Mining Post Namibia

Celsius Resources Limited, which has a 95% interest in Opuwo Cobalt-Copper Project in Namibia, started trading its ordinary shares on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) owned by the London Stock Exchange on 31 Jan. The Australian company is also listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). The listing on the AIM follows an announcement Celsius Resources Ltd made in Dec. 2022. The company says the admission follows a placing by SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP for 299,375,000 ordinary shares at 0.8 pence per ordinary share, raising gross proceeds of £2.4 million before expenses. SP Angel is an independent partnership providing creative investment banking solutions to investors and growing companies. According to the company, three million of the ordinary shares will be subscribed and issued to director Jonathan Colvile, subject to Australian shareholder approval.  Celsius appointed Colvile as a non-executive director in Jan. 2022. The ordinary shares issued after the admis...

Trigon Metals has acquired more land measuring 5 614 hectares for N$1 750 000 to expand their landholding around Kombat Mine in Namibia. The company announced on 30 Jan. that the three-year definitive deal involves land covered by the exclusive prospecting licence 8529 owned by the Otjiwa Mining and Prospecting CC. Trigon will pay a cash price of N$1 750 000, and another N$250 000 will be paid in Trigon shares. The agreement is subject to customary closing conditions, including approval from the mines minister to transfer the licence from Otjiwa to Trigon Mining and the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.  "The licence surrounds Trigon’s Kombat and Gross Otavi projects in the Otavi Mountainland, a region associated with high-grade copper and silver mineralization," Trigon Minerals said. The company added that the exclusive prospecting licence 8529 is located in the Grootfontein District of the Otjozondjupa Region, between the towns of Otavi to the west and Grootfontein to t...

  Petroleum Commissioner Maggy Shino told the Invest in African Energy reception in London on Jan 26 that the Kudu gas project is ready for investments. Organised by the African Energy Chamber, the reception saw energy stakeholders from Africa making cases for investments in their countries. After Shell and TotalEnergies reported discovering oil in the Orange Basin, Namibia is currently at the centre of world attention. The companies reported a combined 835 million barrels from the Graff-1 and venus-1X wells. In her Namibia: Beyond Venus and Graff presentation, Shino said, “Kudu is the only field able to give you the solutions you need. The product is ready. It will give you a clean energy solution amid the energy transition.”  The 50-year-old Kudu Gas project has changed hands and is now operated by BW Kudu. It is believed that Kudu has about 600 billion cubic feet of natural gas reserves and could produce about 64 million cubic feet per day when it reaches its peak. “The bea...

The Namibian environment ministry has granted Osino Resources Corp a three-year environmental clearance certificate for the Twin Hills Gold Project. Osino will, however, have to relocate the historical graves within the Twin Hills project area after the mines and environment ministries recommended that any archaeological materials be reported to the National Heritage Council for review, guidance and management. The Canadian company says a process is underway to secure the necessary consent to relocate the graves to the satisfaction of Namibia's National Heritage Council. Now that Osino has received the environmental certificate, it needs to implement a 5% non-carried minority interest for local shareholders and achieve the 20% customary affirmative action quota for management. The company must also submit a strategy for adherence to the Namibian government's poverty alleviation and socio-economic upliftment strategy of especially disadvantaged population groups.  Osino still ha...

  Andrada Mining chief executive officer Anthony Viljoen says his company  contributed over N$143m to the Namibian economy and funded over N$185,000 in community projects. The Canadian company released its first sustainability report on 26 Jan., setting out policies, management approach to sustainability and performance data for 1 March 2021 to 28 Feb. 2022. The report covers Andrada's mining projects in the Erongo region - the Uis mine, Nai-Nais, B1C1 and Brandberg. Uis has tin with the potential for lithium and tantalum, while Nai-Nais has tin and lithium. B1C1 has tin and tantalum and Brandberg has tin, tungsten and copper. "Our total procurement spend for the reporting period was in excess of N$294m, of which N$143m or 49% was spent across more than 250 Namibian businesses," Viljoen says.  Andrada employs 128 Namibians at the Uis Tin Mine, while contractors employ an additional 187 people, most of who are women. The company says it offered health safety and emergency ...

