GOLD
Ongwe is advancing district-scale opportunities to unlock the next generation of Namibian gold discoveries.
Ongwe Minerals – unlocking gold opportunities in Namibia By Nelendhre Moodley Can Namibia, long recognised for its mature diamond and uranium industries, emerge as a significant gold producer?
A ccording to Ongwe Minerals Co-Founder and President Carl Joone, the answer is an emphatic yes. Joone believes Namibia has the potential to emerge as a major player in the gold sector through Ongwe Minerals’ exploration strategy, which is focused on unlocking the country’s untapped mineral wealth. He argues that significant near-surface gold resources remain largely unexplored and could support substantial growth in future gold production. “Over 10 million ounces of gold have been discovered in Namibia in the past 15 years, with more than 5 million ounces involving members of the Ongwe team. Building on this track record, Ongwe is advancing district-scale opportunities to unlock the next generation of Namibian gold discoveries,” says Joone. Discussing Namibia’s gold-bearing regions, Joone explains that these are geologically much younger than many of the world’s major multimillion-ounce gold districts, including those in West Africa, Canada and Australia, which are often billions of years old. The country’s gold systems, however, typically host relatively low grades, averaging between one and 1.5 grams per tonne. “Namibia’s gold deposits offer a significant advantage: they are generally large, open-pit, multimillion-ounce deposits that are relatively straightforward and cost-effective to mine and process.” The country currently has two major, operational gold- producing mines, with a third significant project under construction and a fourth that is approaching DFS level. The first commercial- scale gold mining in Namibia officially began at the Navachab Gold Mine in December 1989. Active and upcoming primary gold operations include: • Navachab Mine: Located near Karibib, this is one of the country’s longest-running open-pit gold mines. • Otjikoto Mine: Located in the north-central region, this open-pit and underground mine is a major contributor to the country’s gold output. • Twin Hills Gold Project: Is a large-scale open-pit project currently under construction and slated to become Namibia’s third major
gold mine once operational. • Kokoseb Gold Project: a recently discovered multi-million-ounce deposit that is currently approaching a DFS stage. Ongwe Minerals Founded in 2020 with private funding, the mineral exploration company is focused on discovering and advancing significant mineral assets across Africa, with a particular emphasis on Namibia. Ongwe Minerals began as a small team of geologists united by a shared ambition to discover new gold deposits. “At the time, Namibia’s gold sector was gaining momentum, with much of that success driven by Osino Resources. I believed there was an opportunity to build on that progress. We started by securing large prospective land packages and applying a first- principles approach to exploration. Our persistence paid off when we identified several new gold systems in the country. While they have not yet been defined as resources, they were previously undiscovered systems, which marks a promising early milestone for Ongwe,” says Joone. Following the roughly C$400 million acquisition of Osino Resources by Shanjin International Gold in 2024, Ongwe Minerals approached several key members of the Osino team with a partnership proposal, viewing it as a natural fit between experienced project developers and entrepreneurial exploration geologists. “We ultimately partnered with several members of the former Osino team, including founder Heye Daun, Vice President of Exploration, Dave Underwood, and capital markets specialist, Alan Friedman. It is a compelling combination: a team with a proven track record of discovering and advancing gold projects in Namibia, paired with our privately assembled asset base and exploration portfolio,” says Joone. Ongwe Minerals listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange in February this year, with a substantial project portfolio covering
12 MODERN MINING www.modernminingmagazine.co.za | SEPTEMBER 2026
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