JUNIOR MINING
2A – a gamechanger for Kazera
2026 marks a milestone year for AIM-listed Kazeera Global as it transitions from project developer to a profitable mining company. Beyond unlocking value from its Whale Head Minerals (WHM) heavy mineral sands (HMS) project, the company plans to increase diamond production from its Deep Blue Minerals (DBM) project in Alexander Bay, South Africa, CEO Dennis Edmonds tells Modern Mining .
Kazera Global’s Whale Head Minerals HMS Pilot Plant - Separation Spirals.
C rucially, Kazeera is awaiting the mining right for its 2A permit from the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy. “We have submitted all required documentation, including an environmental guarantee,” Edmonds says. The 2A mining right covers approximately 3 095 hectares, of which 168 hectares contain HMS deposits. With the construction of a suitable processing plant, the company believes the project will be ready for immediate mining. “At present, we are operating the five-hectare Walviskop heavy mineral project. By comparison, the 2A permit spans around 3 000 hectares, with an initial mining area of 168 hectares—34 times larger than our current operations,” Edmonds notes. “Once 2A comes online, we expect to amplify profitability by 20- to 30-fold, significantly enhancing both the project’s value and the company’s overall valuation.” Kazera advances its WHM project Kazera Global holds a 70% stake in Whale Head Minerals (WHM), which operates the Walviskop heavy mineral sands (HMS) project, with the remaining 30% owned by Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) partners. Following a £1.6 million fundraising at the end of last year aimed at accelerating growth across its HMS and diamond operations, the company is pursuing multiple initiatives, including evaluating equipment to achieve higher-purity titanium dioxide, increasing operational shifts, and investing in a new trommel screen. The WHM project currently operates as an experimental site using a pilot plant. Edmonds describes the extraction process as straightforward: “We dig material from the beach and pass it through a separation process. It is seawater-driven, with non- commercial material returned to the beach, while processed
material is trucked to Cape Town.” 2026 is a turning point for Kazera, as ongoing initiatives aim to move the company into profitable production. “This year, our focus is on ramping up production at the five-hectare site and advancing it toward profitability. Once the 2A permit is granted, we will expand mining there, further increasing production and profitability,” Edmonds says. A recently implemented 1.5-shift programme, operational since mid-February 2026, is expected to raise HMS output to over 4 000 tonnes per month. The trommel screen is being upgraded to improve processing efficiency and product quality, currently delivering around 32% TiO₂ content. This programme is a precursor to two shifts per day, which will require upgrades to the site’s lighting system. Kazera is also exploring ways to increase product purity, evaluating new mineral separation technologies that go beyond traditional spiral separation. “We are testing several options to improve separation volume and titanium dioxide purity. Our aim is to find the optimal balance between volume, purity, and price. Interest from potential off-take partners is already emerging,” Edmonds notes. Market conditions have reinforced the importance of producing higher-purity titanium dioxide. Ilmenite prices have been volatile, peaking in 2022 due to post-pandemic demand and supply chain disruptions, before gradually stabilising in 2024–2025 amid softer demand and high inventories. “We are targeting an increase in TiO₂ content from the basic 24% standard to 32%,” Edmonds says, “and are evaluating what the optimum purity would be to maximise both sales and price.” In 2024, Kazera signed a sales and offtake agreement with Fujax South Africa, however, additional buyers continue to approach the company directly. “The interest from multiple
14 MODERN MINING www.modernminingmagazine.co.za | May 2026
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