Osino Resources, which owns the Twin Hills project in Namibia, will increase salaries for workers who earn N$6 000 (about US$353) and below by 8%. The gold explorer will also increase the salaries of those earning N$6 000 and above by 6,7%. Furthermore, Osino will pay N$1 200 (about US$71) in housing allowance. Osino management and the Mineworkers Union of Namibia agreed on this in October 2022. The parties also agreed to find a suitable medical aid provider to start by July 2023. The Mineworkers Union of Namibia Erongo regional coordinator George Ampweya said the agreement serves as an example to other employers regardless of industry and should encourage negotiating parties to foster conducive collective bargaining processes. Ampweya also said as a trade union, the Mineworkers Union of Namibia remained cognisant of the global economic situation. "We have a fiduciary responsibility to our members to ascertain dignified and decent working conditions, including a safe and conducive...

Canadian graphite miner Gratomic Inc. has signed a deal with Graphex Technologies to produce anode material for the EV/battery. Gratomic owns the Aukam graphite mine in southern Namibia,  the Buckingham mine in Quebec, Canada and mineral claims in Capim Grosso in Brazil. Graphex owns processing facilities in Asia and is developing a site in Warren, Michigan, USA, designed to produce 15,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) of battery anode material.  The company announced on Jan. 25 that the non-binding letter of intent entails Gratomic supplying raw materials to Graphex Technologies. On its part, Graphex would provide all the technology, plans and expertise for building and operating the plant(s). The statement says the partners intend to diligently and in good faith negotiate the terms of a joint venture, including management and ownership structures, to produce coated spherical graphite anode material for the EV/battery market.  Gratomic wishes to emphasize that the supply of gra...

The Australian green energy company Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) and Enersense Energy Namibia (EEN) agreed to work together on developing green hydrogen and green ammonia for the Daures Green Hydrogen Village project in Namibia. Fortescue Future Industries is leading the green industrial revolution, developing technology solutions for hard-to-decarbonise industries. The Daures Green Hydrogen Village is in the Daures constituency in the Erongo region. The village has been targeted for the green hydrogen project to be Africa's first net zero village. The German Federal Ministry of Research and Education and the Namibian government have funded the Daures Green Hydrogen Village project’s first phase, which consists of more than 1 MW of renewable energy and 500 kW electrolyser. When fully operational, the Daures Green Hydrogen project intends to supply a vegetable greenhouse and various agricultural research projects in partnership with the University of Namibia and the University ...

Bannerman Energy managing director and chief executive officer Brandon Munro said the company is moving on to start work designed to culminate in a targeted final investment decision on Etango-8 during the second half of this calendar year.  The final investment decision is when a company approaches potential investors to consider buying shares in a project. The Australian uranium miner reported a landmark quarter on Jan. 23 about the completion of the Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) for the 8 million tons per annum (Mtpa) development of its flagship Etango-8 Uranium Project in Namibia.  The Etango-8 DFS completed in December 2022 confirms the solid technical and economic viability of conventional open pit mining and heap leach processing deposit at 8Mtpa throughput.  According to the DFS, Etango-8 is a technically robust and highly economical mine project that warrants development. The Etango-8 development is based on an initial Ore Reserve of 59.9 Mlbs U3O8, compared...

Trigon Metals expects to restart operations at Kombat Mine open pit in the second quarter of this year after completing drilling. The Canadian company said on Jan. 23 that contractors and several new key geological personnel are already on-site. Kombat Mine stopped operating in August 2022 when Trigon said it wanted to revise its plan to reduce costs. Trigon also said work has started on sizing and picking underground equipment in preparation for the commencement of underground mining in 2024. "Analysis of the flooded shaft is underway utilizing submersible cameras. We are pleased to report the shaft is in excellent condition, and pumps are being ordered to commence drainage," the company said. A new geological team comprising project coordinator  Juandre Farmer,  mining engineer  Dag Kullman,  senior resource geologist  Augustinus Mungunda, and   senior exploration geologist  Hilaria Shatona  was announced.  Farmer is a Namibian citizen who ...

The discovery of additional pegmatites that provide about 128 million tons of ore with gross combined content of 170 kt of tin at Uis Tin Mine in Namibia makes Andrada the owner of the largest tin asset globally. Andrada owns Uis Tin Mine, Brandberg West, Nai-Nais and B1C1 in Namibia. Anthony Viljoen, the Andrada chief executive officer Anthony Viljoen revealed that his company now owns the largest tin assets globally. Viljoen's comments came when Andrada announced on Jan. 23 a new inferred mineral resource estimate of 57.18 million tons of ore. This new inferred mineral resource estimate is over 11 historically mined pegmatite bodies within a three-km radius of the existing processing plant. The company said the ore has an average grade of 0.131% tin and contains 74,857 tonnes of tin metal. Viljoen said the inferred resource that uses historical drill data significantly advances Andrada's total mineral inventory towards management's internal mineral resource target of at l...

