OLD BUT
GOLD
RENEWING A GOLD LEGACY
As the country’s oldest gold mine, QKR Namibia Navachab Gold Mine has a long reputation for mining success. We speak to George Botshiwe, Managing Director, to learn more about the company’s efforts to create a modern, sustainable, and long-life gold operation Writer: Lauren Kania | Project Manager: Josh Whiteside
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QKR NAMIBIA NAVACHAB GOLD MINE AFRICA
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QKR NAMIBIA NAVACHAB GOLD MINE AFRICA
It’s been a whirlwind career and immensely fulfilling.” This excitement can only centre around one globally crucial industry – mining. As stated by George Botshiwe, Managing Director of QKR Namibia Navachab Gold Mine (Navachab), the mining sector not only boasts significant historical impacts across the world, but also continues to shape every aspect of modern life, making it not only exciting but also riveting. The Navachab Gold Mine is the country’s oldest gold mine and a key contributor to its economy since the late 1980s. Now entering its newest phase of underground expansion, the gold mine is cementing itself as the preeminent modern, sustainable, and long-life operation that creates continuous value for shareholders and the local community alike. “The mine is one of Namibia’s leading gold producers and is located
10 kilometres (km) outside of Karibib in the Erongo Region, and 180 km west of the capital, Windhoek,” details Botshiwe. “Our core business is the extraction and refining of gold, with silver produced as a valuable by-product. We conduct conventional open-pit mining with drilling, blasting, load and haul operations, surface exploration, and underground exploration projects. The mine employs over 1,600 people – predominantly Namibians – and remains committed to skills development, employee welfare, and community development and empowerment.” Each year, Navachab contributes to Namibia’s economy through payment of taxes, royalties, dividends to government, and local procurement, whilst also investing in social responsibility initiatives such as education, healthcare, and small to medium-sized enterprise (SME) development.
Can you tell us about your supply chain operations and how you champion local sourcing? Irleyn Zauana, Finance and Cost Accountant: “Our guiding principle for our procurement endeavours is ‘What we can source locally, we intentionally do!’ “In that regard, 86 percent of our procurement is sourced locally in Namibia. Being a mine with advanced processes and applying advanced technologies, we also accept that certain parts and goods cannot be sourced locally; therefore, we reach out to suppliers nationally, regionally, and internationally. At the moment, we predominantly source reagents such as cyanide from our international suppliers. Additionally, parts which may not be available in the country, such as for the new ARGO plant, are sourced from different parts of the world. “We highly encourage local sourcing and even go as far as to assist local enterprises with securing funding and enhancing capacity. Partner and supplier relationships are critical in that they ensure security of supply, operational continuity, cost competitiveness, strategic growth, innovation, and crisis resilience.”
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Botshiwe found himself ingrained in the mining industry at a young age, with his father having worked as a crane operator at a smelter and passing on his admiration for engineers who make a difference in both the company and society. After graduating with a degree in mining engineering, Botshiwe’s first job was at AngloGold Ashanti, where he quickly rose through the ranks and earned the opportunity to lead Navachab into a new era as Managing Director in 2018. “I love my career and the opportunity I have to make a difference in people’s lives. I love building things and seeing how they positively influence not just my employees but also the surrounding communities and the country at large,” he enthuses.
INNOVATION AT THE CORE Currently, the mining industry – especially in Namibia – is undergoing an exciting evolution. “There’s a lot of exploration happening with various minerals, such as gold, copper, lithium, graphite, and rare earths. Namibia is well-positioned
How do you empower your staff members and recognise the contributions they make? Elias Kahuva, HR Director: “Like any growth-focused business, we view employees as our greatest asset, the force behind our operations, and a vital competitive advantage. We invest in training and development to help employees excel in their current roles and prepare for future opportunities. Key for us is ongoing coaching and mentoring to support high performance. “We also offer both short and long-term incentives to motivate employees and reward strong business performance.” George Botshiwe, Managing Director: “It’s crucial for us to continue taking care of our people. From a safety perspective, we rolled out a number of wellness and safety initiatives and are now seeing them bring real benefits to our employees. We have experienced a massive reduction in injuries and incidents due to these initiatives. “One of the most important areas for employees is mental health and wellness. This is an area we are actively focusing on, ensuring our people are not only educated through activities and interventions on mental health and wellness but also have easy access to mental health and wellness services.” George Botshiwe, Managing Director
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QKR NAMIBIA NAVACHAB GOLD MINE AFRICA
to benefit from this current interest and boom in the natural resources sector,” insights Botshiwe. Navachab is taking advantage of this growth and continuing to differentiate itself as a mining stalwart within the industry. Its pillars of success revolve around safety, putting people first, and contributing to society for the betterment of the future. “Our niche is that we are very innovative. We are not scared to try new, innovative things that will increase efficiency, lower operating costs, and improve employee safety, production, and profitability,” he furthers. 6 | Mining Outlook Issue 16
“WE ARE NOT AFRAID TO TRY NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN GOLD PROCESSING” – GEORGE BOTSHIWE, MANAGING D I R E C T O R , Q K R N A M I B I A N A VA C H A B GOLD MINE
The company is passionate about innovation and encouraging its team members to explore new ideas. As a result of this collaborative environment, it has implemented firstin-the-world technologies that have significantly progressed operations. Regarding Navachab’s contribution
to the community and country at large, it works closely with local leaders and authorities to partner on projects, such as the construction of a medical centre in Karibib. Additionally, the company works to create employment opportunities within the surrounding regions. For example, its Golden Egg Project aims to support SMEs by providing funding, training, and mentorship. Moreover, the company is currently constructing an SME park in Usakos. “One of the biggest understated contributions we make is building local service enterprises in the mining industry – many from scratch. For example, we helped initiate and
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QKR NAMIBIA NAVACHAB GOLD MINE AFRICA
develop a drilling contractor who has now expanded across the country, providing exploration, grid control, and blast hole drilling services. We ultimately want to develop a Namibian mining services ecosystem by supporting local service providers and SMEs within the sector,” Botshiwe explains.
