Tsodilo Resources Limited has just announced a discovery that could reshape the landscape of global critical mineral supply, a massive polymetallic and rare earth mineral deposit in northwest Botswana. The company’s Gcwihaba Metals Project, wholly owned and situated in a region previously overlooked for such riches, has yielded rock samples with some of the highest-grade rare earth elements (REE) ever recorded in the area. This breakthrough comes at a moment when the world is scrambling to diversify sources of minerals vital for electric vehicles, renewable energy, and defense technologies, which until now have been overwhelmingly supplied by China.
The discovery centers on two geophysical anomalies, dubbed C26 and C27, initially pinpointed through detailed ground magnetic and gravity surveys. These methods measure subtle variations in Earth’s magnetic field and gravitational pull, revealing hidden mineral-rich formations beneath the surface. Tsodilo’s diamond core drilling, which involves extracting cylindrical rock samples from deep underground, validated these anomalies as skarn-hosted mineral deposits. Skarns are mineral-rich rocks formed through chemical reactions between hot magmatic fluids and carbonate rocks, often creating polymetallic deposits containing a mix of valuable metals. In this case, the skarns lie just 20 to 50 meters underground, making them relatively accessible for further exploration and potential mining.
What makes these findings remarkable is the diversity and concentration of critical minerals identified. The C26 and C27 skarns contain all fifteen rare earth elements listed on the 2025 U.S. Department of the Interior Critical Minerals List (CML), including neodymium and praseodymium, elements essential for producing powerful permanent magnets in electric motors and wind turbines. Beyond the REEs, the deposits also carry significant quantities of copper, cobalt, nickel, vanadium, and silver, five additional critical minerals on the 2025 CML. This polymetallic assemblage not only enhances the economic potential of the deposit but also positions Botswana as a possible future hub in the global supply chain for these strategic metals.
Tsodilo’s Chairman and CEO, James M. Bruchs, emphasized the significance of the 1.49% total rare earth oxides (TREO) intercept at C27, calling it the highest grade recorded so far for the Gcwihaba project. This grade is impressive considering the global average grades for economically viable REE deposits often fall between 1% and 3% TREO. The company’s exploration model, developed using advanced Paradigm GOCAD software, estimates a conceptual resource target ranging between 81 to 97 million tonnes of skarn mineralization. These projections are based on integrating geophysical data with actual drill results and geological interpretation, a method that improves confidence in the scale and quality of the mineral body.
The skarn system’s polymetallic nature is particularly noteworthy. Skarn deposits are known for their complex mineralogy and economic importance, often forming near igneous intrusions where hydrothermal fluids alter surrounding rocks. These deposits can yield a variety of metals, and in the case of Gcwihaba, the presence of cobalt up to 320 parts per million and silver concentrations reaching 5.1 grams per tonne alongside copper and nickel signals a rich multi-metal potential. Such diversity could provide a hedge against market fluctuations in individual metals and support a more sustainable mining operation.
Rare earth elements are critical to the transition to green technologies. Neodymium and praseodymium, for example, are fundamental in manufacturing the magnets that power electric vehicles and wind turbines. Their supply is currently dominated by China, which controls nearly 80% of global rare earth production and processing capacity. This dominance has raised geopolitical concerns and spurred efforts worldwide to identify and develop alternative sources. The Gcwihaba discovery arrives as the global demand for rare earths is projected to grow annually by over 9%, driven by expanding electric vehicle markets and clean energy infrastructure.
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