Aldoro Resources has expanded the Mineral Resource at its Kameelburg Rare Earth Element-Strontium-Niobium Project in central Namibia to 804.5 million tonnes, establishing what the company says is one of the world’s largest undeveloped rare earth projects and positioning it among the largest known inventories of neodymium and praseodymium (NdPr), the critical rare earth elements used in permanent magnets.
The updated independent JORC (2012) Mineral Resource Estimate, announced on 4 August, represents a 35% increase from the 597.1 million tonnes reported in May this year and follows the completion of the company’s Phase 1 and Phase 2 diamond drilling campaigns comprising 39 drill holes for 16,904 metres. The project is owned 85% by Aldoro Resources.
The revised estimate reports a total resource of 804.5 million tonnes grading 2.90% TREO equivalent, comprising 1.17% total rare earth oxides (TREO), 0.19% niobium pentoxide, 191 parts per million molybdenum and 0.17% neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr). It also includes the project’s first Indicated Mineral Resource, with 162.1 million tonnes upgraded into the higher-confidence category, while the remaining 642.4 million tonnes are classified as Inferred.
Aldoro estimates the deposit now contains approximately 1.37 million tonnes of NdPr oxide, exceeding the published contained NdPr inventories of Lynas Rare Earths’ Mt Weld deposit in Australia and MP Materials’ Mountain Pass operation in the United States on a contained oxide basis. The company said the comparison highlights Kameelburg’s emergence as a globally significant rare earth development project outside China.
The company also reported a higher-grade subset of 414.8 million tonnes grading 3.32% TREO equivalent, which it believes could support future open-pit mining of higher-grade material, subject to mining studies.
In addition to rare earth elements, Kameelburg hosts what Aldoro describes as the world’s largest strontium resource, estimated at 802.1 million tonnes grading 2.11% strontium, together with significant niobium mineralisation. Metallurgical test work has already demonstrated approximately 72% rare earth recovery, 99% strontium extraction and 62.4% niobium recovery, giving the project exposure to multiple critical mineral markets.
Chairwoman Quinn Li said the updated Mineral Resource represented a defining milestone in the company’s transition from explorer to developer.
“The updated Mineral Resource Estimate confirms Kameelburg as one of the world’s largest undeveloped rare earth projects, while the delivery of our maiden Indicated Mineral Resource marks the beginning of the next stage of value creation as we systematically advance the project towards development,” she said.
Li said the project’s unique mineralogy differentiates it from many conventional rare earth deposits because mineralisation is hosted predominantly in ancylite, together with strontianite and niobium-bearing minerals, rather than the more common monazite or bastnäsite minerals. She said preliminary metallurgical work suggests the potential for a simpler processing route using direct hydrochloric acid leaching without conventional beneficiation.
The company believes Kameelburg is well positioned to benefit from growing global demand for magnet rare earths driven by electric vehicles, wind turbines, industrial motors, defence technologies, data centres and the emerging market for humanoid robots and artificial intelligence-enabled automation. It noted that NdPr is an essential component in neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) permanent magnets, while the project’s substantial strontium inventory also provides exposure to the global ferrite magnet market, which accounts for more than 70% of permanent magnet demand by volume.
With resource definition now largely complete, Aldoro said its focus is shifting towards development. During the second half of 2026 the company plans to undertake upgraded hydrometallurgical test work in Johannesburg, complete a scoping study leading into a pre-feasibility study, commence Phase III drilling aimed at converting more Inferred Resources into the Indicated category and continue preparations for a proposed listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange to broaden access to international capital.
Located about 300 kilometres north of Windhoek and 60 kilometres southwest of Otjiwarongo, the Kameelburg Project benefits from existing infrastructure, including the sealed C33 highway, the TransNamib heavy-haul railway about 2 kilometres away, a 220-kilovolt transmission line approximately 7 kilometres from the project and the Port of Walvis Bay, about 355 kilometres to the southwest. Aldoro said these advantages could reduce future development costs as the project advances through feasibility studies.
