Fortuna Metals Uncovers Widespread Titanium Potential at Malawi Projects

Historical Titanium Mineralisation Validates Prospectivity

Fortuna Metals Limited (ASX, FUN) has reported a comprehensive desktop review revealing significant titanium mineralisation intersected in 19 historical drill holes across its Mkanda and Kampini projects in Malawi. These results, originally assayed by Sovereign Metals Limited in 2018, underscore the potential for widespread rutile mineralisation in the region. Fortuna’s CEO, Tom Langley, highlighted that these historical findings align with Sovereign’s discovery of the world’s largest rutile deposit at Kasiya, located just 40 kilometres north of Mkanda.

Phase 1 Drilling Complete, Assays Awaited

Fortuna has completed its initial Phase 1 exploration program, comprising 232 soil samples and 63 hand auger drill holes totalling 581 metres. The company expects the first assay results from November 2025, which will be critical to confirming the scale and grade of titanium mineralisation. Concurrently, mineralogical analyses using XRD and QEMSCAN techniques are underway at ALS Perth to determine the rutile content within the heavy mineral concentrate of panned samples.

Strategic Location and Geological Setting

The Mkanda and Kampini projects cover a combined area of 658 square kilometres on the Lilongwe Plain, sharing the same weathered gneiss geology that hosts Sovereign Metals’ Kasiya deposit. Kasiya is renowned as the largest rutile and second largest flake graphite deposit globally, with a resource of approximately 1.8 billion tonnes grading around 1% rutile and 1.4% graphite. Fortuna’s tenure extends over 70 kilometres of strike south from Kasiya, positioning it well to capitalize on similar mineralisation processes.

Rutile’s Growing Importance as a Critical Mineral

Rutile, a high-grade titanium dioxide mineral, is a critical feedstock for pigment production, titanium metal manufacturing, and advanced industrial applications including robotics. With global demand for titanium metal projected to nearly double by 2034, and traditional rutile deposits declining, Fortuna’s exploration in Malawi taps into a market poised for supply constraints and price growth. The company also notes the close association between rutile and graphite mineralisation, a relationship first identified by Sovereign Metals in the region.

Next Steps, Expanding Exploration and Verification

Following the Phase 1 program, Fortuna plans to acquire and reprocess existing geophysical data from the Malawian government and integrate historical exploration reports to design a larger-scale drilling campaign. The company is also establishing a low-cost in-country laboratory to expedite sample preparation and initial analysis. These steps aim to verify historical results, confirm rutile mineralogy, and delineate new target zones for further exploration.