Image credit: Sperrgebiet Diamond Mining (Facebook)
Namdeb, a 50/50 partnership between the Namibian government and De Beers previously owned the mine and it had been looking for the new owner of the mine since 2018.
Elizabeth Bay is located on the coastline some 25km south of Lüderitz.
“We look forward to optimise the opportunity afforded by gaining ownership of the Elizabeth Bay Mine and its associated mining licences and will strive to successfully recommission operations in such a way to establish a long-term plan for both onshore and offshore mining,” the new mine owner Chris Lewis was quoted as saying by Namibia Economist.
“We strongly believe in the potential of the mine, but also know that we will only be able to create value through the efforts and support from our employees, service providers, and government stakeholders.”
Namdeb was said last year to have sold the mine for $8.23 million.
It said then that the value could increase significantly in the longer term, as it will share in the revenue earned in the sale of diamonds recovered from certain marine mining areas associated with the Elizabeth Bay Mine, and which Lewcor has indicated it will bring into production in the near-term.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
