Andrada Mining has created 500 direct jobs in Namibia’s Erongo Region, with the company’s operations supporting an estimated 4,000 people, according to Chief Executive Officer Anthony Viljoen.
Speaking at Junior Indaba 2026, Viljoen said the company has transformed the area around the historic Uis mine from a derelict settlement with limited economic activity into a growing mining hub.
“We have created 500 jobs, and to put that into context, the whole province is probably the size of Belgium, with only about 150,000 people. So we have become a significant employer. The dependence of that work translates to about 4,000 people. Mining is a multiplier – it does have benefits. There was nothing there before, and we have since created an entire economy around it as a result of our operations,” he said.
The London-listed miner is currently producing about 1,100 tonnes of tin annually from the Uis mine while advancing lithium and tantalum projects in the region.
Viljoen said Andrada has secured two major investment partnerships to accelerate the development of its critical minerals portfolio.
The first involves SQM, the world’s largest lithium producer, which is investing up to N$646 million (US$40 million) to earn a 50% stake in the company’s Lithium Ridge project.
“With SQM, they are investing up to US$40 million to earn a 50% stake. They have already spent US$7 million. We have completed the drilling programme at project level,” he said.
According to Viljoen, drilling at Lithium Ridge has returned lithium grades of up to 3.2% Li₂O, which he believes places the project among the most significant lithium discoveries made in Africa in recent years.
The second investment agreement involves a US billionaire family office, which is investing up to N$807.5 million (US$50 million) for a 49% stake in the Brandberg West project.
“Similarly, at Brandberg West, we have a new set of investors. It is worth noting the types of investors coming into mining now. This is a US billionaire family office, and they are investing up to US$50 million to earn 49%,” Viljoen said.
He said the growing interest from strategic investors reflects a shift in the mining sector, with investors increasingly taking a long-term view of mineral supply security.
Andrada is also seeking to leverage the polymetallic nature of its deposits, which contain tin, lithium, tantalum and potentially rubidium.
“But yes, that polymetallic nature is important. If you can extract multiple revenue streams, you either end up on the lowest quartile of the cost curve for either tin or lithium,” Viljoen said.
The company is currently installing ore-sorting technology at Uis, which is expected to significantly improve feed grades and increase production as it expands its critical minerals business.
