Namibia has emerged as the world’s fifth-largest country by niobium resource size following the announcement of a 279.9 million tonne maiden inferred mineral resource at Aldoro Resources’ Kameelburg rare earth element–niobium project.
With an average grade of 2,450 ppm total rare earth oxide equivalent (TREO Eq.), the Kameelburg discovery in northwest Namibia positions the country among global niobium giants such as Brazil, Canada, and China.
Eearly-stage promise
The early-stage Kameelburg project, wholly owned by ASX-listed Aldoro Resources, is rapidly gaining recognition as a Tier-1 scale carbonatite-hosted deposit. Located near existing infrastructure and accessible via surface routes with minimal overburden, the project offers both geological scale and development simplicity that could unlock significant value across the niobium and rare earths supply chains.
A legacy of exploration revived
The area around Kameelburg was first mapped geologically in the 1960s and 1970s by the Geological Survey of Namibia and other early exploration teams. The Kameelburg Carbonatite itself was described in literature as early as 1975, when field geologists noted its circular magnetic signature and complex mineralisation. Between 1975 and the early 2000s, sporadic academic and government-led sampling campaigns were conducted, but limited drilling took place due to low commodity prices and insufficient commercial interest at the time.
Aldoro’s acquisition
In May 2023, Aldoro acquired a 100% interest in the Kameelburg Project through the Namibian tenement holder Aloe Investments Two Hundred and Thirty Seven (Pty) Ltd, marking the beginning of systematic commercial exploration.
This acquisition was followed by geophysical surveys, soil geochemistry, and an aggressive diamond drilling program, which commenced later that year.
According to Aldoro Chairperson Quinn Li, the 279.9 Mt resource was defined from just 12 diamond drill holes completed during the first phase of exploration, with results from the remainder of the ~9,500 metre campaign still pending.
“This is a significant achievement by our team and represents an important value outcome for Aldoro shareholders,” she said. “We expect the Kameelburg deposit to be undeniably of Tier-1 scale.”
Multi-billion-dollar valuation
Kameelburg’s mineralisation includes supergene enrichment zones, offering further upside in niobium and potentially heavy rare earth elements (HREEs).
Aldoro plans to initiate metallurgical recovery studies by September 2025, followed by maiden drilling at the adjacent Omurango Carbonatite, which may contain higher-grade niobium zones.
Using cost analogues from Namibia Critical Metals’ Lofdal project, which is approximately US$92 per tonne of mined ore, Kameelburg’s operational and capital expenditures over the life of mine could be in the region of US$25.7 billion.
With an average TREO grade of 2.45% and a benchmark basket price of US$6,000 per tonne TREO, the in-situ value of the current resource could exceed US$4.1 billion before processing and recovery losses.
Aldoro’s discovery not only elevates Namibia’s strategic minerals profile but also signals a shift in global niobium exploration—from traditional strongholds in Brazil and Canada to the underexplored carbonatite fields of Africa.
Decades of historical data
Between 1967 and 1970, the African Metals Corporation (AMCOR) explored Kameelburg, commissioning the National Institute of Metallurgy (NIM) to conduct surface rock sampling (12 rock chips), 11 drill holes, and two bulk samples of the carbonatite.
These activities resulted in three technical reports, which were later reviewed in 1971 by Newmont (Vellet 1971). The review concluded that the carbonatite was a vertically layered body containing zones enriched in thorium, rare earth elements, strontium, niobium, and phosphate.
Notably, enrichment values included up to 1% TREO (0.18% average), 2.9% strontianite, 0.55% Nb₂O₅, 14.7% phosphate, and 0.3% thorium.
Bulk samples upgraded via magnetic separation yielded up to 1.6% TREO and 31.8% P₂O₅.
Later, in 2012–2013, Kinloch Resources Pty Ltd conducted further exploration, including the collection of 678 rock and regolith samples and 34 soil samples.
Their analytical program revealed TREO values of up to 5.56% in rock chips and 2.66% in soils, along with high phosphate (P₂O₅) concentrations of up to 17.25%. Niobium pentoxide values reached up to 4.75%, although they were distributed sporadically.
This data confirmed that parts of the carbonatite, particularly the beforsite and micaceous sovite, were well-endowed with REEs and Nb.
Benchmarking Kameelburg
Brazil dominates the global niobium landscape, hosting more than 98% of known reserves, primarily through CBMM’s Araxá mine in Minas Gerais, which contains an estimated 840 million tonnes of niobium at approximately 2.5% Nb₂O₅.
Canada’s advanced-stage Niobec project in Quebec has reserves of approximately 330 million tonnes at 0.42% Nb₂O₅, while China’s Bayan Obo deposit contains more minor niobium by-products from rare earth mining.
Kameelburg, with 279.9 million tonnes and a significant niobium component embedded in a 2,450 ppm TREO-equivalent grade, ranks just behind these global leaders in total mineralised tonnage.
While the exact tonnage of contained niobium will depend on forthcoming metallurgical breakdowns, the project’s scale and inferred mineralisation suggest Namibia is now firmly in the top five nations for niobium resources.
Preliminary in-situ valuation—based solely on rare earth elements—puts the Kameelburg deposit at over US$4.1 billion, or approximately N$77.3 billion at current exchange rates.
Once the recoverable niobium content is delineated and priced separately, Namibia’s strategic value in the global niobium supply chain could increase significantly.
Niobium’s strategic importance to global industries
Niobium is a strategic metal primarily used to strengthen steel in infrastructure, automotive, shipbuilding, and pipeline projects.
It is essential for producing high-strength low-alloy (HSLA) steel and is increasingly critical in aerospace components, superalloys, and next-generation batteries. Its superconducting properties also make it vital in medical imaging (MRI), particle accelerators, and future clean energy technologies such as fusion reactors.
As demand for advanced manufacturing and electric mobility grows, so too does global reliance on secure, sustainable niobium sources.
