WINDHOEK: The 11th Mining Expo and Conference is underway and has garnered remarkable support from exhibitors, breaking all previous records.

This year, 199 exhibitors will occupy 317 booths, up from 162 exhibitors and 268 booths at the preceding show in 2023.

This represents a 22.8 per cent increase in exhibitors and an 18.3 per cent increase in booth utilisation.

During the opening ceremony in Windhoek on Wednesday, Zebra Kasete, president of the Chamber of Mines of Namibia, stated that the event has drawn a significant entourage of SADC firms, 22 in all, as well as three overseas companies.

The others are Namibian-based enterprises, he said.

Since its inception, the Mining Expo and Conference has aimed to showcase Namibia’s mining industry to stakeholders and citizens, provide information on the industry, and provide a platform for Namibians and business entities to identify business opportunities in upstream linkages.

While the mining sector is performing admirably, Kasete questioned how natural res
ources could continue to benefit citizens in ways other than taxes and royalties in a sustainable manner.

He stated that the answer rests in exploration to locate additional orebodies that could potentially become mines, as well as extending the Life of Mine for current mines.

‘Investments in exploration is what creates a pipeline of future mines, exploration is fundamental to the sustainability of mining,’ according to him.

He added that the government should not consider creating an exploration fund with taxpayer money, but rather train Namibians to seek high-risk capital from global financial capital markets.

‘The same should be true for the State-owned Epangelo Mining Company,’ Kasete said.

This might result in huge added value and benefits for citizens and the national economy as a whole. Epangelo should follow in the footsteps of a government business like Brazil’s Vale to expand the benefits of mining, he suggested.

‘I submit that this approach is low hanging fruit as compared to calls for Govern
ment free carry in mines, a policy proposal that is under discussions,’ he said.

Source : The Namibia News Agency