“
We wish to be identified as an Australian
explorer while acquiring and working on
projects in Africa. Companies from Australia
are highly regarded and sought after as partners
and investors throughout southern and central
Africa,” said Mr Mulligan.
The South African mining engineer with
20
years experience in deep underground
gold and platinum mining is optimistic about
Walkabout’s flagship Takatokwane thermal
coal asset – the largest in Botswana with an
inferred resource of nearly seven billion tonnes
of thermal coal.
“
We believe our ‘starter mine’ concept
linked with increased demand from South
Africa could result in a low cost, early cash
flow solution,” Mr Mulligan said.
Takatokwane is located 195 kilometres
from the Botswana capital, Gaborone, in the
southern belt of the Central Kalahari Sub-basin,
and is directly accessible by a well-maintained
bitumen road. The uppermost coal seam at
Takatokwane is between 14 and 20 metres
thick, underpinning potential for large scale,
high tonnage export operations in the future.
Mr Mulligan’s background as a mining
engineer and specialist project manager means
an in-house team will manage the prefeasibility
study for the shallow, flat and close-to-surface
thermal coal asset. Results for the study are
expected in the second quarter of 2014.
“
Our plans revolve around an initial one
million tonnes per annum operation delivering
into the Southern African domestic and export
markets,” Mr Mulligan said.
At the same time as developing the coal
project, Walkabout believes its experience in
underexplored Tanzania at both Board and
senior management level puts it in a strong
position to take an early mover advantage in
copper, nickel and platinum exploration.
In western Tanzania, at Kigoma in the heart
of the artisanal copper mining area, a low cost
entry approach will build a significant regional
presence by consolidating small holdings
and applying modern exploration techniques
where grades of up to 25% in copper oxide have
been recorded.
“
Artisanal mining is already occurring
so our initial strategy is one of working with
local stakeholders, consolidating these small
holdings and then applying modern exploration
methods. Thereafter, we will seek to discover
the sulphide source of the copper and possible
nickel occurrences,” Mr Mulligan said.
The 500 square kilometre project, located
at the western margin of the intracratonic
rift systems that host Lake Tanganyika, is
accessible by road and rail from the national
capital Dar es Salaam. A reconnaissance drilling
program to assess mineralisation controls
within the copper oxide project is underway
with results expected later in the year.
At Makete in Tanzania, results of 17.6
metres @ 4.9g/t PGE+Au have been recorded,
making it one of the most promising platinum
assets outside South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Negotiations are currently underway to form
a joint venture and progress this project.
“
It’s exciting. Now is an opportune time
to position ourselves in the marketplace
and pursue our vision of linking Australian
expertise and capital with African opportunity,”
remarked Mr Mulligan.
Allan Mulligan
Managing Director
Walkabout Resources Ltd
Coal seam intersection at
Takatokwane coal project
Drilling at Kigoma copper project
Australian image,
African operations
Perth-based Walkabout Resources has a vision
to combine Australian know-how with African
opportunity to create shareholder wealth. With
a focus on cost control, good cash reserves
and a keen eye on running a lean operation,
Walkabout’s corporate mission is to explore
and develop coal, copper and platinum projects
in Africa.
“
We have launched our revised corporate
strategy with a new name, and refreshed
branding and positioning in the marketplace
to better reflect who we are and what we are
trying to achieve,” said Walkabout Managing
Director Allan Mulligan.
The iconic Australian name was chosen
because the company wants to project an
Australian image whilst working in Africa.
Minesite 2013
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