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Namibia’s Ministry of Mines and Energy is investigating Xinfeng Investments (Pty) Ltd. for alleged illegal mining in the lithium-rich Erongo region.
The ministry is accusing the company, which has an exclusive prospecting license through its joint venture with Orange River Exploration and Mining CC, of exceeding the scope of its permit by conducting unauthorized extraction of lithium, the department said in a statement Wednesday.
An unannounced inspection on Nov. 16 found mining activities at the site near Uis, which was licensed only for exploration and not full-scale mining.
Xinfeng’s management admitted during meetings with the ministry in early December that the mining operations exceeded the approved scope of the license, according to the department.
The alleged activities, which reportedly include damaging the environment and disturbing ancestral graves, have raised concerns among local communities. In response, the ministry ordered an immediate halt to all mining operations and referred the case to the police for investigation.
Namibia has Africa’s biggest resource of lithium — key for making batteries that power mobile phones and electric vehicles — after Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali and Zimbabwe, US Geological Survey data show.
Spurred by a flurry of investment from Chinese companies, mines across Africa are forecast to increase production of lithium raw materials, more than 30-fold from 2022’s volume by 2027, according to S&P Global Commodity Insights.
(By Kaula Nhongo)
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