Natural resources of Namibia
Oil, gas, minerals, forests and water in Namibia: what it produces, how it ranks in the world, who mines it and what it earns. Every figure is from an official source and is updated when the source is.
Resource rents, share of GDP (2021)
4.0 %
Resources, share of goods exports (2025)
70.3 %
Forest, share of land (2024)
9.8 %
Source: World Bank; UN Comtrade; U.S. Energy Information Administration. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Mining and minerals
The U.S. Geological Survey records 27 mineral commodities with published production in Namibia between 2018 and 2022, from metals and gemstones to industrial minerals and fuels. The table includes processed products such as cement and steel, which USGS reports alongside raw minerals.
Showing 27 of 27
| Copper, mine, concentrates, Cu content | Metals | Not published | Not published | 180 | 110 | 90 | 200 | 2018: --; 2019: e; 2020: e; 2021: r, e; 2022: e |
| Copper, smelter, primary, blister | Metals | Not published | 48,970 | 45,953 | 46,792 | 42,010 | 37,285 | Not published |
| Leaching, electrowon | Metals | Not published | 15,177 | 14,940 | 15,741 | 950 | Not published | 2022: -- |
| Gold, mine, Au content | Metals | kilograms | 6,171 | 6,526 | 6,254 | 7,647 | 7,438 | 2021: r |
| Lead, mine, including lead-zinc concentrates, gross weight | Metals | Not published | 14,068 | 13,783 | 17,786 | 19,989 | 18,362 | Not published |
| Lead, mine, including lead-zinc concentrates, pb content | Metals | Not published | 8,200 | 7,000 | 9,100 | 10,200 | 9,300 | Not published |
| Manganese, mine, concentrate, gross weight | Metals | Not published | 65,800 | 91,800 | 106,000 | 88,000 | 66,000 | 2021: r |
| Manganese, mine, concentrate, mn content | Metals | Not published | 23,045 | 32,145 | 37,072 | 30,832 | 23,269 | 2021: r |
| Silver, mine, Ag content | Metals | kilograms | 4,666 | 5,598 | 6,998 | 4,070 | 5,048 | 2019: r; 2020: r; 2021: r |
| Tantalum, mineral concentrate, tantalite, gross weight | Metals | kilograms | 1,232 | 1,850 | Not published | Not published | 1,044 | 2020: --; 2021: -- |
| Tantalum, mineral concentrate, tantalite, ta content | Metals | kilograms | 330 | 500 | Not published | Not published | 280 | 2020: --; 2021: -- |
| Tin, mine, concentrate, Sn content | Metals | Not published | Not published | 10 | 312 | 472 | 515 | 2018: --; 2021: r |
| Zinc, mine, ore and concentrate, Zn content | Metals | Not published | 118,435 | 117,002 | 62,333 | 41,176 | 40,518 | 2021: r |
| Zinc, smelter, primary | Metals | Not published | 67,122 | 64,985 | 16,206 | Not published | Not published | 2021: --; 2022: -- |
| Cement, hydraulic | Industrial Minerals | thousand metric tons | 930 | 1,000 | 901 | 970 | 900 | Not published |
| Diamond, gem | Industrial Minerals | thousand carats | 2,397 | 2,018 | 1,550 | 1,763 | 2,054 | 2021: r |
| Fluorspar, acid grade, 97% CaF | Industrial Minerals | Not published | 11 | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published | 2019: --; 2020: --; 2021: --; 2022: -- |
| Graphite, crystalline flake | Industrial Minerals | Not published | 3,456 | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published | 2019: --; 2020: --; 2021: --; 2022: -- |
| Lithium, lepidolite | Industrial Minerals | Not published | 30,000 | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published | 2019: --; 2020: --; 2021: --; 2022: -- |
| Salt | Industrial Minerals | Not published | 1,221,803 | 1,041,407 | 987,872 | 1,082,540 | 1,073,378 | 2021: r |
| Aggregates, for cement | Industrial Minerals | Not published | 13,035 | 12,530 | 40,544 | 75,718 | Not published | 2022: -- |
| Granite | Industrial Minerals | Not published | 7,597 | 12,363 | 4,123 | 4,773 | 6,310 | 2021: r |
| Marble | Industrial Minerals | Not published | 59,442 | 61,417 | 52,657 | 84,751 | 76,511 | 2021: r |
| Limestone | Industrial Minerals | Not published | 775,324 | 1,135,579 | 3,123,544 | 1,003,001 | 1,482,054 | 2021: r |
| Sulfur, compounds, sulfuric acid, gross weight | Industrial Minerals | Not published | 240,404 | 223,007 | 249,235 | 201,483 | 198,386 | 2021: r |
