UK mineral exploration and development group Lisungwe Mineral Resources has ?acquired a licence entitling it to explore for pyrite at Madisi, in central Malawi.

Pyrite is used to produce sulphuric acid.

“The board of Lisungwe regards this important acquisition as another vital step towards establishing Lisungwe as a major exploration and minerals development group in this part of South-Eastern Africa,” says CEO Roy Tucker.

Tucker explains that the 1 140-km2 exploration area is adjacent to well-documented pyrite deposits and complements Lisungwe’s Malingunde tenement, where drilling is in progress.

“The new Madisi area has similar litholigies and regional structures to those associated with pyrite deposits at Malingunde and Chisepo, both of which have drill-indicated resources,” says Tucker.

He says the Madisi ?licence block comprises a number of zones with “widespread gossan development (decom-?posed iron sulphides) and pyrite mineralisation”.

Tucker says that Madisi is served by paved roads and is located only 60 km to the south of Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe. Water can be obtained from the Bua and Kasangadzi ?rivers and electricity transmission lines pass through the area.

Lisungwe, which is listed on the UK’s Ofex market, wants to use the sulphuric acid for the processing of nickel that it intends to mine at Chimimbe, also in central Malawi.