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Kayelekera uranium production on track
July 12, 2026 / Marcel Chimwala
Lotus Africa says it remains on track to deliver nameplate production at Kayelekera Uranium Mine in the second quarter of the year 2026 following consistent performance improvement through the second half of February and into March.
Lotus MD Greg Bittar explains in a Press Release that supply chains for Kayelekera production remain robust, including forward cover for diesel and diversified supply across acid and Sulphur.
Diesel
Lotus has contracted for its diesel requirements through to end June at pricing substantially less than current spot prices. The Company’s diesel supply chain remains intact and Lotus has received no indication of disruptions from diesel suppliers to date. Diesel supply is a key operational focus and in addition to Lotus’ forward order cover, Lotus is putting in place incremental contracts for July but believes it is best to keep a watching brief on price volatility in the near-term before booking further significant supplies.
Sulphuric Acid
Lotus has built up its onsite inventory of sulphuric acid which is supplemented by a significant fleet of supply trucks enroute to Kayelekera. The pipeline of deliveries and orders has not been impacted to date; however, there is pressure on pricing and freight costs. Lotus is working through further orders to minimise third-party acid supply risk.
Sulphur
Lotus has sulphur supply orders in place to end of June, and its two key suppliers have substantial inventory already landed in Tanzania. Lotus’ sulphur volumes are relatively small in the region serviced by East African ports, and neither supplier is indicating any impact at this stage. Nevertheless, Lotus is planning additional supply routes and additional storage for sulphur (including options for offsite storage) to secure maximum inventory availability to support the commissioning of the acid plant from April 2026. Lotus will continue to closely monitor these key items and remains in regular discussions with its suppliers.
Lotus restarted production at Kayelekera in August 2025, on time and on budget. Kayelekera remains the only operating large scale mine in Malawi.
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Rehabilitation:
The establishment of a stable and self-sustaining ecosystem, but not necessarily the one that existed before mining began. In many cases, complete restoration may be impossible, but successful remediation, reclamation, and rehabilitation can result in the timely establishment of a functional ecosystem.
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Remediation:
The cleanup of the contaminated area to safe levels by removing or isolating contaminants. At mine sites, remediation often consists of isolating contaminated material in pre-existing tailings storage facilities, capping tailings and waste rock stockpiles with clean topsoil, and collecting and treating any contaminated mine water if necessary.
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