| Sulfur, compounds, sulfuric acid, s content | Industrial Minerals | Not published | 78,588 | 72,900 | 81,475 | 65,865 | 64,852 | 2021: r |
| Uranium, mine, uranium oxide, U content | Mineral Fuels And Related Materials | Not published | 5,525 | 5,476 | 5,413 | 5,753 | 5,613 | 2021: r |
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Minerals Yearbook, country tables. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Showing 50 of 50
| Cement | Ohorongo Cement (Pty) Ltd. (Ohorongo) (Schwenk Zement KG, 60%; Industrial Development Corp., 20%; Development Bank of Namibia, 11.72%; Development Bank of South Africa, 7.3%) | Cement plant, near Otavi, Otjozondjupa Region | 1,000,000 | Not published |
| Cement | Whale Rock Cement (Pty) Ltd. | Otjiwarongo cement plant, Otjozondjupa Region | 1,200,000 | Not published |
| Copper concentrates | Bonohgroup Holding Ltd. | Central operations, includes the Otjihase Mine and concentrator, about 18 kilometers northeast of Windhoek (Khomas Region); and the Matchless Mine, 30 kilometers southwest of the Otjihase Mine | 8,000 | Not published |
| Copper concentrates | Bonohgroup Holding Ltd. | Northern operations, includes the Tschudi and the Tsumeb West Mines, the Tsumeb concentrator, Oshikoto Region | 17,000 | Not published |
| Copper concentrates | Trigon Mining (Namibia) (Pty) Ltd. [Trigon Metals Inc., 80%; Epangelo Mining Co. (Pty) Ltd., 10%; Havana Investments LLC., 10%] | Kombat Mine in the Otavi Mountains Otjozondjupa Region | 4,000 | Not published |
| Metal, blister copper | Dundee Precious Metals Tsumeb (Proprietary) Ltd. (Dundee Precious Metals Inc., 100%) | Smelter at Tsumeb, 430 kilometers north of Windhoek, Oshikoto Region | 60,000 | Not published |
| Diamond | De Beers Marine Namibia (Pty) Ltd. (Debmarine) [Namdeb Holdings, 100% (De Beers Group, 50%, and Government, 50%)] | Atlantic 1, offshore mine area 47 offshore Sperrgebiet | 1,400,000 | carats |
| Diamond | Namdeb Diamond Corp. (Pty) Ltd. (Namdeb) [Namdeb Holdings, 100% (De Beers Group, 50%, and Government, 50%)] | Orange River Mines, mine area 42 onshore, from the mouth of the Orange River east to Sendelingsdrif; includes the Auchas and the Daberas Mines, //Karas Region | 120,000 | carats |
| Diamond | Namdeb Diamond Corp. (Pty) Ltd. (Namdeb) [Namdeb Holdings, 100% (De Beers Group, 50%, and Government, 50%)] | Mine area 1, mine area 43, Orange River at Oranjemund to 15 kilometers northwest of Oranjemund, //Karas Region | 1,000,000 | carats |
| Diamond | Sperrgebiet Diamond Mining (Pty) Ltd. (Lewcor Group) | Elizabeth Bay Mine, mining license area 45 onshore and offshore Sperrgebiet 24 kilometers south of Luderitz | 210,000 | carats |
| Diamond | Sperrgebiet Diamond Mining (Pty) Ltd. (Lewcor Group) | Sendelingsdrif Mine, 80 kilometers from Oranjemund and 20 kilometers south of the town of Rosh Pinah, //Karas Region | 45,000 | carats |
| Diamond | Sperrgebiet Diamond Mining (Pty) Ltd. (Lewcor Group) | Red Area Complex diamond sorting plant 2, Oranjemund, //Karas Region | Not published | carats |
| Diamond | Sakawe Mining Corp. (Samicor) [Leviev Group, 76%; Longlife Mining Corp., 10%; Government, 8%; Sakawe Mining Corp. employees, 4%; Namibia Youth Service, 2%] | Offshore mines, near Luderitz Bay | 260,000 | carats |
| Diamond | Shallow marine and coastal area contractors | Mine in //Karas Region | 68,000 | carats |
| Concentrate, Au | Guinea Fowl Investments Twenty Six [QKR Corp. | Navachab Mine, 170 kilometers | 2,700 | kilograms |
| content | Ltd., 92.5%, and Epangelo Mining Co. (Pty) Ltd., 7.5%] | northwest of Windhoek, Erongo Region | Not published | Not published |
| content | B2Gold Corp., 90%, and EVI Mining (Pty) Ltd., 10% | Otjikoto Mine, 300 kilometers north of Windhoek, Otjozondjupa Region | 6,200 | Not published |
| Metal do. | Dundee Precious Metals Tsumeb (Proprietary) Ltd. (Dundee Precious Metals Inc., 100%) | Coproduct contained in blister copper produced at the Tsumeb smelter, Oshikoto Region | 400 | Not published |
| (Metric tons unless otherwise specified) | Major operating companies and | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Commodity | major equity owners | Location of main facilities** | Not published | Not published |