Zambia and the DRC have agreed to develop a supply chain for electric vehicle batteries, including the construction of electric vehicle precursor plants, with the help of the US. The three countries signed an MoU during the African Leaders Summit in the US in December 2022 to reduce carbon emissions and support the Paris Agreement’s aim to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change. The US released the details of the MoU on Jan. 19. Zambia and the DRC will supply cobalt, while the US will provide support, including possible technical assistance, to facilitate the development of an integrated EV battery value chain. The DRC is the biggest cobalt producer in Africa, followed by Zambia. The Central bank of Congo said DRC mines produced 104,920 tons of cobalt by the end of November 2022, while in 2021, the mines produced about 84 442 tonnes. The US will facilitate the development of an integrated value chain for producing electric vehicle (EV) batteries in the DRC and Z...

The Vedanta board approved selling Scorpion Zinc Mining Company in Namibia and Black Mountain Mining Pty in South Africa to Hindustan Zinc Limited for US$2,981m. Vedanta has 64.92% shares in Hindustan Zinc Limited since 2003, when it acquired the company from the Indian government. Scorpion Zinc Mining Company and Black Mountain Mining Pty are held by Vedanta's other subsidiary, THL Zinc Ventures Ltd (Mauritius). The board that met on 19 Jan. in Mumbai, India, said the investment was an attractive opportunity for Hindustan Zinc to grow and increase its foothold overseas and take its brand globally.  The transaction could take up to 18 months.

Otjikoto mine produced 60 068 ounces of gold in the fourth quarter of 2022, according to the B2Gold report released on 18 Jan. 2023. B2Gold operates three gold mines in various countries, including Mali, the Philippines, Namibia, Colombia, Finland and Uzbekistan. The report says Otjikoto produced a record 30 493 ounces of gold in Dec. 2022. Otjikoto Mine produced 161 614 ounces of gold, slightly below the revised guidance range of 165 000 to 175 000 ounces for 2022. B2Gold says Otjikoto's quarterly gold production was slightly lower than anticipated because of the delayed ramp-up of ore production from the Wolfshag underground mine. "Wolfshag underground ore production rates are at expected levels, open pit high-grade ore stockpile balances are well buffered, and mined ore tonnage and grade continue to reconcile well with Otjikoto’s resource model," B2Gold says in the report. Otjikoto is expected to process 3.4 million tonnes of ore at an average grade of 1.87 g/t with a ...

Forget the name Afritin Mining Limited, the company became Andrada Mining Limited on 11 Jan. 2023. Afritin announced on 6 Dec. 2022 that it would ask the extraordinary general meeting to approve the name change to Andrada Mining Limited as a reflection of its expanding lithium and tantalum resources alongside its existing tin production.  The extraordinary general meeting approved the name change request on 5 Jan., leading to the request being sent to the registrar. The registrar confirmed on 10 Jan. So, what's in a name?  For Andrada Mining Limited, it means a lot of tin, lithium and tantalum. And, of course, massive expansion at its Namibian project Uis Tin Mine in the Erongo region. Andrada Mining Limited management says they believe the Uis licence could host a globally significant lithium resource. The AIM-listed company says Andrada reflects its expanding lithium and tantalum resources alongside its existing tin production.  The company says taking up the name Andra...

Golden Deeps Limited says the gravity test work done at its Abenab project in Namibia produced exceptionally high-grade vanadium with zinc, lead and copper concentrate. The Australian company owns exclusive prospecting licences 5496 and 3543 in the Otavi Mountain Land Copper District near Tsumeb town. Abenab Project's inferred mineral resource estimate is 2.80Mt @ 0.66% vanadium ore, 2.35% lead, and 0.94% zinc at a 0.2% vanadium ore cut-off.  Historically, the Abenab mine holds the world's richest and largest deposit of vanadate ore, producing 176kt of 16% vanadium oxide (V2O5), 13% zinc (Zn), and 42% lead (Pb) concentrate from the 1920s to the 1950s. In an ASX announcement on Thursday, 12 Jan., Golden Deeps said the upgrade factor is above the targeted multiple of 15x and concentrate grades similar to historical concentrate production grades. The company also said earlier Phase 1 hydrometallurgical test work demonstrated vanadium extraction rates of up to 95% and high extracti...

