WINDHOEK—The Ministry of Mines and Energy in Namibia is experiencing an unprecedented increase in the number of exploration license applications, with over 1,000 new submissions reported in the past year, according to Minister Tom Alweendo. Speaking at the 2024 Mining Expo and Conference, Alweendo highlighted the substantial rise in applications received since December 2023.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the significant volume of applications is contributing to delays in the evaluation process. “Given this high volume of applications, it is no surprise that it is taking a while for us to finalize the evaluation of all the applications in a timely manner. It is not uncommon for an application to take more than a year before it is evaluated,” Alweendo explained. The Ministry also found that many licensees lacked the necessary capabilities to meet their exploration commitments.

In response to these challenges, the Ministry has revised its assessment procedures. “We have recently therefore taken a decision to only award exploration licenses to applicants that have met the minimum exploration work program, as determined by the Ministry of Mines and Energy, and have demonstrated the necessary financial and technical capabilities to execute their exploration work programs,” Alweendo added.

The Minister also addressed the current state of mining licenses, revealing that of the 162 valid licenses, only 68 are active in mining. The remainder are either on care and maintenance or have not started mining operations since the licenses were issued. This trend has prompted the Ministry to adopt stricter requirements for mining license applications, including a new policy where terms and conditions are outlined in a mining agreement negotiated between the ministry and the license holder.