By: Dwight Links
Situated in the heart of the now Abenab Lodge, Abenab Mine was an economic mining jewel that had a self-sufficient installation which saw it resembling a town.
The mine was operational from 1921 to 1958, and was about 200 metres wide and almost 280 metres deep. In 1842, copper smelting was identified by a British academic, and further exploration led to the opening of the mining facility.
Abenab Mine had a police station, a magistrate to deal with disputes and crimes, living quarters both on the inside of a man-made hill and in the surrounding areas of infrastructure that was installed to move water from the natural fountains up the hill.
The mine produced vanadium – a mineral used to strengthen iron tools and instruments – lead, and zinc. Small bits of the resources can still be found strewn across the abandoned surface of the infrastructure near the gaping hole.
The jewel of the mine is the abandoned open pit with its labyrinth-like tunnels, which is now more of a ghostly facade for brave cave dwellers guided by the lodge operators above ground.
Below are images of the expedition of journalists who explored the mining history of Namibia.
Guided by the lodge’s guides, Lucky Joseph and Cleopas Hamunyera, the group could only explore certain sections of the mine and its previously flooded tunnels, caused by water from the aquifer which had seeped through and affected the first two sections of the mine.
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