Malawi Clears Major Hurdle for First Uranium Export After 11years

Malawi is preparing to resume uranium exports after Lotus Resources secured a key regulatory approval for the first shipment from its Kayelekera mine since production restarted in August 2025.

Lotus announced on Monday, October 26, that Namibia's National Radiation Protection Authority had issued the final major authorization required for the shipment. Four containers carrying approximately 145,000 pounds of uranium concentrate, commonly known as yellowcake, are scheduled to leave through Namibia's Port of Walvis Bay in November for an Orano conversion facility in France.

The shipment is not yet cleared to depart. Shipment-specific notifications, inspections and other approvals are still being finalised before the containers can be transported.

Uranium Shipment Requires Three Country Clearances

Malawi is landlocked, so moving uranium concentrate to international customers requires transport arrangements through neighbouring countries. The planned shipment involves regulatory approvals in Malawi, Zambia and Namibia, including requirements governing the movement of radioactive materials.

Securing Namibia's authorization completes the main regulatory approvals for the planned export, bringing Lotus closer to moving material produced at Kayelekera to an overseas customer.

Lotus owns 85% of the mine, while the Malawian government holds the remaining 15%. Production resumed in August 2025 after the mine had remained on care and maintenance for years.

Kayelekera suspended operations following a decline in uranium prices after Japan's 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. The mine had previously operated under Paladin Energy, producing 10.9 million pounds of uranium between 2007 and 2014.

Export Resumption Could Restore Mining Revenue

The return of uranium shipments could reopen an export revenue stream that once generated significant income for Malawi. World Bank figures show that uranium exports earned the country $169.9 million in 2013, before falling to $40.4 million in 2014 as operations were suspended.

Lotus is targeting annual production of 2.4 million pounds of uranium at Kayelekera once the mine reaches steady-state operations. The planned November shipment would be an important step towards returning the mine to the export market, although the scale of future earnings will depend on production levels and the regularity of deliveries.

For now, the immediate milestone is the movement of the four containers through Namibia to France, subject to completion of the remaining shipment-specific clearances.