CAPE ZIRCONA PROJECT OF PANEX
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Location and infrastructure

In an established mineral sands province, with infrastructure in place.

The project sits on the West Coast of South Africa, in the Western Cape Province, 30 km from Lutzville by tarred road and 70 km south of Tronox's Namakwa Sands mine.

Regional map of the West Coast showing the Cape Zircon deposit, with an inset locating it in South Africa
Regional setting

Tenure

Two prospecting rights held by Buchuberg Resources: WC 10352 PR (11,440 ha) and WC 10353 PR (36,526 ha). Granted 1 November 2023, valid to 31 October 2028 and automatically renewable for 3 years thereafter.

In September 2025, the Gauteng Division of the High Court, Pretoria, dismissed Rio Tinto's application for an interim interdict against Buchuberg Resources, with costs. Subsequently, Rio Tinto withdrew its main claim challenging the acceptance and subsequent granting of the prospecting rights to Buchuberg Resources and tendered the wasted costs occasioned by the withdrawal.

Land access

Surface rights are privately held. Access agreements are in place with landowners where exploration is active.

Environment

500 m no-go buffers inland from the coast and on either side of rivers and estuaries. Public access to the coast is unaffected.

Infrastructure

Power, water, rail and roads, close to site.

Power

About 8.8 MVA would be required, through a planned 132 kV line of about 30 km from Eskom's Juno substation and a 10 MVA substation on site.

Water

A planned seawater intake and pipeline of about 6 km would deliver around 2,400 m³ per hour. No groundwater would be needed.

Rail

The Sishen-Saldanha bulk freight railway passes through the project area.

Roads and ports

Products would be trucked to port (as costed in the PEA), with rail remaining an option. Bulk ilmenite concentrate to Saldanha Bay and bagged concentrate to the Port of Cape Town, both about 230 km.

Satellite map of the prospecting rights with the railway, roads, power lines and proposed plant sites
Prospecting rights and infrastructure
Ore train on the Sishen-Saldanha railway beside a gravel road
Sishen-Saldanha railway crossing the project
Coastal scrub on red sands at Cape Zircon, with the Atlantic on the horizon
Project area towards the coast

Neighbours

Part of an active mineral sands district.

Named for context only.

Namakwa Sands

Tronox mine at Brand-se-Baai, 70 km north.

Koekenaap MSP

Tronox mineral separation plant.

Tormin

Mineral Sands Resources mine.

Minrite MSP

Lutzville mineral separation plant.

Questions

Questions about Cape Zircon's location and tenure.

What is the status of the Rio Tinto challenge?

In September 2025, the Gauteng Division of the High Court, Pretoria, dismissed Rio Tinto's application for an interim interdict against Buchuberg Resources, with costs. Subsequently, Rio Tinto withdrew its main claim challenging the acceptance and subsequent granting of the prospecting rights to Buchuberg Resources and tendered the wasted costs occasioned by the withdrawal.

Where is Cape Zircon located?

On the West Coast of South Africa, in the Western Cape Province, 30 km from Lutzville by tarred road and 70 km south of Tronox's Namakwa Sands mine. The Sishen-Saldanha railway passes through the project area.

What infrastructure serves Cape Zircon?

The Sishen-Saldanha railway crosses the project, power would come by a 30 km, 132 kV line from Eskom's Juno substation, and seawater by a 6 km pipeline. Products would be trucked to port (as costed in the PEA), with rail remaining an option.

What tenure does Cape Zircon have?

Two prospecting rights, WC 10352 PR and WC 10353 PR, cover 47,966 hectares. They were granted on 1 November 2023, are valid to 31 October 2028 and are automatically renewable for 3 years thereafter.

Data room

Ready for the next phase.

Companies and institutions evaluating an acquisition or partnership can submit an expression of interest to Questco, corporate advisor to the project, for access to the full PEA, the JORC resource report and supporting data.

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