Forty kilometres northeast of Windhoek, along the road to Gobabis, lies the Ongombo Copper-Gold Project — a historic deposit once overshadowed by its neighbours at Matchless and Otjihase, but now emerging as a significant part of Namibia’s modern copper narrative. The project is situated within the Matchless Amphibolite Belt, a well-known geological corridor that has been a hub for copper mining for over a century.
The Ongombo deposit was first mapped in the 1950s by the Geological Survey of South West Africa, which recorded small-scale artisanal pits and mineralised outcrops along a low ridge near the present-day Seeis area.
The first systematic exploration was undertaken in the 1960s and 1970s by Gold Fields Namibia (Pty) Ltd, as part of its regional copper exploration programme in the Khomas Highlands.
Drilling confirmed the presence of stratabound and vein-hosted chalcopyrite, pyrrhotite, and pyrite mineralisation, similar to that found at Otjihase.
According to Geological Survey archives, the early resource was modest, and work ceased by the early 1980s when copper prices dropped.
The area was later re-licensed under Exclusive Prospecting Licence (EPL) 5772, covering approximately 6,000 hectares northeast of Windhoek.
The Ongombo deposit is now owned by African Pioneer plc, a UK-based exploration and development company listed on the London Stock Exchange.
African Pioneer operates the project through its Namibian subsidiary, African Pioneer Namibia (Pty) Ltd, and holds a 20-year mining licence (ML 240) issued by the Namibian Ministry of Mines and Energy in June 2025. The licence is valid until March 2045.
African Pioneer’s Executive Chairman, Colin Bird, has described Ongombo as a near-term production asset with significant expansion potential.
The company holds both mining and environmental approvals, enabling early-stage planning and financing discussions for the mine.
The deposit contains both open-pit and underground resources. According to African Pioneer’s 2024 technical report, the Indicated resource stands at 5.7 million tonnes at 1.1% copper equivalent, with an additional Inferred resource of 23 million tonnes, containing copper and gold mineralisation extending along strike and at depth.
The company is assessing opportunities for synergies with nearby concessions, some of which contain historic workings and untested mineralisation.
Discussions are ongoing with neighbouring licence holders regarding potential collaboration or acquisition to enlarge Ongombo’s operational footprint.
Ongombo lies within the central section of the Matchless Amphibolite Belt, part of the Damara Orogenic system. The deposit consists of metamorphosed volcanic and sedimentary rocks that have been intruded by granitic veins. Copper occurs mainly as chalcopyrite associated with pyrrhotite and pyrite, while gold appears as fine inclusions within sulphide grains and quartz stringers.
The ore zones follow a northeast–southwest orientation, dipping steeply northwest, consistent with regional folding trends.
The mineralisation style is transitional between volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) and shear-hosted copper-gold systems, offering potential for both near-surface and deeper underground development.
The Ongombo Project benefits from its proximity to major infrastructure. It lies within trucking distance of Windhoek, Gobabis, and Walvis Bay, with access to rail, power, and water infrastructure.
The project area is also near the Otjihase and Matchless mines, allowing potential processing synergies or shared infrastructure development.
African Pioneer has engaged external mining and engineering consultants to refine mine planning and update financial models. Preferred contractors for both open-pit and underground mining have been identified, and cost databases are being developed for an initial eight-thousand-tonne-per-year copper production scenario.
With a 20-year mining licence secured and environmental clearances in place, African Pioneer has transitioned from the permitting phase to execution. The company is in advanced discussions with financiers and strategic partners for project-level funding.
Feasibility studies focus on optimising open-pit design, confirming metallurgical recovery rates, and evaluating the economic potential of underground extensions.
African Pioneer is also exploring joint development options with nearby licence holders, recognising that consolidation could create a district-scale operation east of Windhoek.
The company plans to bring Ongombo into production in phases, starting with open-pit mining followed by underground expansion.
Ongombo is situated within Namibia’s forgotten inland copper belt, where copper mining has been documented since the 19th century. Its location near Windhoek offers logistical advantages rarely found in African mining projects.
The development of Ongombo would add a new chapter to Namibia’s copper production story, linking the country’s historic central mines to its future energy-transition supply chain.
African Pioneer’s 2025 operational timeline envisions detailed design work, contractor selection, and early construction activities beginning before the end of the year, paving the way for copper production by 2026.
Ongombo’s evolution from an overlooked exploration site to a permitted mine underscores the increasing significance of Namibia’s central copper province.
This region once powered the colonial mining era and may again contribute to the nation’s industrial resurgence.
