Namibia’s standing in the global critical minerals sector has received a significant boost following the discovery of a multi-metals deposit containing lithium, tin, tantalum, and rubidium at the Uis Project in the Erongo Region. Australian-listed Askari Metals reported that initial trenching results confirmed extensive polymetallic mineralisation across a 2.2-kilometre pegmatite trend, reinforcing the country’s growing reputation as a key supplier of minerals essential to electric vehicles, battery storage, advanced electronics, and clean energy technologies.
According to APA News and Xinhua, the discovery yielded grades of up to 8,340 parts per million (ppm) tin, 0.57% lithium oxide, 299 ppm tantalum, and 2,380 ppm rubidium. The company said the findings will guide a follow-up drilling programme scheduled for later this year. The project benefits from its proximity to the operating Uis Tin Mine and established logistics infrastructure, including access to the Port of Walvis Bay, factors that could enhance future commercial development prospects.
The discovery comes as Namibia intensifies efforts to position itself as a leading critical minerals hub amid rising global demand for resources needed for the energy transition. Namibia’s Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy recently highlighted growing investor interest in the country’s uranium, lithium, graphite, rare earth elements, copper, and other strategic minerals, while advancing a National Critical Raw Materials Strategy focused on exploration, beneficiation, and local value addition. Mining contributes about 14% of Namibia’s GDP, according to government figures.
For investors and policymakers, the latest find underscores Namibia’s emergence as one of Africa’s most attractive destinations for critical minerals investment. Analysts say the country’s combination of geological potential, political stability, and infrastructure advantages could strengthen its role in global supply chains as manufacturers seek diversified sources of strategic minerals. If further exploration confirms commercial-scale resources, the discovery could support export growth, industrial development, and Namibia’s ambitions to move beyond raw mineral exports toward higher-value processing and manufacturing activities.
