Botswana has opened five new base metal mines over the past five years to boost critical mineral production in response to increasing global demand driven by the energy transition, according to Minister of Mining Bogolo Kenewendo.
Speaking in Cape Town, Kenewendo said Botswana experienced a decade-long halt in base metal production due to mine closures. As such, the launch of the new mines aims to revitalize the sector and bolster revenue generation for the country.
With limited access to affordable financing ranking as the biggest challenges for Africa’s downstream sector, she said Botswana is now exploring innovative measures to attract investment for value-addition projects linked to the new mines.
“We are developing a downstream expansion strategy aligned with global market trends and critical mineral demand,” Kenewendo stated. “The next step is identifying investment partners to support value-addition projects, especially as we have issued new prospecting licenses and companies like Giyani establishing new manganese production assets.”
She added that Botswana is actively promoting lower-cost financing options to support value-addition initiatives.
“We plan to develop new power projects to meet the energy demands of downstream industries, ensuring their resilience and contribution to economic diversification that benefits local communities,” she stated.
