Tusker’s Cameroon project shows significant rutile reserves

Based on the modelled mineral assemblage, the exploration target contains an estimated 48-million to 55-million tonnes of heavy minerals, including about seven-million to eight-million tonnes of rutile and 1.4-million to 1.7-million tonnes of zircon, establishing Diwong South as a major emerging rutile-bearing mineral sands system.

Critically, the exploration target covers only a portion of one licence within Tusker’s broader 2 580 km² Douala Basin project.

Tusker says multiple additional targets remain outside the current model, while initial reconnaissance drilling has already identified materially higher-grade near-surface rutile/zircon mineralisation elsewhere in the basin.

The company notes, however, that the potential quantity and grade of the exploration target is conceptual in nature, explaining that there has been insufficient exploration to estimate a mineral resource, and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the estimation of a mineral resource.

CEO Cliff Fitzhenry describes the Douala Basin exploration target as a “game-changing milestone” for Tusker, establishing genuine multibillion-tonne scale within a shallow, infrastructure-advantaged rutile/zircon system.

“What makes Douala particularly compelling is the scale of the upside. The current target covers only a portion of one licence within our broader 2 580 km² project area, while initial reconnaissance drilling is already identifying materially higher-grade near-surface zones, including 3.2 m at 0.76% rutile from surface.

“We now have exceptional scale, clear higher-grade upside, a premium rutile-rich titanium mineral suite and an outstanding infrastructure and logistics position. We believe Douala has the potential to emerge as one of the most significant new rutile-bearing mineral sands discoveries in recent decades – and we are only beginning to unlock the broader basin,” says Fitzhenry.

Executive chairperson Daniel Smith adds that the Douala basin has the potential to be a genuine company-maker for Tusker.

“This exploration target delivers multibillion-tonne scale at an early stage, combined with a high-quality rutile-rich titanium mineral suite and one of the best infrastructure positions of any large African mineral sands project.

“Our focus now is on executing a clear, capital-efficient pathway to resource definition while continuing to test the significant remaining upside across the broader project area. This positions Douala as the cornerstone of our strategy to build a leading African titanium company,” says Smith.

Tusker notes that the modelled total mineral assemblage comprises about 15% rutile and 3% zircon of THM, implying about seven-million to eight-million tonnes of contained rutile and 1.4–million to 1.7-million tonnes of contained zircon within the current exploration target.

The Douala Basin exploration target marks the emergence of a potentially major new rutile-bearing heavy mineral province in Central Africa.

Tusker says large-scale natural rutile systems are rare globally, and Douala is differentiated by an unusual combination of multibillion-tonne scale, a rutile-rich titanium mineral suite, significant kyanite co-product potential, shallow mineralisation and exceptional proximity to established port and infrastructure.

The company says these attributes are seldom found together at this scale.

Importantly, the current exploration target is confined to the modelled about 152 km² Diwong South area, representing only about 6% of Tusker’s broader 2 580 km² Douala Basin project.

The target is also vertically constrained by an interpreted basement surface, while much of the historical drilling terminated at approximately 18 m to 24 m, with mineralisation remaining open at end of hole in numerous areas. This provides clear potential for additional scale at depth.

Beyond Diwong South, Tusker has completed limited reconnaissance work, but some initial testing has demonstrated rutile mineralisation across multiple additional targets within the broader project area.

The company says initial reconnaissance drilling has already returned materially higher-grade, near-surface mineralisation outside the current exploration target, highlighting the potential for further mineralised domains across the basin.

With broad lateral continuity demonstrated across Diwong South, historical drilling locally ending in mineralisation and higher-grade reconnaissance results emerging elsewhere, substantial scope remains to expand the known mineralised footprint both laterally and at depth.

The company says the current exploration target therefore represents an initial foundation within a much larger, largely untested 2 580 km² district-scale opportunity.

Moreover, the company notes that initial Tusker reconnaissance drilling demonstrates the potential for materially higher-grade near-surface mineralisation, including 3.2 m at 0.76% rutile and 0.08% zircon from surface; 4.2 m at 0.53% rutile and 0.08% zircon from surface, with a peak individual sample of 1 m at 0.86% rutile and 0.12% zircon.

SIGNIFICANT KYANITE POTENTIAL

Tusker says Douala also hosts an exceptionally kyanite-rich heavy mineral assemblage, creating potential for a significant additional co-product opportunity alongside rutile and zircon.

The company notes that kyanite comprises about 70% of the modelled THM assemblage, highlighting potential for a substantial future industrial mineral opportunity.

No economic value has been attributed to kyanite at this stage. However, successful recovery and qualification of a saleable kyanite or calcined mullite product could provide an additional revenue stream and materially improve overall heavy mineral utilisation.

Tusker says it plans to advance representative bulk testwork, expanded mineralogical characterisation and early market engagement to assess recovery, product quality and potential commercial pathways.

Moreover, the company notes that few globally significant mineral sands projects combine multibillion-tonne scale with direct access to established port, power, transport and industrial infrastructure.

Douala is fundamentally differentiated by its proximity to established roads, power, industrial services, skilled labour and international port infrastructure.

The project is located within about 40 km of the Port of Douala, providing access to established export infrastructure and major international shipping routes.

PATHWAY TO MAIDEN JORC RESOURCE

Tusker notes that mineral processing company Mineral Technologies’ independent review has established a clear pathway to advance Douala Basin from the current exploration target toward a maiden Jorc mineral resource.

The existing dataset demonstrates broad lateral continuity across two coherent mineralised domains, with the upper plateau and core mineralised areas providing the strongest initial focus for resource conversion.

Tusker says it intends to pursue a targeted, capital-efficient pathway toward a maiden Jorc mineral resource, with various near-term objectives.

This includes priority infill and step-out drilling on the highest-confidence portions of the current exploration target (upper aeolian plateaus) to support resource conversion; and deeper drilling to test extensions below the historical circa 18 m to 24 m depth limit where mineralisation remains open.

The company also aims to expand mineralogical and metallurgical testwork focused on rutile, zircon and kyanite recovery and product characteristics; and update geological and block modelling incorporating new drilling and technical data, with the objective of supporting a maiden Jorc mineral resource estimate (MRE) on priority zones within about six to nine months, subject to drilling outcomes, permitting, assay turnaround and technical results.

Importantly, the company says it intends to pursue conversion of the exploration target to a maiden MRE in parallel with broader growth drilling.

This approach is designed to deliver a maiden MRE from the most strongly supported portions of the current exploration target while simultaneously testing deeper extensions and higher-grade targets across the broader Douala basin.

Tusker says the Diwong South exploration target represents a transformational step in Tusker’s strategy to build a leading African titanium company.

Together with the Central rutile project, in Cameroon, and the Mzimba rutile project, in Malawi, Tusker notes that it now controls multiple large-scale rutile opportunities across two highly prospective African titanium jurisdictions.

The portfolio spans complementary deposit styles – coastal heavy mineral sands and residual rutile systems – providing multiple pathways for discovery, resource growth and future development.

With established in-country teams, a growing technical capability and a focused titanium strategy, Tusker says it is building a differentiated African portfolio centred on scale, premium titanium feedstocks and high-impact discovery potential.

Tusker says Douala Basin now represents the cornerstone of its strategy to build a diversified African titanium company.