| Graphite | Northern Graphite Corp. | Okanjande Mine, 14 kilometers south of Otjiwarongo, Otjozondjupa Region | 30,000 | Not published |
| Iron ore | Lodestone Namibia (Pty) Ltd. | Dordabis Mine, 75 kilometers southeast of Windhoek, Khomas Region | Not published | Not published |
| Lead, Pb content of | Rosh Pinah Zinc Corp. (Pty.) Ltd. (Trevali Mining Corp. | Rosh Pinah Mine, 100 kilometers northeast of | 21,000 | Not published |
| concentrate | 90%; and Namibian Broad-Based Empowerment Groupings and an Employee Empowerment Participation Scheme, 10%) | Oranjemund, //Karas Region | Not published | Not published |
| concentrate | Namib Lead and Zinc Mining (Castlelake L.P., 90%; Namib Lead and Zinc Mine Community, 5%; NLZM Employee Benefit, Trust, 5%) | Namib Lead and Zinc Mine, about 20 kilometers from Swakopmund, Erongo Region | 3,000 | Not published |
| Lithium, Li2O content of | Lepidico Ltd, 80%, and Huni-Urib Holdings | Rubicon and Helikon mines near Karibib | 65,000 | Not published |
| concentrate | (Pty) Ltd., 20% | Erongo Region | Not published | Not published |
| Manganese | MN Holdings Ltd. (Premier African Minerals Ltd., 19%) | Otjozondu Mine, about 145 kilometers east of Okahandja near Hochfeld in the Otjozondjupa Region | 80,000 | Not published |
| Pyrite, concentrate | Bonohgroup Holding Ltd. | Otjihase Mine and concentrator, near Tsumeb, Oshikoto Region | 32,000 | Not published |
| Salt | Gecko Salt (Pty) Ltd. [Gecko Namibia (Pty) Ltd, 83%; Stewardship Investments, 5.5%; Tulongeni Family Trust, 5%; unidentified shareholders, 6.5%] | Salt pan north of Henties Bay, Erongo Region | 70,000 | Not published |
| Salt | Salt & Chemicals (Pty.) Ltd. [Walvis Bay Salt Holdings (Pty.) Ltd., 100%] | Salt pan at Walvis Bay, Erongo Region | 1,000,000 | Not published |
| Salt | Salt Company (Pty.) Ltd. | Salt pan, Swakopmund, Erongo Region | 120,000 | Not published |
| Salt | Walvis Bay Salt Refiners (Pty.) Ltd. [Walvis Bay Salt Holdings (Pty.) Ltd., 100%] | Salt refinery at Walvis Bay, Erongo Region | 650,000 | Not published |
| Concentrate, Ag | Rosh Pinah Zinc Corp. (Pty.) Ltd. (Trevali Mining Corp. | Rosh Pinah Mine, 100 kilometers northeast of | 25 | Not published |
| content | 90%, and Namibian Broad-Based Empowerment Groupings and an Employee Empowerment Participation Scheme, 10%) | Oranjemund, //Karas Region | Not published | Not published |
| Metal | Dundee Precious Metals Tsumeb (Proprietary) Ltd. (Dundee Precious Metals Inc., 100%) | Coproduct contained in blister copper produced at the Tsumeb smelter, Oshikoto Region | 25 | Not published |
| Sulfuric acid | Dundee Precious Metals Tsumeb (Proprietary) Ltd. (Dundee Precious Metals Inc., 100%) | Smelter at Tsumeb, 430 kilometers north of Windhoek, Oshikoto Region | 280,000 | Not published |
| Tin, concentrate | Uis Tin Mining Company (Pty) Ltd. (AfriTin Mining Ltd. 85%, and Small Miners of Uis, 15%) | Uis Mine, about 200 kilometers north of Walvis Bay, Erongo Region | 800 | Not published |
| Uranium, uranium | Langer Heinrich Uranium (Pty.) Ltd. [Paladin Energy | Langer Heinrich Mine, Namib Desert | 1,500 | Not published |
| oxide | Ltd., 75%, and China National Nuclear Corp. (CNNC) Overseas Uranium Holdings Ltd., 25%] | 80 kilometers east of Walvis Bay Erongo Region | Not published | Not published |
| oxide | Rössing Uranium Ltd. (China National Uranium Co. Ltd., 69%; Iranian Foreign Investment Co., 15%; Industrial Development Corp. of South Africa Ltd., 10%; Government of Namibia, 3%; other minority shareholders, 3%) | Rössing Mine, 65 kilometers northeast of Swakopmund, Erongo Region | 4,800 | Not published |
| oxide | Swakop Uranium (Pty) Ltd. (China General Nuclear Power Group, 90%, and Epangelo Mining, 10%) | Husab Mine, 45 kilometers northeast of Walvis Bay Port, Erongo Region | 5,500 | Not published |
| Wollastonite | Usakos Wollastonite Mines (Pty) Ltd | Usakos Mine, Karibib District, Erongo Region | 800 | Not published |
| (Metric tons unless otherwise specified) | Major operating companies and | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Commodity | major equity owners | Location of main facilities** | Not published | Not published |
