Ongombo copper project advances
The Ongombo copper mine is envisaged as a low-grade, low-tonnage operation, deliberately structured around a low-cost mining and processing model that mirrors the long-established approaches used at neighbouring operations in Namibia’s central copper belt.
The project is owned by African Pioneer Plc, which holds an 85% interest after acquiring the asset from Shali Group Holdings in 2021 under Exclusive Prospecting Licence (EPL) 5772, as part of a strategy to expand its Namibian copper portfolio.
The project's environmental clearance certification application has been submitted to the government for a record of decision.
The Environmental Clearance Certificate for the Ongombo Project referenced a previously published combined Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resource estimate of about 12.12 Mt at 1.63% CuEq. Still, the certificate, in itself, does not establish mining reserves or a production-ready classification.
Updated JORC resource estimates are provided separately by African Pioneer outside of the ECC.
Since the acquisition, African Pioneer has overseen systematic resource definition, permitting, and early-stage development planning to advance Ongombo toward production.
Geologically, the Ongombo Project is hosted within the Matchless Member of the Kuiseb Formation, a distinctive assemblage of metamorphosed mafic rocks that includes lenses of foliated amphibolite, chlorite-amphibolite schist, talc schist and metagabbro.
This mineralised package forms part of the Southern Zone of the Damara Orogen, a regionally extensive belt that reaches widths of up to five kilometres in the Otjihase area and can be traced for approximately 350 kilometres east-north-eastwards, extending from the Gorob–Hope area toward Steinhausen, north of Omitara.
The style of mineralisation at Ongombo reflects the broader characteristics of the Damara copper belt. Sulphide mineralisation occurs in elongate “shoots”, typically a few tens of metres wide but locally expanding to as much as 400 metres, and extending for several kilometres along strike.
These shoots are structurally controlled and closely associated with amphibolitic host rocks.
At least 13 copper deposits have been identified along the belt, with the largest concentrations occurring in three principal clusters: Gorob–Hope in the south, Matchless in the central area, and the northern Otjihase–Ongombo–Ongeama cluster, of which Ongombo forms an integral part.
Because the deposit is expected to be modest in both grade and tonnage, the project’s development strategy emphasises cost discipline.
Mining layouts, processing flowsheets, and infrastructure selection are being evaluated to minimise capital and operating expenditure.
Current technical studies are assessing a target production rate of approximately 40,000 tonnes per month, a scale intended to align throughput with the orebody's geological characteristics while maintaining economic resilience.
The project lies in central Namibia, within the Windhoek District of the Khomas Region, approximately 1.5 kilometres northeast of the Otjihase Mine and about 45 kilometres from Windhoek.
The property is readily accessible from the capital via the B6 national road toward Gobabis, followed by the M53 gravel road, placing it within an established mining corridor with access to existing infrastructure, services and skilled labour.
An initial 20-year Mining Licence (ML 240) covering part of EPL 5772 was granted to African Pioneer on 10 August 2022, followed by an application in September 2022 to extend the licence area to incorporate additional known mineralisation.
The mining licence has since been formalised and is valid until 23 March 2045, providing long-term tenure. An Environmental Clearance Certificate was awarded by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism in March 2025, completing one of the final statutory requirements ahead of mine development.
With the permitting phase largely complete, African Pioneer has transitioned into project development planning, engaging external mining and resource consultants to optimise the development pathway.
The company has also entered advanced discussions with potential financiers and mining contractors to support both open-pit and underground mining scenarios.
From a technical perspective, an independent JORC (2012) resource estimate completed in May 2023 reported a combined gross resource of approximately 29 million tonnes at around 1.1% copper equivalent, supporting both open-pit and underground mining potential.
Subsequent drilling and evaluation work carried out since African Pioneer’s acquisition has materially improved geological understanding of the deposit, which extends for several kilometres within the Kuiseb Formation’s amphibolite belt.
Anchored in a well-understood geological setting and supported by decades of regional mining experience, the Ongombo Copper Project represents a technically conservative development approach.
Its emphasis on low-cost design, modest throughput and geological continuity with neighbouring deposits positions it as a potential niche contributor within Namibia’s historic Damara copper belt rather than a large-scale standalone operation.
