Kinetic Development Group Limited has begun commercial output at its Rutile Project in Rotifunk, Moyamba District, Sierra Leone, marking the company’s first overseas rutile production hub. Operations at the initial production line started on 1 October 2026, financed by approximately US$18.00 million from internal resources and proceeds from a June 2026 share placement.
Resource base and licence • The mine, held under a 117 sq km licence owned by partner Minenet Company Limited, is estimated to contain 4.53 million tonnes of heavy mineral reserves. • Kinetic Development’s indirect subsidiary, Kinetic Development Metal Mining (SL) Limited, has exclusive exploration and mining rights to a 50 sq km portion of the licence area.
Phase-one build-out • Three production lines will form the first phase. The first line is already operational; the second is scheduled for mid-October and the third for early November 2026. • Once fully ramped, phase one will process about 6.00 million tonnes of run-of-mine ore per year, producing roughly 220,000 tonnes of heavy mineral sands. • Output for the remainder of 2026 is projected at around 26,000 tonnes.
Planned phase-two expansion • Contingent on resource confirmation and stable operations, two additional lines will be installed within 12 months, raising total lines to five. • Full deployment would lift run-of-mine capacity to 11.00 million tonnes annually and heavy mineral sands output to 330,000–360,000 tonnes per year.
Product profile and marketing • Heavy mineral sands contain 30-45 % rutile with 95 % TiO₂ content, suitable for titanium dioxide, sponge titanium, high-end welding materials and zirconium products. • Production will be split 80 % to Metal Mining and 20 % to Minenet, with each party handling its own sales. • Established sales channels in China span Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Shandong, Jiangsu and Liaoning, initially focusing on zirconium and titanium processors; global outreach will follow market conditions.
Strategic impact The project diversifies Kinetic Development’s mining portfolio and is expected to become a significant revenue contributor once the five-line configuration is operational. Management plans to optimise mining and beneficiation processes while enforcing stringent cost controls to accelerate value realisation from the high-grade rutile asset.
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