Modern Mining May 2021

Positive mining outlook for Namibia

Namibia’s mining industry boasts significant opportunities and remains one of the most favourable jurisdictions in the world accord- ing to the Investment Attractiveness Index, states Cilliers Mostert, director for consult- ing engineering firm, Knight Piésold Africa’s operations in Namibia. He explains that the outlook for the country’s mining sector and the economy remains positive. “The recovery of the global economy, as well as the increase in demand for commodities, will result in an increase in the price for most commodi- ties. This bodes well for Namibia, whose economy is very much linked to commodity prices due to is footprint in mining.” Mostert adds the despite the economic constraints across the globe, Namibia’s mining sector shows great promise, par- ticularly as it remains the world’s largest producer of uranium oxide – and home to the Rossing Uranium mine, which is the fifth largest producer of uranium oxide globally. “Further, it remains a leading producer of zinc with a positive outlook also noted for

lithium and cobalt. This, and several other factors, underpin why Knight Piésold Africa remains optimistic about the value and expertise that we can bring to Namibia’s growing mining sector. The proof lies in the fact that our service offering in mining has grown significantly beyond just tailing dams to providing all-round structural and infra- structure services.” Knight Piésold Afr ica has always remained positive about its footprint in Namibia despite the economic cycles glob- ally and locally. The Namibian economy, he states, is small in comparison to its neigh- boring countries, but its positive outlook is further supported by government’s promis- ing Vision 2030 plan. Meanwhi le, Gunter Leicher, coun- try manager for Knight Piésold Africa in Namibia, adds that there are significant other opportunities which present itself across various sectors in Namibia including in the private sector and government. One of these exciting opportunities is the Harambee Prosperity Plan, which

Rosh Pinah Mine in Namibia.

is a targeted action plan to accelerate development in defined priority areas and complements the long-term Vision 2030 plan. “Apart from our mining expertise in geo- technical services; tailing dam designs and geo-hydrology; as Knight Piésold Africa, Namibia’s focus on infrastructure devel- opment enables us to further extend and expand our infrastructure expertise. This includes structural engineering; roads and railway engineering – in fact all infrastruc- ture engineering, including within the bulk and municipal space - and dam break anal- ysis,” Leicher explains. 

May 2021  MODERN MINING  9