STAFF WRITER
The Ministry of Environment Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) has approved an Environmental Clearance Certificate (“ECC”) for Green Metals Refining, a midstream refining business dedicated to producing low‑cost manganese chemicals for the Green Energy Transition.
The ECC provides environmental authorisation for the proposed projects which is an important step towards making the projects construction-ready and, ultimately, a Final Investment Decision (“FID”).
The company released a statement on Tuesday confirming that MEFT has approved the company’s application for an Environmental Clearance Certificate covering the planned manganese refinery and sulphuric acid plant at Farm 58 in Walvis Bay.
The approval was granted on 9 October 2026 following MEFT’s detailed review of the Environmental Impact Assessment (“EIA”) and Environmental Management Plan (“EMP”) for the projects, the statement said.
Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Green Metals Refining Ltd, commented Derk Hartman said the Environmental Clearance Certificate has significantly de-risked the projects.
“ This approval is a strong endorsement of our responsible development strategy and our commitment to Namibia’s long‑term industrialisation. We are grateful to the team of specialists who worked tirelessly to secure this outcome, and we
appreciate the constructive engagement from the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy and the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism. Their support has been instrumental in advancing both projects,” he said.
The company said securing the ECC marks a major milestone for GMR, reducing project risk and advancing their ambition to develop one of Namibia’s most important new industrial projects.
The company said the domestic production of battery‑grade manganese chemicals and sulphuric acid will strengthen regional supply chains for the Green Energy Transition while supporting Namibia’s mining, processing and industrial sectors. They added that the projects are expected to deliver long‑term national benefits including economic growth, skills development and sustainable employment opportunities.
GMR also reaffirmed its commitment to a development model built on responsible resource use, transparent community engagement, and environmental stewardship by designing operations to minimise emissions, waste and water consumption, prioritising local employment, training and supplier development and maintaining ongoing engagement with communities, regulators and interested and affected
parties (“IAPs”).
Green Metals Refining Ltd is a privately held, UK registered midstream refining company dedicated to the production of low-cost battery-grade manganese chemicals for the Green Energy Transition. The company operates through three wholly owned Namibian subsidiaries. Green Metals Refining Namibia (Pty) Ltd is developing a manganese refinery in Walvis Bay using existing feedstock supply chains and optimised logistics.
The company also acknowledged the work of the independent environmental team led by Alexandra Speiser of ASEC, as well as the support of the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB).
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