Namibia is poised to play a greater role in the production of rare earth minerals for electric vehicle (EV) batteries.

Building on existing ties in the Southern African country, the Japan Organisation for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC) has entered into an agreement with Namibia’s state-owned Epangelo mining company to jointly explore for rare earth minerals, according to Reuters.

JOGMEC, a government administrative agency, is already involved in developing the Lofdal deposit in north-western Namibia with Canada’s Namibia Critical Metals.

The Lofdal deposit is rich in yttrium, which is used in alloys, and has potential for significant production of dysprosium and terbium, two of the most valuable heavy rare earth elements, used in permanent magnets in the batteries of EVs and in wind turbines.

15 August 2023
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