By:Hertha Ekandjo
Rössing Uranium this week donated N$50,000 to small-scale miners working under the Emerging Mining Association of Namibia (EMAN), to attend an international mining conference slated for 22-23 November 2023 in Luanda, Angola.
The 2nd edition of the Angola Mining Conference & Exhibition (AMC 2023) aims to bring together mining investors from all over the world amd attract partners and investments to the national mining industry.
Speaking at the donation ceremony, Rössing Uranium’s Managing Director Johan Coetzee, said the company has a long-standing relationship with the small-scale miners, with different forms of support given in the past.
“Our most recent contribution was last year when we donated two boreholes to the Ûiba-Ôas Co-operative to provide them with a reliable water supply. We are pleased to again make a positive contribution to the small-scale miners through this sponsorship, for the team to attend the conference. It is our wish that the team will come back with knowledge they will use in their businesses,” he said.
Coetzee expressed that as a responsible corporate citizen, they recognise the importance of supporting their partners, especially that being the reason why Rössing decided to support the delegation to attend the conference and be better equipped to support their members in contributing to the overall success of mining in Namibia.
The team of 20 small scale miners also received bush hats for their trip.
Meanwhile, the Emerging Mining Association of Namibia’s founder, Tekla Mutero says she joined small scale mining as an entrepreneur at an early age of 21, adding that it was not easy working as a small-scale miner.
“At the time when I started small scale mining there was no professionalism, but it was just the beginning of getting experience, knowledge and skills. It was so difficult, most of the small-scale miners were operating illegally because they had no idea on how they could apply for mining licences,” she said.
She said there was a gap between the Ministry of Mines and Energy and established mining company, a gap that hindered small-scale farmers from being empowered and which subsequently led to the formation of the Small-Miners Association to fill the gab.
“We got a good opportunity from the government of Angola that is hosting an international conference, where over 50 countries will be attending, so I thought about us who are neighbours to Angola. This made me approach Rössing Uranium for help, which was not easy,” she explained.
The AMC 2023 is organised by the Ministry of Mineral Resources and Petroleum in association with AME Trade Ltd. The inaugural edition of the event in 2019 was opened by Angolan President Manuel Goncalves Lourenco. The event was held under the theme “Enhancing the National Mining Sector Potential through Investment and Diversification” and saw the participation of 600 participants, 80 speakers, and more than 350 delegates from 25 countries, including Government officials, industry stakeholders, and key decision-makers in the mining industry.
The main theme of AMC 2023 will be “Developing Angola’s mineral resource potential to supply critical minerals for a global clean energy transition”. The country has a diverse portfolio of mineral resources and is ideally positioned to benefit from the production of critical minerals. In the next half-decade.
Angola is planning to start the production of neodymium and praseodymium, which are used in the manufacturing of batteries for electric cars, as well as copper and niobium. Angola possesses 36 of the 51 most critical minerals in the world, including chromium, cobalt, graphite, lead, lithium, and nickel.
AMC 2023 is the ultimate international event for attracting foreign investment and promoting the vision of the Angolan Government in the mining sector and the wider economy. The event is a dedicated platform for Angola’s mining industry to attract exploration partners, promote projects across the mineral supply chain, and present the government’s new investment priorities. It includes an insightful conference, workshops, a packed social programme, and co-located trade event.
