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Andrada Mining, a rising force in the green transition metals sector, is poised to significantly expand its footprint in Namibia. It has ambitious plans to open more mines and solidify its position as a critical minerals champion. This bullish outlook on the southern African nation is driven by its rich geology and a strategic partnership with global lithium giant SQM.
Speaking to Mining Weekly from Andrada’s Johannesburg office, CEO Anthony Viljoen expressed immense confidence in Namibia, not just as an investment destination but also for its “phenomenal geology,” particularly in the Erongo region. “We’ve always been very bullish on Namibia,” Viljoen affirmed, highlighting the company’s pride in its contributions to the country.
The London Aim and OTCQB-listed company, headquartered in Guernsey, is now strategically aligned with New York-listed Chilean exploration and mining behemoth SQM (Sociedad Química y Minera). This partnership is set to turbocharge Andrada’s lithium aspirations, particularly at its Lithium Ridge project.
“SQM is one of the biggest lithium miners globally,” Viljoen enthused, detailing an “intensive campaign” on Lithium Ridge to expand the resource and bring it into production as Andrada’s second major project. Furthermore, the company is diligently working on integrating lithium extraction into its existing Uis tin operation, with exciting announcements on that front expected soon.
SQM has committed a substantial investment of up to $40-million to advance Lithium Ridge to a definitive feasibility study level. Meanwhile, Andrada is in discussions with its current financiers to expand operations at Uis, opting for an expansion of existing infrastructure rather than a greenfield approach.
Uis: A Second Wind for Tin and By-Products
Asked about the second tin processing jig plant at Uis, Viljoen described it as a significant addition to the company’s operational footprint. Uis, once the world’s largest hard-rock opencast tin mine, boasts numerous proximal pits previously mined by Iscor. Andrada sees immense potential in re-mining these areas and leveraging the abundant tin in the region. This new production line will operate concurrently, avoiding disruption to the existing Uis plant.
The polymetallic nature of the orebody at Uis is proving to be a boon, with tantalum also performing strongly. “Tantalum’s also going very well,” Viljoen reported, confirming monthly shipments of the critical mineral. As a by-product of tin concentrate, tantalum is already contributing to the revenue stream, underscoring the diverse value of the Uis deposit.
Recent drilling results at Uis, reported in April, further underscore the scale and quality of pegmatites within a 3 km radius of the existing processing plant. Tin, lithium oxide, and tantalum intersections were highlighted, solidifying their potential as value-enhancing co-products to major tin production. These positive results follow Andrada’s securing of a $2.5-million loan in February to construct the second 100 t/h tin plant, which will process a range of tin ore grades across the Erongo region.
Lithium Ridge: Accelerating the Future of Energy
At Lithium Ridge, Andrada has identified continuous lithium, tin, and tantalum mineralisation along a 6 km strike. The collaboration with SQM is poised to significantly accelerate exploration initiatives across the approximately 3,300 hectares within the NaiNais –Kohero pegmatite belt, where spodumene is the dominant lithium mineral.
As the world accelerates its transition to green energy, Andrada Mining’s strategic expansion in Namibia positions it at the forefront of supplying critical minerals, promising an exciting future for both the company and the host nation.
