Graphite mining in the south of the country until 2040

The Canadian company “Gratomic Incorporated” has received approval to mine graphite in southern Namibia until the year 2040. Gratomic Inc. announced this at the end of last week. The deposits previously belonged to the Namibian company “Gazania Investments 242” with there partners NextG. The previous mining licence expired in March 2025 and was valid for only five years. In 2021, Gratomic purchased the shares in the graphite deposits on Farm Aukam, southeast of Aus, from the two companies. As a result, the mining licence ML215 was also taken over.


The managing director of Gratomic is Arno Brand, a native Namibian. Since its founding in 2014, Gratomic has, according to its own statements, focused on introducing climate-neutral, environmentally friendly and high-purity vein graphite into global supply chains for electric vehicles and energy storage. “The company is now looking for new growth opportunities and is moving forward with the commissioning of its flagship project, the Aukam graphite project in Namibia,” the company said.


In its announcement to the stock exchange in Toronto (Canada), Gratomic made it clear at the end of last week, however, that the old mine, which was active intermittently from 1940 into the 1970s, must first be revived. Nevertheless, a processing plant has been built at the site on Farm Aukam since October 2025. “The company intends to conduct a feasibility or equivalent study for the Aukam site,” it continued. “The study, its recommendations and their subsequent implementation will deliver conclusions and recommendations.”


An important ore - These are intended, at the level of a feasibility study, to enable a reliable assessment regarding the expansion of the existing processing plant in Aukam into a commercial facility that can achieve the desired concentrate grades and production rates. Apart from pencils, graphite is used in electronics and metallurgy, in the production of glass and quartz glass, and is required for mechanical and nuclear applications. With the exception of lithium, batteries for electric vehicles, smartphones and, among other things, laptops also require graphite. It is also used as a lubricant in the metal industry.


Another graphite deposit is located in Okanjande, about 20 km south of Otjiwarongo. The deposit comprises 34 million tonnes of graphite ore, which is mainly present in flake form. Mining was suspended in 2018. The current owner, Northern Graphite from Canada, intends to resume mining in the medium term in order to supply graphite to a planned battery factory in Saudi Arabia. This was reported by the magazine “African Business” last week.