is culturally distinct and close-knit, with Nama and Afrikaans as their primary home languages. Due to the region’s small population and remote location, it has historically received limited government attention and investment. As a result, opportunities in employment, education, healthcare, and other essential services are scarce. “If we successfully implement our planned operations, the project has the potential to create a substantial number of jobs across all skill levels — from highly skilled and semi-skilled roles to entry-level positions. For example, in diamond mining, one of the processes involves manually sweeping exposed bedrock to recover diamonds lodged in rock fissures. This type of work provides accessible employment opportunities while forming an important part of the overall mining operation.” Strengthening the management team In tandem with investing in bringing the project into production, Kazera has been strengthening its management team. “We are in the process of appointing two people in South Africa to provide additional levels of expertise and input and looking at other appointments in the UK. As we grow from being a small company with a relatively small turnover into a big company, delivering roughly 20 or 30 times our current production and a company generating substantial revenue, it is imperative that we invest in infrastructure and manpower to align accordingly,” Edmonds concludes. n
2A and Walviskop tenement.
Whale Head Minerals HMS Pilot Plant.
(DBM), with the aim of achieving record recoveries. Recent processing has yielded 45 carats from just 100 tonnes— triple the expected rate. The operation employs advanced technology, including pulsating jigs and Flowsort, to target high- concentration gravel zones, with mining now focused on promising inland blocks. Edmonds explains that the diamonds recovered have often been naturally polished by river sands during their journey to the ocean. While most stones are small, larger diamonds are occasionally discovered. “As we mine heavy mineral sands, we often encounter diamonds in the same areas,” Edmonds notes. “This does not necessarily mean that all heavy mineral sand deposits contain diamonds, or that all diamond-bearing areas contain heavy mineral sands—but it does often occur.” Local investment Kazeera’s projects are in Alexander Bay in the Northern Cape - an area that is home to a small and highly isolated community of approximately 10 000 residents from the Richtersveld region. This community
sources gives us flexibility in off-take arrangements,” Edmonds adds. A key operational challenge remains the project’s distance—approximately 800 km from Cape Town. To mitigate high transport costs, Kazera plans to focus on shipping higher-purity product rather than bulk material, enhancing efficiency and commercial value. The good news, says Edmonds, is that government has plans in place to develop the Boegoebaai port. The Boegoebaai Port Development is a major R122.9 billion greenfield project in South Africa’s Northern Cape, located 20 km from the Namibian border, designed as a deep- water port, green hydrogen hub, and manganese export channel. Led by Transnet, the project aims to drive regional economic growth and industrialisation. The project is aiming for operationalisation by the end of the decade. Unlocking opportunities from diamonds Plans are underway to maximise the potential of Kazeera Global’s diamond operations at Deep Blue Minerals
Kazera The Whale Head Minerals (WHM) heavy mineral sands (HMS) project, located in Alexander Bay, South Africa, primarily produces garnet and ilmenite. The operation also contains, or has the potential to produce, zircon and rutile. The project targets high-grade titanium dioxide feedstock (around 32% content) and, in conjunction with associated operations, also produces diamonds. Approximately 86%–90% of ilmenite is used in the manufacturing of pigments for paints, coatings, plastics, and paper. Strong demand from construction and automotive sectors typically boosts prices, while weak economic activity reduces demand and lowers prices.
May 2026 | www.modernminingmagazine.co.za MODERN MINING 15
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