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The Chamber of Mines of Namibia welcomed the government’s decision to ban the export of unprocessed lithium and other critical minerals. The chamber stated that the decision will not have a negative impact on its members’ future plans.
The Chamber of Mines of Namibia welcomed the government’s decision to ban the export of unprocessed lithium and other critical minerals. The chamber stated that the decision will not have a negative impact on its members’ future plans.
The Chamber of Mines endorses that the intention of this directive is to ensure that Namibia does not lose out on any potential local value addition. The measures taken by the Government do not inhibit the valuable work being done by companies in Namibia that intend to establish mining operations and processing facilities. It is necessary for the government to control and regulate the export of unprocessed critical minerals to support job creation and grow the economy in line with the African Mining Vision, stated the CEO of the Chamber of Mines.
The association, however, said the requirement for an endorsement by the Cabinet on exports of ore in small quantities may unintentionally delay genuine test work being carried out by its members for purposes of critical metallurgical test work required in the design of the much-needed processing plants in Namibia. The Chamber intends to proactively engage the Minister of Mines and Energy so that exports of minerals for such purposes should not be unreasonably delayed. The Chamber will proactively engage the government to collectively identify processing and value-addition opportunities for Namibia’s critical minerals, and determine the necessary enablers to make Namibia an attractive destination for investment in value-addition opportunities. According to the announcement, Mines and Energy Minister Tom Alweendo will have discretion regarding the export of small quantities of the specified minerals.
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Namibia now joins Zimbabwe in demanding that all locally mined lithium be processed domestically. In December, Zimbabwe implemented a ban on raw lithium exports, aiming to prevent the smuggling of lithium ore and encourage local processing. Lithium is expected to be in high demand from 2025, with its value projected to reach N$13.9 billion. This has the potential to boost Namibia’s export earnings and revenue, as projected by a research firm. In a report on the Lithium Industry in Namibia, the firm notes that the revenue to the government from the local lithium sector would be the largest compared to all other commodity mining operations in Namibia.
