Cazaly Resources is awaiting the granting of licences for its Abenab North Rare Earth Elements and Base Metals Project in northern Namibia.
This step would enable the company to commence modern exploration in one of the country’s most historically rich mining regions.
Located in the Otavi Mountain Land, approximately 450 kilometres north of Windhoek, the Abenab North project spans roughly 790 square kilometres under Prospecting Licence application EPL 9852, of which Cazaly holds a 95% interest.
The licence application has reached the “notification of intention to grant” stage, signalling that Namibia’s Ministry of Mines and Energy is likely to issue approval once environmental requirements are met.
To proceed, Cazaly must first secure an Environmental Clearance Certificate (ECC), which depends on the finalisation of an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) and an Environmental Management Plan (EMP).
These processes involve community consultation and environmental safeguards, and while they can take time, they are a prerequisite for all mining and exploration activity in Namibia.
The Abenab North area is geologically significant. It sits in a province that has hosted some of Namibia’s most storied mines, including Tsumeb, Kombat, Abenab and Berg Aukas.
Historic data points to multiple carbonatite intrusions associated with rare earth mineralisation, with older drill records reporting encouraging intervals such as 45 metres grading 0.73% total rare earth oxides.
While these figures are not compliant with modern reporting standards, they provide a strong incentive for new exploration.
To date, however, Cazaly has not conducted its own drilling at Abenab North.
The company has compiled and reviewed the historical datasets, but cannot commence on-ground exploration until the licence and ECC are formally granted.
As such, no JORC-compliant resource has yet been defined.
Cazaly has positioned Abenab North as its Namibian flagship after withdrawing from the Kaoko Lithium Project earlier this year, choosing instead to focus on commodities that align with global demand for critical minerals.
Rare earth elements such as neodymium and praseodymium are essential for renewable energy technologies, electric vehicles, and electronics, giving projects like Abenab North heightened strategic importance.
The company’s Namibian presence was first established through acquisition options in 2017 and 2018, when it struck deals to secure cobalt and copper ground at Tsumkwe and Kaoko.
The Tsumkwe option, signed on 19 December 2017 with Gemco Investments, involved an upfront cost of about A$1.3 million in cash and shares, with further milestones including the issue of up to 10.5 million shares and a payment of A$1 million on a decision to mine.
In March and April 2018, Cazaly expanded this strategy with the Kaoko Kobalt Project, where terms again required share issues and exploration expenditure of around N$3 million.
However, these projects failed to deliver the expected results, and by 2025, Cazaly had written off much of the expenditure and formally exited Kaoko.
The shift has left Abenab North as the centrepiece of Cazaly’s Namibian ambitions.
The company has indicated it is already reviewing geophysical datasets and historical maps to refine drill targets. Once the licence is formally granted and environmental approvals are in place, Cazaly plans to commence fieldwork and drilling to verify and expand on past results.
The development of Abenab North would add to Namibia’s growing profile as a supplier of critical minerals and it marks a narrowing of focus on projects that offer both geological pedigree and potential to plug directly into the energy transition economy.
