and carnotite in the granitic saprolite below the lake sediments. The mineralization varies from flat-lying to shallowly dipping as it follows the direction of the palaeo-drainage to the south-east. The average depth of the mineralized interval is 10 metres.
The Manyoni uranium project was extensively explored and drilled by its previous owner, Uranex (ASX:UNL), now Magnis Energy Technologies (ASX:MNS).
Moab has executed a binding agreement with AuKing (ASX:AKN) to acquire four highly prospective prospecting licences immediately adjacent to the Manyoni uranium project, representing the consolidation of all of the Manyoni uranium deposits for the first time in over 10 years. Stage one 105-hole core drilling program is underway and will be followed by the stage two program of 100 exploration core holes. Moab intends to release its maiden JORC (2012) mineral resource estimate in 2025 following the completion of preliminary drilling activities. A scoping or preliminary feasibility study is planned to be completed in the same year.
Octavo Uranium Project
The Octavo uranium project is strategically located adjacent to Rosatom’s world-class Nyota uranium deposit (Mkuju River project), formerly owned by ASX-listed Mantra Resources before a AU$1.02 billion takeover deal in 2011.
Uranium mineralization at Octavo consists of Triassic sandstone overlying granite basement rocks.
Exploration Plans
Exploration at the company’s Mayoni project will include: 1) twinning historic drill holes, which involves drilling 60 holes to an average depth of 25 metres, and 2) a bench scale metallurgical test work program. In addition to the 2024 drill program, Moab is planning to undertake an exploration drilling program designed to target extensions to the known mineralization at Manyoni.
At the Octavo uranium project in southern Tanzania, work is focused on the acquisition of high-quality airborne radiometric and magnetic survey data which are expected to deliver uranium targets for ground follow-up.
REX Project
The project is located in Colorado, USA, (60 percent owned by Moab Minerals) within the vicinity of many historic uranium mines, including Blackfoot/Rattlesnake, Wedge, Merry Widow, Sunbeam and Vanadium King. The project boasts 256 contiguous BLM mining claims (~5,000 acres which is 20 sq km) and is located ~130 km east of the town of Moab. The project is within trucking distance of the White Mesa Mill, the only operating conventional uranium-vanadium mill in the US. Recent exploration results from Rex include strongly anomalous uranium and vanadium up to 0.53 percent U3O8and 3.32 percent V2O5.Management Team
Malcolm Day - Managing Director
Malcolm Day has been managing director of Moab Minerals since 1999. He’s a civil engineer and licenced surveyor with eight years of experience in the civil construction industry. Day also spent three years working as a mining and resource exploration surveyor in remote parts of Western Australia. Day has been managing director of Moab Minerals (ASM:MOM) since 1999 and a non-executive director of European Lithium Limited (ASX:EUR) since 2012.
Bryan Hughes - Non-executive Chairman
Bryan Hughes is the past chairman and founding partner of Pitcher Partners, accountants, auditors and advisors, and now a director of 101 Advisory. Hughes has over 30 years of experience in the resource sector, and has developed and overseen commercial, operational and financial strategies which have led to the development and success of numerous companies in many jurisdictions around the world. Hughes sits on several private and public company boards.
David Wheeler - Non-executive Director
David Wheeler has more than 30 years of senior executive management, directorships, and corporate advisory experience. He is a foundation director and partner of Pathways Corporate, a boutique corporate advisory firm that undertakes assignments on behalf of family offices, private clients, and ASX listed companies. He has engaged in business projects in the USA, UK, Europe, NZ, China, Malaysia, Singapore and the Middle East. Wheeler is a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has experience on public and private company boards, currently holding a number of directorships and advisory positions in Australian companies.
Tanzania Management
Godluck Sekwao - Exploration Manager
Experienced geologist with 16 years of experience across all aspects of geological projects, with a particular focus on exploration. Sekwao most recently worked with Shanta Gold across its East African projects.
Charles Sayi Mihayo - Senior Geologist
Charles Sayi Mihayo is an experienced geologist with over 18 years of experience across Africa in project discovery, development, and mining production across a range of commodities.
Ryoba Chacha - Consulting Geologist
Ryoba Chacha has over 15 years of experience working on geological projects, particularly in East Africa. He has also previously worked on the Manyoni project as a project geologist with Uranex.
Figure 1. Location of Manyoni and Octavo Uranium Projects
Figure 2. Location of Manyoni Tenements
Figure 3. Location of Octavo Tenement
Figure 1. Location Oasis project
Figure 2. Simplified Regional Geology