| Concentrate, Zn | Rosh Pinah Zinc Corp. (Pty.) Ltd. (Trevali Mining Corp. | Rosh Pinah Mine, 100 kilometers northeast of | 110,000 | Not published |
| content | 90%, and Namibian Broad-Based Empowerment Groupings and an Employee Empowerment Participation Scheme, 10%) | Oranjemund, Karas Region | Not published | Not published |
| content | Namib Lead and Zinc Mining (Castlelake L.P., 90%; Namib Lead and Zinc Mine Community, 5%; NLZM Employee Benefit Trust, 5%) | Namib Lead and Zinc Mine, about 20 kilometers from Swakopmund, Erongo Region | 8,000 | Not published |
| Ore | Skorpion Zinc (Pty) Ltd. [Skorpion Mining Co. (Pty.) Ltd. (Vedanta Resources Ltd, 100%)] | Skorpion Mine, 25 kilometers north of Rosh Pinah, Karas Region | 1,500,000 | Not published |
| Metal | Skorpion Zinc (Pty) Ltd. [Namzinc (Pty.) Ltd. (Vedanta Resources Ltd, 100%)] | Namzinc solvent extraction facilities and electrowinning refinery, 25 kilometers north of Rosh Pinah, Karas Region | 150,000 | Not published |
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Minerals Yearbook 2021, Namibia. Last checked 24 October 2026.
What natural resources earn
Natural resource rents were 4% of GDP in 2021, with minerals the largest part. That ranks Namibia 41st of 54 African countries. See all 54.
View the data as a table
| Period | Minerals | Forests |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 1.9 % | 0.5 % |
| 2011 | 1.6 % | 0.5 % |
| 2012 | 1.2 % | 0.6 % |
| 2013 | 0.6 % | 0.6 % |
| 2014 | 0.9 % | 0.7 % |
| 2015 | 1.0 % | 0.9 % |
| 2016 | 1.6 % | 1.0 % |
| 2017 | 2.6 % | 0.8 % |
| 2018 | 0.8 % | 0.5 % |
| 2019 | 0.8 % | 0.6 % |
| 2020 | 1.0 % | 0.9 % |
| 2021 | 3.2 % | 0.9 % |
| 2022 | Not published | Not published |
| 2023 | Not published | Not published |
| 2024 | Not published | Not published |
| 2025 | Not published | Not published |
| 2026 | Not published | Not published |
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Forest, share of land (2024)
9.8 %
Arable land, share of land (2024)
1.0 %
Renewable fresh water per person (2022)
2,132 m³
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Method and sources
Oil, gas and coal output and coal reserves are from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Oil and gas proved reserves are the EIA figures republished by Our World in Data; oil is converted from cubic metres to barrels at the standard factor. World production, reserves and ranks are from the U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Commodity Summaries, ranked among the countries USGS names. The full list of commodities and the companies that mine them are from the USGS Minerals Yearbook country tables, which run a few years behind. Rents, land and water are from the World Bank, and export shares from UN Comtrade. Nothing is estimated by us. Figures last checked on 24 October 2026.
USGS country page for Namibia. EIA international energy data. World Bank resource rents.
Frequently asked questions
What natural resources does Namibia have?
Namibia's main natural resources are copper, leaching and gold. Gold, diamonds and precious metals made up 29.7% of its goods exports in 2025, and all resources together 70.3%. The World Bank puts natural resource rents at 4% of GDP in 2021, mostly from minerals. The U.S. Geological Survey also records production of lead, manganese, silver, tantalum, tin and zinc, among 12 mineral commodities.
Does Namibia produce oil?
The U.S. Energy Information Administration records no meaningful crude oil production for Namibia in 2025.
What is Namibia's most valuable natural resource?
By export earnings, gold, diamonds and precious metals: 29.7% of goods exports in 2025, according to UN Comtrade.
How much do natural resources contribute to Namibia's economy?
Natural resource rents, the value of resources extracted minus the cost of extracting them, were 4% of GDP in 2021. That ranks Namibia 41st of 54 African countries.
Which companies mine in Namibia?
The U.S. Geological Survey's 2021 list of Namibia's mineral industry names 35 operating companies, including Ohorongo Cement, Whale Rock Cement, Bonohgroup Holding Ltd., Trigon Mining and Dundee Precious Metals Tsumeb. The full list is on this page.