ESG

Namibia suspends mining operations due to COVID-19

Measures follow same timeline as South Africa announement

Staff reporter
Namibia has suspended mining operations until April 16

Namibia has suspended mining operations until April 16

Namibia's mining sector is centred around uranium, with the Rossing and Husab mines accounting for more than 10% of global supply.

China-backed Rossing Uranium, previously controlled by Rio Tinto, said it would stop normal operations on Saturday "and enter a period of minimal mining operations", with critical maintenance work to continue.

Other assets of significance include B2Gold's Otjikoto mine, which produced 177,966 ounces of gold in 2019.

Namibia declared a state of emergency on March 17 and implemented a 30-day worldwide travel ban. Most people are now working from home. The country has yet to record any COVID-19-related deaths.

Namibia's measures follow the same timeline as those of its southern neighbour South Africa, which shut down its mining sector for three weeks as of midnight on March 26.

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the mining sector, brought to you by the Mining Journal Intelligence team.

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the mining sector, brought to you by the Mining Journal Intelligence team.

editions

ESG Mining Company Index: Benchmarking the Future of Sustainable Mining

The ESG Mining Company Index report provides an in-depth evaluation of ESG performance of 61 of the world's largest mining companies. Using a robust framework, it assesses each company across 9 meticulously weighted indicators within 6 essential pillars.

editions

Mining Journal Intelligence Global Leadership Report 2024: Net Zero

Gain insights into decarbonisation trends and strategies from interviews with 20+ top mining executives and experts plus an industrywide survey.

editions

Mining Journal Intelligence Project Pipeline Handbook 2024

View our 50 top mining projects, handpicked using a unique, objective selection process from a database of 450+ global assets.

editions

Mining Journal Intelligence Investor Sentiment Report 2024

Survey revealing the plans, priorities, and preferences of 120+ mining investors and their expectations for the sector in 2024.