Construction early works at Bannermans Etango Uranium Project are moving rapidly, with the critical 24-month bulk earthworks contract now approximately 92% complete. Bannerman Energy Managing Director and Chief Executive Gavin Chamberlain, confirmed today that activities are tracking squarely on budget and schedule.
Chamberlain said that Earthworks are currently concentrated on defining the heap leach pad, wet plant terraces, and process solution ponds, making the overall physical footprint of the future mine increasingly visible on site.
“Of particular note is that the 24- month bulk earthworks contract is now more than 90% complete, a substantial achievement and a key investment in derisking the critical path for full-scale construction of the Etango Project,” he said.
Beyond earthworks, Chamberlain said that the project has advanced several key engineering and utility workstreams namely, approximately 60% of the Phase 1 and 2A concrete packages have been cast. Other notable progress includes the primary crusher foundations and a fine ore silo that now towers 36 meters above the ground.
Bannerman formally executed a definitive permanent water supply agreement with NamWater in early June. Concurrently, the installation of the permanent water supply pipeline by AN Construction is 87% complete.
A power supply agreement has been finalized with NamPower, with the EPCM consultant selection expected in Q3 2026. Meanwhile, design work for the acid storage and handling facility at the Walvis Bay port stands at 69% completion.
He further explained that the project’s development is heavily reliant on domestic capacity. The on-site contractor workforce has grown to exceed 560 personnel across four local Namibian firms: Tulela Mining & Construction, K Neumayer Civil Contractors, AN Construction, and various local small-and-medium enterprises (SMEs). He emphasized that utilizing local SME contractors for non-critical works, such as the construction of the Etango gatehouse, fulfills the company’s commitment to maximizing Namibian content.
“We are delighted to have selected early works, including the Etango gate house construction, being undertaken by local Namibian-owned SME contractors – creating opportunities for smaller local businesses to contribute to the development of Etango. Our support to local SMEs furthers our commitment to maximise Namibian content at the Etango mine, evident to date from the fact that all contractors on site currently are proud Namibian businesses,” he said.
Located in the Erongo Region, the flagship Etango-8 development is slated to produce an average of 3.5 million pounds of uranium oxide annually over a 15-year mine life.
