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Rooikoop is the region’s first ammonium nitrate emulsion (ANE) plant located outside of a mining property. The plant is strategically located approximately 25 kilometres from the Port of Walvis Bay and within a 5-kilometre radius of several quarries and mines. Because of the plant’s proximity to the port, it has the potential to lower costs associated with logistical requirements, such as import costs.
An inauguration ceremony took place at the plant on the 24th of September 2021, with the Inspector-General of the Namibian Police, lt.-General Sebastian Ndeitunga, as the guest of honour on behalf of the Minister of Safety and Security, Dr Albert Kawana. Other speakers included the Mayor of Walvis Bay Cllr. Trevino Forbes.
In the keynote address on behalf of Dr Kawana, General Ndeitunga hailed the plant as an important step forward for industrialisation and self-reliance on locally manufactured products. He urged Namibian companies to follow the example of Native Storage and Orica Limited to form ventures with international companies to manufacture and add benefit to raw materials locally.” The plant has been in the works since 2017 when it was initially conceptualized and then approved in 2019. Construction officially kick-started in February 2020. However, due to the COVID pandemic, the project quickly ran into challenges associated with the mobilization of materials, equipment, and people to start with the construction. It has been a team effort commissioning the new plant, working with the local government to understand restrictions, project teams adapting plans and working closely with Orica senior management to address different challenges
The plant uses Orica’s New Oil Inverse System for Emulsification (NOISE) which is a way of manufacturing ANE formulas. This is the first time NOISE technology has been used in Namibia.
The plant was designed with the environmental impact in mind, and the construction was able to avoid significant disturbance to the local ecosystem, and by using minimal amounts of material.
