Namibia's World-class Mining Industry
The Chamber of Mines of Namibia represents the interests of all the major mining and exploration companies active in Namibia. With 60 members from an industry which makes up a tenth of Namibia's Gross Domestic Product and a half of its merchandise exports, the Chamber brings together a wide variety of companies from the most important sector of the Namibian economy and represents the industry in its dealings with government.
Namibia is a world-class producer of rough diamonds, uranium oxide, special high grade zinc and acid grade fluorspar as well as a major producer of gold bullion, blister copper, lead concentrate and salt.
A number of world-class companies using state-of-the-art mining technology are members of the Chamber. Rio Tinto plc and Anglo American plc, the world's second and third largest mining companies produce uranium oxide at Rössing mine and special high grade zinc at Skorpion mine and refinery respectively.
The world's number one diamond producer De Beers works with the Government of Namibia through Namdeb, a 50:50 joint venture, to produce over 1.5 million carats of the world's finest gem diamonds. Increasingly, more of Namdeb's output comes from under the sea thanks to the technical expertise of De Beers Marine Namibia. Lev Leviev operates both a diamond mining company, Samicor, as well as a diamond cutting and polishing factory LLD in Namibia.
AngloGold Ashanti produces gold bullion at Navachab mine near Karibib. Kumba Resources, majority owned by Anglo American, owns Rosh Pinah mine producing zinc and lead concentrate.Tsumeb mine, famous for its unique variety of mineral deposits, is run by a Namibian company Ongopolo Mining and Processing which produces blister copper at its smelter in Tsumeb.
Okorusu Fluorspar, owned by European chemicals, pharmaceuticals and plastics giant Solvay, is one of the world's largest producer of acid grade fluorspar.
