Lindian Resources appointed mining development specialist Zac Komur as executive director to lead the Kangankunde rare earths project in Malawi, effective Sept. 15, 2025. The company said early works at Kangankunde are on budget and ahead of schedule, with concentrate production targeted for the fourth quarter of 2026.
Komur, a chemical engineer with more than 25 years’ experience, has served as a Lindian non-executive director since February. His background includes project delivery roles at BHP, Fortescue, INPEX and Northvolt, including work on the US$37 billion Ichthys LNG processing facility near Darwin. He will oversee stage-one construction, advance stage-two expansion studies and secure downstream processing partnerships.
Lindian said early works—processing areas, run-of-mine pads, roads and solar bore-fields—are nearing completion, supported by safety audits and community engagement. Stage-two infrastructure tenders are progressing, with final design proposals due in October 2025; scope includes power lines and supply contracts to reach construction readiness once the design-and-construct contract is awarded. 
Kangankunde has declared mineral resources of 261 million tonnes and ore reserves of 23.7 million tonnes, according to the company. A recently expanded 2,500-hectare mining licence supports a potential lift to 50,000 tonnes per annum of production, with a feasibility study under way to refine stage-two targets.
The project is funded via a recent $91.5 million institutional placement and a US$20 million (A$30.07 million) agreement with Iluka Resources, Lindian said. The company cites full ownership and a non-radioactive classification, and positions Kangankunde to supply rare earths to meet rising demand from electric vehicles and other clean-energy applications outside China’s supply chain.
