Namibia is stepping up sulphuric acid production to support surging output in uranium, copper and manganese mining, as two major industry players commit to scaling local supply. Green Metals Refining will build a new plant in Walvis Bay, and Vedanta aims to restart its dormant sulphuric acid facility at the Skorpion zinc operations.
London-based Green Metals Refining plans an investment of US$59 million for the first phase of a sulphuric acid plant in Walvis Bay. That plant is initially expected to produce 175,000 metric tons per year, with capacity rising to about 720,000 tons annually once fully expanded. It will operate in conjunction with a manganese refinery and serve uranium and copper mines domestically.
Vedanta intends to recommission a sulphuric acid plant within its Skorpion zinc operations within four to six months. The facility, idle since 2020 during care-and-maintenance status, is projected to output approximately 1,000 tons per day once restarted.
Namibia is already among the world’s leading producers of uranium, and the demands of eight ongoing critical minerals projects have strained domestic sulphuric acid availability. Previously the country has imported substantial quantities of the acid required in mineral extraction. The moves by Green Metals and Vedanta seek to reduce reliance on imports and stabilise supply chains for mining operations.
Derk Hartman, Chief Executive Officer of Green Metals Refining, observed that Namibia is a net importer of sulphuric acid, but that a growing portfolio of acid-consuming projects creates a strong case for investing in local production.
Construction of the Walvis Bay facility and the expansion by Green Metals are expected to conclude by end of 2027. The revival at Skorpion aims for earlier turnaround, within the next several months.
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