The Gorob copper-gold deposit, located approximately 85 kilometres southwest of Windhoek, near the old road to Rehoboth, could be said to be the other twin to the Hope deposit on the Windhoek highlands.
The deposit was first identified by Gold Fields Namibia (Pty) Ltd in 1974, during systematic base-metal exploration in the Khomas Highlands.
According to archival reports held by the Geological Survey of Namibia, Gold Fields discovered copper-bearing sulphides hosted in metamorphosed volcanic rocks of the Kuiseb Formation. The same geological belt produced the Matchless and Otjihase mines closer to Windhoek.
Between 1974 and 1979, Gold Fields drilled more than 60 diamond holes at Gorob, delineating a continuous sulphide zone extending over 1.5 kilometres.
The ore consisted mainly of chalcopyrite, pyrite, and pyrrhotite, typical of volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) systems formed over 500 million years ago during the Damara Orogeny.
Gold Fields’ internal reports from 1978 recorded grades ranging between 1.5% and 2.2% copper and up to 0.5 g/t gold.
By 1980, the company had prepared a small-scale mine plan and feasibility outline, proposing underground development and concentrate transport to the Tsumeb smelter.
However, falling copper prices and political uncertainty halted the project before it began production.
The licences later reverted to the state.
After Namibian independence, the Gorob area was re-licensed to local entities and eventually consolidated into Hope and Gorob Mining (Pty) Ltd.
The company’s ownership is now held by Bezant Resources PLC, which controls 70%, with the remaining 30% held by Namibian partners, according to Bezant’s 2024 project disclosure on the London Stock Exchange’s RNS platform.
Bezant operates Gorob jointly with the nearby Hope deposit, about 20 kilometres to the north.
Together, they form the Hope & Gorob Copper-Gold Project, which is one of Namibia’s most advanced undeveloped copper assets.
The licences covering the project include EPL 5796, EPL 6605, and EPL 7170, all held through Bezant’s Namibian subsidiaries — Hope and Gorob Mining (Pty) Ltd and Hope Namibia Mineral Exploration (Pty) Ltd.
Mining Licence ML 246, covering both Hope and Gorob, was granted in 2025 and is valid until 31 March 2040.
The project also holds an Environmental Clearance Certificate issued in April 2025 under Namibia’s Environmental Management Act.
This certificate permits construction and limited early works pending final approval for mine development.
In May 2024, Bezant released an updated Mineral Resource Estimate reporting a combined total of 10.2 million tonnes at 1.9% copper and 0.3 g/t gold, with 4.5 million tonnes of that contained within Gorob.
The Gorob deposit alone holds approximately 94,000 tonnes of contained copper metal.
The project’s geology mirrors that of the nearby Matchless and Otjihase mines, which lie within the same folded metamorphic sequence as the Matchless Amphibolite Belt.
The ore zones at Gorob strike northeast–southwest and dip steeply northwest, making them suitable for conventional underground mining.
Geophysical surveys conducted between 2022 and 2024 suggest the presence of additional, untested sulphide targets extending west of the main deposit.
Infrastructure advantages remain a key strength.
The site is situated near Rehoboth, within trucking distance of Windhoek, and offers access to the national grid, water resources, and skilled labour.
Feasibility studies released by Bezant Resources (2024) outline plans for a central processing plant capable of producing 8,000 to 10,000 tonnes of copper per year, which both the Hope and Gorob mines will feed.
Historical notes from Gold Fields’ field journals indicate that early trenching and drilling were supported by Nama and Baster residents from nearby Rehoboth settlements, who provided labour and transport using donkey-drawn wagons.
These communities continue to occupy land near the licence area and are expected to participate in future community consultations under Namibia’s Environmental Management Act.
As of 2025, the Hope and Gorob project remains in the advanced feasibility stage.
Environmental and social impact assessments are ongoing, alongside engineering studies aimed at determining optimal mine sequencing and tailings management.
Bezant Resources’ Executive Chairman Colin Bird, in a 2024 statement to investors, said the project represents a “viable near-term copper producer with excellent infrastructure and strong potential to expand.”
The project’s design includes provisions for solar hybrid power and dry-stack tailings, aligning with Namibia’s green industrialisation framework.
Gorob’s history spans five decades — from Gold Fields’ first drill cores in the 1970s to its revival under Bezant’s ownership.
It remains part of the same geological story that threads through Matchless, Otjihase, and Hope: a corridor of copper stretching beneath the hills south of Windhoek, marking Namibia’s earliest inland mining frontier.
