• Namibia’s Kameelburg rare earth deposit revised to 520M tons TREO
• Multiple projects attract Japan, EU as demand shifts from China
• Sector still faces financing, permitting hurdles before commercial mining

Namibia’s rare earth elements (REE) sector is rapidly gaining momentum, driven by new resource estimates and increased foreign interest. Australian miner Aldoro Resources announced Friday, Sept. 26, that its Kameelburg rare earth deposit now holds an estimated 520 million tons of mineral resources at a grade of 2.49 percent total rare earth oxides (TREO), an 85 percent increase over the previous estimate.

This update marks a significant step for the sector in the Southern African nation, which is seeing active development across several already-discovered deposits. These include Kameelburg and Lofdal, a project led by Canada's Namibia Critical Metals. According to a 2022 Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA), Lofdal could eventually support a mine with an annual production capacity of approximately 2,000 tons of rare earth oxides, requiring an initial investment of $207 million.

Other key projects include the Eisenberg project, being developed by Canada’s Broadmind Mining, which currently hosts 570 million tons of mineral resources at 0.9 TREO. Fellow Canadian firm E-Tech Resources is active at the Eureka exploration project, where a 2021 initial estimate indicated a potential of 310,000 tons of resources at 4.8 percent TREO.

Beyond these existing deposits, the country's momentum is reinforced by new exploration ventures, such as the Abenab North project by Australia's Cazaly Resources Ltd. These initiatives are positioning Namibia as a potential key player in Africa’s rare earth supply chain.

Strategic Metals Attract Global Partners

While Namibia does not yet have operational REE mines, its geology is rich in heavy rare earths, particularly dysprosium and terbium. These two strategic metals are critical components in magnets used in renewable energy technologies, such as wind turbines, where demand is projected to surge due to the global energy transition.

This potential has attracted foreign investment as global economic powers seek to diversify their supply chains away from China, which currently controls 60 percent of rare earth production and 90 percent of refining capacity.

Japan, a major economy dependent on China for REEs, signed an agreement in 2023 focused on rare earth exploration in Namibia. Prior to that, the Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC) had been active since 2020 through a joint venture with Namibia Critical Metals to develop the Lofdal project.

Additionally, an agreement-in-principle was announced with the European Union in 2022 to facilitate the sale of essential minerals from Namibia, including rare earths. This is a strategic initiative for the EU, whose rare earth demand is expected to quintuple by 2030.

Challenges Remain on Path to Production

This growing interest in Namibia's nascent rare earth sector offers new economic opportunities, provided the projects in development reach commercial operation.

Several steps remain before these deposits become commercially viable mines. The current resources must be converted into exploitable reserves through further studies, necessary financing must be secured, and mining permits must be finalized.

Currently, Namibia Critical Metals plans to optimize the economic parameters for Lofdal via a pre-feasibility study while continuing exploration. Exploration work is also underway at Kameelburg, where Aldoro Resources intends to launch Phase 2 of its drilling program in October.

More broadly, other African nations are further along in the rare earth development pipeline. Malawi is expecting its Kangankunde mine to become operational by 2026, while the Longonjo mine in Angola is scheduled for 2027.

Aurel Sèdjro Houenou