Xinfeng mining licence case continues today
Another 26 000 metric tonnes of lithium ore will be loaded onto the Da Liang cargo ship from next Wednesday. The ore - stored at the port of Walvis Bay - will have to be loaded before the Wednesday after that, 15 November, when the ship leaves again.
The Da Liang was anchored outside Saldanha Bay in South Africa yesterday, according to vesselfinder.com.
This despite a Cabinet ban on the export of unprocessed critical minerals, specifically lithium, and President Hage Geingob's recent announcement in Europe that Namibia will no longer export unprocessed mineral resources.
According to the mines ministry, the lithium ore stored at Walvis Bay belongs to Long Fire Investments. Long Fire is the controversial Chinese miner Xinfeng Investments' partner in a lithium mine outside Uis.
According to Bryan Eiseb, acting executive director of the ministry, Long Fire has a valid permit to export 30 000 tonnes of lithium ore. The permit was issued before the ban on exports came into effect in June, he explained.
“We are working closely with other agencies to ensure that the export permit quantities and conditions are met," he told Namibia Media Holdings yesterday.
Still in limbo
Eiseb added that the mining rights to the open-pit lithium mine outside Uis have been awarded in Long Fire's name. These rights include lithium. However, he insisted that the ministry has not awarded any mineral rights to Xinfeng for the Uis mine.
Xinfeng does hold a mining licence for its other lithium mine on Farm Kohero outside Omaruru. These rights are the issue at the heart of a High Court case that continues in Windhoek today.
The matter follows mining minister Tom Alweendo's attempt to recall mining licence 243 for the mine outside Omaruru. Initially, Judge Roman Maasdorp found that the minister did not have the right to do so.
He meanwhile found that there is indeed a case for the allegation that Xinfeng committed fraud in its initial application for the mining licence. Xinfeng's rule 76(6) application is being heard today, in which the mining company's legal representative, Nambili Mhata, has requested that the ministry release documents relevant to the matter.
Permit expires
On the ore already stored at Walvis Bay, Eiseb said the ministry is aware of the cargo ship that is on its way, adding that "Long Fire will carry out its last shipment of 26 000 tonnes for plant-testing purposes. The export permit expires in December".
Xinfeng has long said that a processing plant is planned in Namibia, and that lithium ore exports to China are being tested to determine the best composition for the proposed plant.
According to Namport's work plan for the month, another 4 000 tonnes must be loaded immediately after the Da Liang's departure onto another ship, which has not yet been named.
The Da Liang was anchored outside Saldanha Bay in South Africa yesterday, according to vesselfinder.com.
This despite a Cabinet ban on the export of unprocessed critical minerals, specifically lithium, and President Hage Geingob's recent announcement in Europe that Namibia will no longer export unprocessed mineral resources.
According to the mines ministry, the lithium ore stored at Walvis Bay belongs to Long Fire Investments. Long Fire is the controversial Chinese miner Xinfeng Investments' partner in a lithium mine outside Uis.
According to Bryan Eiseb, acting executive director of the ministry, Long Fire has a valid permit to export 30 000 tonnes of lithium ore. The permit was issued before the ban on exports came into effect in June, he explained.
“We are working closely with other agencies to ensure that the export permit quantities and conditions are met," he told Namibia Media Holdings yesterday.
Still in limbo
Eiseb added that the mining rights to the open-pit lithium mine outside Uis have been awarded in Long Fire's name. These rights include lithium. However, he insisted that the ministry has not awarded any mineral rights to Xinfeng for the Uis mine.
Xinfeng does hold a mining licence for its other lithium mine on Farm Kohero outside Omaruru. These rights are the issue at the heart of a High Court case that continues in Windhoek today.
The matter follows mining minister Tom Alweendo's attempt to recall mining licence 243 for the mine outside Omaruru. Initially, Judge Roman Maasdorp found that the minister did not have the right to do so.
He meanwhile found that there is indeed a case for the allegation that Xinfeng committed fraud in its initial application for the mining licence. Xinfeng's rule 76(6) application is being heard today, in which the mining company's legal representative, Nambili Mhata, has requested that the ministry release documents relevant to the matter.
Permit expires
On the ore already stored at Walvis Bay, Eiseb said the ministry is aware of the cargo ship that is on its way, adding that "Long Fire will carry out its last shipment of 26 000 tonnes for plant-testing purposes. The export permit expires in December".
Xinfeng has long said that a processing plant is planned in Namibia, and that lithium ore exports to China are being tested to determine the best composition for the proposed plant.
According to Namport's work plan for the month, another 4 000 tonnes must be loaded immediately after the Da Liang's departure onto another ship, which has not yet been named.
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