Northern Graphite, which owns Okandjande mine in Namibia and Bissett Creek in Ontario, is evaluating sites to construct a battery anode material plant in Quebec, Canada. The TSX Venture Exchange listed company announced on 10 Jan. that the envisaged plant that could be sited in the industrial port zone of Baie-Comeauat would hold 200 000 tons per year of battery anode material. The company said the plant would be one of the world's largest and convert graphite concentrate from its mines and other producers into anode material to supply existing and planned lithium-ion battery manufacturing plants throughout North America.  Northern Graphite also said it had agreed with Innovation et Development Manicouagan to evaluate sites for constructing a low-cost, large-scale conversion facility. The agreement gives Northern Graphite 12 months to evaluate several sites around Baie-Comeau to determine their technical and economic suitability for the proposed battery anode manufacturing plant....

Dundee Precious Metals says its Namibian mine Tsumeb smelter processed about 41,800 tons of complex concentrate during the fourth quarter.  The smelter processed about 174,100 tons of complex concentrate in 2022, below the annual guidance of 185,000 to 200,000 tons. The Canadian-based company operates in Bulgaria, Namibia, Ecuador and Serbia, where it has copper and gold mines.  The company announced its preliminary production results for the fourth quarter on 10 Jan., covering operating highlights and exploration update for Tsumeb, Ada Tepe and Chelopech in Bulgaria. According to the results, a 17-day shutdown to repair a water leak in the off-gas system and instability in the power grid impacted Tsumeb's results during the fourth quarter.  Ada Tepe produced the most in the fourth quarter at about 28,100 ounces of gold, while Chelopech produced about 45,300 ounces of gold and 7.4 million pounds of copper.  In 2022, Ada Tepe produced approximately 94,000 ounces of go...

Namibia's petroleum commissioner Maggy Shino will speak at the Invest in African Resources New Year Reception in London on 26 January 2022. Invest in African Energy Reception Event will focus on developing an oil and natural gas market in Africa to serve as the foundation of the continent’s energy industry and transition. It will provide a platform to support energy initiatives to drive economic growth and human development across Africa while uniting financiers with African stakeholders. It also seeks to create a platform for solid domestic trading and investment while reducing barriers to entry into the sector. Shino will lead discussions on opportunities for European investment across Namibia’s burgeoning energy industry and lay the foundation for robust discussions that will continue during African Energy Week in Cape Town from 16 to 20 October 2023. She is expected to help shape dialogue around the need to enhance Africa-directed capital to develop a thriving oil and gas indus...

Afritin Limited shareholders approved changing the company's name to Andrada Mining Limited. The London-listed technology metals mining company owns Uis Tin Mine in Namibia. The company announced the news in a statement dated 5 January 2023 after an extraordinary general meeting held at its headquarters in Guernsey. After approval, Afritin applied to the Registrar of Companies in Guernsey to register this name change.  The change takes effect upon receipt of confirmation from the registrar of companies.  Afritin announced in December 2022 that it would seek the shareholders' approval to change its to Andrada Mining Limited. Jose Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva is the Brazilian mineralogist and professor who first discovered petalite and spodumene, which are major lithium-bearing minerals and a precursor to the identification of lithium.  According to Afritin, the reason for changing its name was because the management believes that the Uis licence could host a globally signi...

The lithium story in Namibia became prominent when Xinfeng Investments, a Chinese company, courted controversy after buying a mine for N$50m from some officials. The story also picked pace when Xinfeng Investments was caught shipping vast quantities of lithium ore to China for testing. Not only was the story about the shipments, but it was also about the ownership of the exclusive prospecting licence and the farm - Kohero No 13 - between Omaruru and Uis in the Erongo region.   Before Xinfeng Investments and Farm Kohero, there was Desert Lion Energy and its plans for what could have been Namibia's biggest lithium mine. There was also the ownership confusion story of Farm Okongova, where Desert Lion Energy's exclusive prospecting licences covered. Even the shipping out of lithium concentrate started with Desert Lion Energy, which teamed up with !Huni-/Urib Investments in 2018. Thomas Mushimba and Mark Welthagen own !Huni-/Urib Investments. The companies shipped out 30 000 tons of...