An engineering review of Wia Gold’s Kokoseb gold project in Namibia has identified design provisions that could allow the processing plant to expand from the definitive feasibility study basis of 5.25 million tonnes per annum to approximately 7Mtpa in the future.
The review, completed by SENET, a DRA Global Group company, estimates that incorporating the selected provisions during the initial build would cost an additional US$9.3 million, equivalent to about 2% of Kokoseb’s US$475 million DFS pre-production capital estimate.
The potential 7Mtpa plant represents an increase of about 33% over the DFS design capacity, but Wia stressed that the expansion remains conceptual and no decision has been taken to increase throughput.
The review does not change Kokoseb’s existing mine plan, Ore Reserve, production profile or development strategy announced with the DFS on 10 August 2026.
SENET was commissioned after completion of the DFS to determine which design features could be incorporated during front-end engineering to make a possible future expansion less costly and disruptive than retrofitting the plant after it enters operation.
The review identified the grinding circuit as the main constraint to higher throughput. It recommended increasing installed power for both the SAG mill and ball mill from 12MW to 15MW and slightly increasing the dimensions of both mills.
Other recommendations include larger pre-leach and tailings thickeners, greater cyclone distributor capacity, space for future expansion of the leach and carbon-in-pulp circuits, increased conveyor and pump design allowances, and provision for additional filtration and utility infrastructure.
Wia said most of the proposed changes involve equipment sizing, layout, structural provisions and infrastructure capacity rather than installing substantial additional processing equipment from the outset.
Managing director and chief executive Henk Diederichs said incorporating the provisions now would preserve the option to expand the plant later without the greater cost and disruption of modifying an operating facility.
“The engineering review has identified a number of design provisions that can be incorporated to preserve a capital-efficient pathway to expansion optionality. This allows us to retain the option to expand throughput, avoiding the greater cost and disruption of retrofitting an operating plant,” Diederichs said.
“Importantly, these expansion-enabling provisions do not alter the DFS mine plan, Ore Reserve estimate or development strategy announced in August 2026. Rather, they are intended to preserve flexibility for expansion opportunities that may be evaluated as Kokoseb advances.”
The review also found that Kokoseb’s existing DFS mine schedule could potentially supply a 7Mtpa processing plant without changing the underlying mining schedule.
Under the current 5.25Mtpa development case, mining generates excess ore, resulting in significant medium-grade stockpiles accumulating over the life of the operation.
Wia said a preliminary review indicated that this material could support the higher processing rate.
No changes to mining costs, Ore Reserves or production schedules have been considered as part of the review.
SENET has now been instructed to incorporate the selected provisions into Kokoseb’s front-end engineering work.
The project’s water and power infrastructure is also being reviewed to determine whether those services can be sized to accommodate a possible future expansion.
Wia cautioned that incorporating the provisions does not constitute a decision to increase throughput beyond 5.25Mtpa.
Any future expansion would require further engineering studies and updated economic evaluations and would remain subject to regulatory approvals, market conditions, funding and board approval.
The company has not incorporated the 7Mtpa scenario into the DFS economics and said the conceptual expansion should not be regarded as a production target or development decision.
