Australian mining company MRG Metals confirmed on Tuesday that there are three high-grade heavy mineral sand zones in the Central Corridor of its concession between the towns of Koko Massava and Malahice in Gaza province. They cover a combined area of about 1.8 square kilometers.

"Our infill and expansion drilling program at Koko Massava continues to deliver outstanding results," said Andrew Van Der Zwan, President of the mining company.

The announcement is the result of the evaluation of 1,448 samples, pointing to an inferred mineral resource of 1,133 megatonnes at 5.3%. This translates to an estimated total of sixty megatons of heavy minerals consisting of 42% ilmenite, 7% ilmenite/titanomagnetite, 2% zircon, 1% rutile, 1% leucoxene, and 0.2% monazite. However, the survey results showed the existence of other less valuable minerals.

MRG Metals will use these results in an upcoming mineral resource update for Koko Massava, which may be followed by inaugural resource estimates for the Nhacutse and Poiombo deposits.

For now, MRG Metals' plan is to commission IHC Mining to use the data to produce a JORC-compliant resource report (the Australian code for mineral resource reporting) for Koko Massava.

Ilmenite and rutile are resources used to make white pigments for paints, paper and plastics. Titanium can be extracted from these ores and used to make metal parts where light weight, high strength parts are needed. Zirconium is used for abrasive and insulating purposes and monazite contains rare earth elements.