Shali group gears up for drilling campaign at Twyfelskupje

The Shali Group is gearing up for an ambitious drilling campaign at Twyfelskupje in the second quarter of 2024, after the discovery of a carbonatite rare earth element deposit within EPL 6691.

This was revealed by the group earlier this week.

According to executive chairman Wilhelm Shali, Twyfelskupje is strategically located near the proposed site for the green hydrogen project and adds significance to Namibia’s role in the green energy revolution.

“We are extremely excited about the Twyfelskupje deposit and are looking forward to the start of a major drilling campaign this year,” Shali said.

He said this marks a pivotal moment for Namibia’s resource sector, as the recent revelation of the deposit’s mineralisation grade, particularly neodymium and praseodymium oxide (NdPr) at an impressive 1,8%, coupled with an initial estimated resource of 850 million tonnes, is set to influence the global mining industry.

“The rarity of such high-grade NdPr deposits globally positions Namibia as a key player in the rare earth elements market, drawing the attention of international investors and mining experts,” Shali said.

The Twyfelskupje discovery is expected to create jobs and increase revenue, creating a robust synergy between natural resource utilisation and clean energy production.

“Against the backdrop of China’s dominance in the rare earth elements market, Namibia’s Twyfelskupje deposit emerges as a symbol of the nation’s ascendancy in this sector.

“The deposit plays a pivotal role in reshaping the global landscape, emphasising the strategic necessity for diversifying sources beyond China,” he said.

Shali said the group envisions opportunities for collaborative development, seamlessly blending resource extraction with sustainable energy production, setting a new standard for environmentally conscious mining practices.