Andrada signs tin supply agreement with mine
Minister of environment and tourism Indileni Daniel and Kunene governor Vipuakuje Muharukua met community leaders at Khorixas on Monday in a bid to resolve the dispute over the reopening of Goantagab Mine in the Sorris Sorris Conservancy.
The meeting, which was also attended by executive director of environment Sikongo Haihambo, chief Zacharias Seibeb of the Dâure Daman Traditional Authority and his councillors, as well as acting chief Christofine Claasen of the #Aodaman Traditional Authority, was, however, closed to the media.
Tourism operator Ultimate Safaris has been strongly opposing the mine’s reopening, which managing director Tristan Cowley believes will drive away the black rhino in the area.
Meanwhile, Andrada Mining Limited, a critical minerals producer with mining and exploration assets in Namibia, has signed a supply agreement for tin ore from Goantagab for its processing facility at Uis.
This was confirmed by Andrada chief executive Anthony Viljoen from London.
“The relatively high historic tin grades position this Goantagab deposit as a potential source of high-margin feedstock that is expected to materially enhance throughput at Uis.
“We are excited about what we are doing in the Erongo region and we want to bring good value for the local community,” Viljoen says.
He says Andrada has been doing exploration work in the region, and the tin at Goantagab is of exceptional standard.
“Goantagab is a jewel of mining potential, and although our initial agreement is for five years, further work will be done as the mine develops,” Viljoen says.
LEGAL CHALLENGE
Of the legal challenge instituted against the mine by Ultimate Safaris and others, Viljoen says: “We believe co-existence is where we want to end up.”
He says the area being contested comprises more than 92 000 hectares (about 92 000 football fields), but the Goantagab Mine will only occupy a small portion of about 10ha.
“We want to find the best way to co-exist because there is enough room to participate together,” he said.
This is echoed by Timoteus Mashuna, the owner of some of the mining claims at Goantagab, who says they do not want to see the Ultimate Safaris venture closing down.
“They have also employed a number of our sisters and brothers who should retain their jobs. We cannot be fighting to create jobs and yet we allow their operations to close,” he says.
Of the agreement with Andrada, Mashuna says the proposed mining operations are expected to deliver significant socio-economic benefits to the local community and broader region.
‘MORE THAN 100 JOBS’
“The mining claims have the potential to create over 100 jobs at the start, which could result in direct employment for a significant portion of the local population supported by the surrounding conservancies.
“Beyond job creation, the development is anticipated to stimulate local economic activity and income generation, contributing meaningfully to community upliftment and regional economic growth,” Mashuna says.
Muharukua recently stressed that employment creation is one of the top priorities of Swapo’s manifesto, as articulated by president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.
“We want to create as many job opportunities for the people as possible,” he said in reaction to a petition for him to intervene in the Goantagab impasse, led by Dâure Daman Traditional Authority councillor Herman Naruseb.
According to a statement issued by Andrada, a pre-feasibility study at Goantagab Mine was completed and higher tin grade zones of up to 1.75% were identified with approximately 20 000m drilled to date.
“Mineralised zones with grab samples of over 17% tin were also identified but not drilled, indicating further upside potential,” the statement says, adding that Goantagab will supply up to 240 000 tonnes of high-grade ore per year, averaging 1.5% tin.
Andrada has also entered a management agreement with Birca Mining Namibia, the parent company of Goantagab Mining, to commission and operate the processing plant as an independent contractor.
“Once commissioned, the 100 tonne-per-hour jig plant will ensure that processing the high-grade ore from Goantagab complements production from the existing operations at Uis,” the statement says.
Goantagab operations manager David Tomas says the processing of ore at Uis will further reduce the noise footprint from mining operations at Goantagab Mine.
Cowley could not be reached for comment.
– email: matthew@namibian.com.na
