CHAMWE KAIRA
Tsodilo Resources Limited has established a Namibian subsidiary to pursue mineral exploration opportunities in the Kunene Region, targeting copper, zinc, silver and gold deposits as the company expands its activities beyond Botswana.
The Canadian-listed mineral exploration company said TSD Namibia Mineral Resources (Pty) Limited had been established in Namibia, alongside a new subsidiary in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The company said it was looking to use its existing drilling rigs, geophysical equipment and in-house exploration capabilities to explore for critical minerals and rare earth elements in other jurisdictions.
James M. Bruchs, chairman and chief executive officer of Tsodilo Resources, said the company’s projects in Botswana remained its main focus, but opportunities had emerged to expand exploration into other countries.
In Namibia, Tsodilo is concentrating on the Kunene Region in the north-west, where it is targeting areas within the Kaoko and Otavi belts of the Damara Orogen.
According to the company, these geological belts host sediment-hosted copper deposits and polymetallic mineralisation containing copper, zinc and silver.
The areas also have potential for orogenic gold deposits.
Tsodilo described Namibia as an attractive mining jurisdiction, citing its political stability, independent judiciary, transparent mineral and surface rights systems, infrastructure and fiscal framework.
The company said Namibia ranked among Africa’s top three mining jurisdictions in the Fraser Institute’s 2024 Investment Attractiveness Index, behind Morocco and Botswana.
Namibia’s mining industry is a significant contributor to foreign earnings and gross domestic product, while providing direct and indirect employment.
Tsodilo said Namibia was positioning itself as a copper exploration destination through economic diversification, mine restarts and increased exploration activity.
However, the company cautioned that its plans remained at an early stage and depended on negotiations with existing licenceholders and the relevant licensing authorities.
“While there is no certainty that we will conclude negotiations with current license holders or with the respective licensing bureaus, we are cautiously optimistic that our efforts will bear fruit in the near future,” Bruchs said.
Tsodilo has also established Tsodilo DRC S.A.R.L.U to pursue exploration opportunities in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where it is focusing on Haut-Lomami and Tshopo provinces.
In Haut-Lomami, the company is targeting potential lithium, tantalum and niobium deposits associated with pegmatites in the Kibaran Belt, which is also known for tin, tungsten and gold mineralisation.
The company said its assessment of the area was based on historical production, artisanal workings and previous exploration.
In Tshopo Province, Tsodilo is targeting gold, copper and lithium in greenfield areas along the north-eastern margin of the Congo Basin.
The company identified the gold-bearing Ngayu greenstone belt, east of Kisangani, as an area with exploration potential.
Tsodilo said the DRC’s extensive mineral resources and under-explored areas offered opportunities for its polymetallic exploration strategy.
The company said its Botswana operations remained its core focus. Through Gcwihaba Resources (Pty) Limited, it holds a 100% interest in five prospecting licences covering base metals, precious metals, platinum group metals and rare earth elements in the North-West District of Botswana.
Tsodilo Resources is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange, the OTCQB market and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
