Namibia has not officially defined which mineral commodities are critical. However, like many other countries, Namibia is looking to capitalize on global trends towards greener and decarbonized value chains, which have triggered global interest in the mining and processing of critical minerals – Erasmus Shivolo
Although Namibia has declared that no critical metals will be exported in raw form, most projects are not yet fully developed.
Namibia has lithium, cobalt, graphite, rare earth elements, tin, tantalum, and manganese.
The mines ministry deputy executive director, Erasmus Shivolo, said they granted three lithium mining licenses, and none of the projects are operational.
There are no cobalt licences, but two graphite licences, one rare earth licence, five tin and tantalum licenses, and one manganese licence.
Shivolo’s paper, delivered during the Mining Expo 2023, was titled Namibia’s Position on Critical Minerals and Sustainable Supply to Support the Global Energy Transition.
Shivolo said that to create an environment conducive to local value addition, the cabinet prohibited exporting the following critical minerals unprocessed: lithium, cobalt, manganese, graphite, and rare earth elements in line with the Mineral Beneficiation Strategy (2021).
Lithium
Namibia has granted three lithium mining licenses, although none are fully operational. They are all in advanced stages of full development. Several discoveries have been made, and numerous exploration projects target lithium.
Cobalt
Namibia has no operational cobalt mines, and no cobalt licences have yet been issued. However, some advanced exploration projects exist in Namibia’s upper northwest and central northwest.
Graphite
Two mining licenses for graphite expire in 2042 and 2025, respectively. One is in care and maintenance, and the other is in development. There are also exploration projects in the Erongo and Karas regions.
Rare Earth Elements
There are no operating mines for REE or metals in Namibia. The Lofdal (Khorixas) project is the only REE deposit currently under mining license but not yet operational. There are several exploration projects, including one offshore.
Tin and Tantalum
Five mining licenses have been issued for tin and tantalum: one is not yet operational, three are operational, and the fifth is pending license renewal. Additionally, several active exploration projects exist in the pegmatites of southern Namibia and central and northwest Namibia.
Manganese
Otjosondu Mine is the only manganese mine operating in Namibia (ML145, valid until 2037). Several exploration licences have been granted for manganese and other base metals.
*Photo: Business Standard
Read the paper here: Illegal Artisanal Mining in Namibia as an Emerging Crime (miningexponamibia.com)
