Mkango Announces Receipt of ?7 Million (C$12.3 Million) Investment From Talaxis to Fund Completion of the Feasibility Study for the Songwe Hill Rare Earths Project in Malawi

LONDON and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 28, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mkango Resources Ltd. (AIM / TSXV: MKA) (the "Company" or "Mkango"), the rare earths exploration and development company focused on Malawi, is pleased to announce that following the publication of a NI 43-101 Technical Report (the “Technical Report”) for the Songwe Hill Rare Earths Project (“Songwe”) resource update on March 21, 2019, Talaxis Limited (“Talaxis”) has invested an additional £7 million into Lancaster Exploration Limited (“Lancaster”), which is the holder of the licence for Songwe. As a result of this investment, Talaxis’ equity interest in Lancaster will increase from 20% to 49%, with Mkango holding the remaining 51%.

The investment by Talaxis will fund completion of the Feasibility Study for Songwe, which is currently underway and expected to be completed in 2020. The updated resource described in the Technical Report will form the basis for the Feasibility Study. Following completion of the Feasibility Study, Talaxis has an option to acquire a further 26% interest in Songwe by arranging financing for project development including funding the equity component thereof.

William Dawes, Chief Executive of Mkango stated: “Mkango is uniquely positioned in the rare earths sector with an advanced stage rare earths project in a favourable jurisdiction and a strong strategic partnership with Talaxis providing the financial means and network of relationships throughout Asia and elsewhere to deliver a successful project.”

Alexander Lemon, President of Mkango stated: “This project will be transformational for Malawi, empowering local communities and validating Malawi’s credentials as one of Africa’s premier investment destinations. We are very appreciative of the support we continue to receive from the Government of Malawi and all stakeholders as we progress through the Feasibility Study.”

Daniel Mamadou, Director of Talaxis and co-Head of Technology Metals at Noble Group said: "Rare earths play a core role in our portfolio of technology metals. High performance electric motors and permanent magnet applications drives the demand for neodymium and praseodymium, making these elements key enablers of EV policies globally. The results of the drill campaign at Songwe are encouraging and point towards the potential of creating a world class asset. We are pleased to extend our strategic partnership with Mkango and to increase our investment in Songwe, which is one of the few advanced stage rare earths projects currently. We look forward to collaborating with Mkango to ensure this project is developed to its full potential."

Further details on the scope and other aspects of the Feasibility Study, and plans for 2019 will be announced in due course. The Technical Report is available under the Company’s profile on www.sedar.com. The press release in relation to the resource update is available via the following link: https://www.mkango.ca/s/news.asp?ReportID=844546

About Mkango Resources Limited

Mkango's primary business is exploration for rare earth elements and associated minerals in the Republic of Malawi, a country whose hospitable people have earned it a reputation as “the warm heart of Africa”. The Company holds interests in three exclusive prospecting licenses in Malawi: the Phalombe licence, the Thambani licence and the Chimimbe Hill licence.

The main exploration target in the 51% held Phalombe licence is the Songwe Hill rare earths deposit. This features carbonatite-hosted rare earth mineralisation and was subject to previous exploration in the late 1980s. Mkango completed an updated Pre-Feasibility Study for the project in November 2015 and a Feasibility Study is currently underway, the initial phases of which included a 10,900 metre drilling programme and updated mineral resource estimate.

The main exploration targets in Mkango’s remaining two 100% held licences are, in the Thambani licence, uranium, niobium, tantalum and zircon and, in the Chimimbe Hill licence, nickel and cobalt.

For more information, please visit www.mkango.ca.

Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure

Certain information contained in this announcement may have been deemed inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 until the release of this announcement.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of that term under applicable securities laws) with respect to Mkango, its business and the Project. Generally, forward looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as “plans”, “expects” or “is expected”, “scheduled”, “estimates” “intends”, “anticipates”, “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases, or statements that certain actions, events or results “can”, “may”, “could”, “would”, “should”, “might” or “will”, occur or be achieved, or the negative connotations thereof. Forward looking statements in this news release include statements with respect to the global market for products using the rare earth metals the Company is exploring for, completion of the feasibility study and of the transactions contemplated in the agreement with Talaxis, as well as the use of proceeds from the investments into the Company by Talaxis and the timing of such expenditures. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are based will occur. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, known and unknown risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not occur, which may cause actual performance and results in future periods to differ materially from any estimates or projections of future performance or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors and risks include, without limiting the foregoing, market demand for the metals and associated downstream products for which Mkango is exploring, researching and developing, the positive results of a feasibility study on the Project, delays in obtaining financing or governmental or stock exchange approvals. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Additionally, the Company undertakes no obligation to comment on the expectations of, or statements made by, third parties in respect of the matters discussed above.

For further information on Mkango, please contact:  

Blytheweigh
Financial Public Relations
Tim Blythe, Camilla Horsfall, Julia Tilley
UK: +44 207 138 3204

SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP
Nominated Adviser and Joint Broker
Jeff Keating, Caroline Rowe
UK: +44 20 3470 0470

Alternative Resource Capital
Joint Broker
Alex Wood, Rob Collins
UK: +44 20 7186 9004; +44 20 7186 9001

The TSX Venture Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any equity or other securities of the Company in the United States. The securities of the Company will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “U.S. Securities Act”) and may not be offered or sold within the United States to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons except in certain transactions exempt from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act.