Canadian firm uncovers “significant” critical minerals in north-west Botswana
Mbongeni Mguni | Tuesday January 13, 2026 16:23
Tsodilo wholly owns the Gcwihaba Metals Project in the north-west of the country where the discoveries were made.
In a statement to the Toronto Stock Exchange where Tsodilo is listed, the company said recent results from a drilling programme had uncovered various metals including 15 rare earth elements and critical minerals such as copper, cobalt, nickel, vanadium, and silver.
“Based on integrated geophysical modelling, drilling results, and geological modelling of the confirmed skarn deposits, the company has defined a conceptual exploration target ranging from 81 to 97 million tonnes at grades between 0.05% and 1.49% Total Rare Earth Oxides. “The rare earth element exploration target measures four kilometres in length,” the company said.
Skarn deposits are ore bearing rocks that can be mined at a profit.
James Bruchs, Tsodilo chairman and CEO, said the 2026 drilling program will focus on defining high-grade rare earth element zones while further evaluating the polymetallic potential of the system to support preparation of an initial mineral resource estimate.
Rare earth elements are used in permanent magnets for electric vehicles, wind turbines, and defence technologies, the company explained. Global supply is concentrated in China, with demand projected to grow at 9.2% annually through 2030.
Critical minerals, which include copper, nickel, silver, vanadium and others, are highly sought after globally as they are essential for modern economies in high-tech industries such as electric vehicles, clean energy and computing.
In March, U.S president, Donald Trump, issued an executive order categorising critical minerals such as copper and others as national security assets and directing U.S government financial agencies to fund exploration and home production of the specified critical minerals.
The US Export-Import Bank, a state-owned entity, in June and July issued letters of interest worth $375 million in June and July to two local critical minerals projects in Selebi Phikwe and Kanye.