Helium One Global, a company focused on helium exploration in the US and Africa, has obtained a mining licence for its flagship Rukwa Helium Project in Tanzania. The licence spans approximately 480sq km across the Momba and Sumbawanga Districts in the southern Rukwa Basin.
CEO Lorna Blaisse highlighted the significance of this approval, noting that it is the first helium mining licence issued in Tanzania. Following the announcement, Helium One’s shares surged by 17% on the London Stock Exchange’s AIM market.
The Rukwa Basin, part of the western branch of the East Africa Rift System, contains helium seeps with concentrations reaching 10.4%. Unlike other helium sources, Rukwa’s deposits are free from hydrocarbons and carbon dioxide, with nitrogen as the primary carrier gas. Meanwhile, assessments suggest that the North Rukwa region could hold up to 138 billion cubic feet of recoverable helium, indicating further potential for large-scale extraction.
Industry expert Phil Kornbluth, founder of Kornbluth Helium Consulting, recently commented that Asia is likely to be a key commercial market for helium from Tanzania. He noted that while transportation from Dar es Salaam to Asia is feasible, large-scale operations will be necessary to offset infrastructure costs.
In a separate development, Helium One Global reported progress on its Galactica project, confirming that the Jackson-31 well has been drilled to a total depth of 1,210 feet (368.8 meters). Samples collected from the well have been sent for helium and carbon dioxide analysis.
With global demand for helium rising, and major producers such as the US, Qatar, and Russia dominating supply, Tanzania’s emerging helium industry could contribute to market diversification and increased capacity