The Namibian government has implemented a more stringent approach to the issuance of permits, as less than half of the mining ventures it has granted are currently operational.
Only 68 of the 162 licenses that the country of southern Africa issued are currently in use, according to mines and energy minister Tom Alweendo's remarks at a conference in Windhoek, according to Bloomberg.
He said several permits were granted to applicants who do not possess the requisite capabilities to complete their exploration obligations.
The minister said that the government will now give permits to organisations that meet the minimal work programme standards and demonstrate acceptable financial and technical skills.
“We have become more stringent when considering mining licence applications,” he said.
“Henceforth, the terms and conditions of all new mining licences shall be captured in a Mining Agreement that shall be negotiated between the Ministry and the holder of the licence."
Namibia is the world’s third-largest uranium producer and is home to deposits of lithium and diamonds, as well as rare earth minerals such as dysprosium and terbium, used in magnets and wind turbines.
The country received over 600 new applications for exploration licences as of December 2023, with an additional 400 submitted in 2024, said Alweendo.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