COMMITTED TO SUCCESS Of crucial importance for Navachab and its continued success is the company’s dedication towards investing in innovative processing technologies. “We are not afraid to try new technologies in gold processing,” affirms Botshiwe. “10 years ago, we became the first mine to implement dense medium separation (DMS) technology in commercial scale gold processing, where we concentrate low-grade mineral ore material into a high-grade concentrate then treat it through our 8 | Mining Outlook Issue 16
“OUR NICHE IS THAT WE ARE VERY INNOVATIVE. WE ARE NOT SCARED TO TRY NEW THINGS THAT WILL OPTIMISE EFFICIENCY, EMPLOYEE SAFETY, PRODUCTION, PROFITABILITY, AND COSTS” – G E O R G E B O T S H I W E , M A N A G I N G D I R E C T O R , Q K R N A M I B I A N AVA C H A B G O L D M I N E
processing plant. Additionally, we added X-ray transmissive sorting to complement the DMS technology, which has proved very successful.” Equally, two years ago, Navachab implemented high-pressure grinding rolls (HPGRs) and a Swiss Tower Mill to grind and mill gold-bearing ore, nearly doubling the mine’s milling capacity. This advanced technology operates at a lower cost than conventional methods and requires less power and water, reflecting the mine’s commitment to sustainability. Navachab is currently working to expand and is actively exploring various technologies to further
increase its processing capacity, alongside progressing its underground project, where it is developing two portals to explore a further 2 to 2.5 million ounces (oz) of gold. “This is the most important and exciting project we are working on. We have already completed over 800 metres (m) in decline development, and we are planning to start exploration drilling by the end of the year and finish the feasibility study in Q3 2027,” Botshiwe details. To complement this project, Navachab is constructing a gravity concentrator scheduled to be
QKR NAMIBIA NAVACHAB GOLD MINE AFRICA
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commissioned by the end of 2026, which will improve recoveries by approximately five to six percent. This is in parallel to a feasibility study the company is conducting for a future plant expansion that will allow the updated facility to treat discoveries from surface and underground mining. “We are well-aligned and excited to further grow the mine based on all of the projects we are engaging in,” confirms Botshiwe.
CREATING VALUE FOR THE COMMUNITY Navachab has diligently worked to cement itself as a modern, long-life gold mining operation that adds value to both its shareholders and the local communities. One of the company’s biggest advantages is its mineral resources, which comprise nearly 5 million oz within the ground. “Our current mine plan produces approximately 2.5 million oz, meaning we have an excess of 2.5 million oz
to develop a feasible plan for. Hence, we have started feasibility studies for underground mining to expand both our operations and the life of mine,” Botshiwe outlines. Navachab has a history of converting its exploration targets into resources and eventually mineable and profitable pits, both above and underground. The company is confident it will soon be able to convert its findings and new resources into sustainable long-term mining. “What enables us to expand our operations is that we are a low-cost producer. With the gold prices where they are today, many are tempted to include expensive projects that increase all-in sustaining costs; however, our target for Navachab’s all-in sustaining costs is around USD$1,000 per oz,” details Botshiwe. As the mine continues to reach for further success, it is prioritising the development and welfare of its people and the safe running of its
mining processes, whilst also looking to increase visibility and engage with different platforms that highlight the mine’s contributions. “It is very important for us to empower our employees in terms of training and preparing the next mining leaders in Namibia, especially in underground mining and some technical skills we are currently lacking in the country. We have recruited a number of young engineers, geologists, and technicians for this purpose and want to assist them in growing to the next level and taking on the mining responsibilities of the future,” proudly concludes Botshiwe.
Tel: +264 64 552 000
info@navachab.com.na Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 9
Tel: +264 64 552 000 info@navachab.com.na
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