Namibia’s mining sector recorded a sharp decline in August 2025, with the Mining Production Composite Index dropping by 9.4% compared to a modest 0.2% increase in July.
According to data from the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA), the index contracted by 6.3% year-on-year, mainly due to weaker performance in diamond and zinc production.
Despite gains in uranium and gold, the downturn in diamonds and zinc weighed heavily on total mining output, reflecting a mixed performance across key commodities as the sector continues to grapple with volatile global demand and production challenges.
The Diamond Production Index fell by 21.6% in August, reversing the 13.3% growth recorded in July.
“Year-on-year, diamond output dropped 10.6%, reflecting reduced production volumes from major operators,” the NSA said.
Zinc concentrate and contained production also weakened, declining by 1.8% after a strong 32% rebound in July, and posting a 27.1% annual contraction.
The NSA noted that the overall decline in the mining index was “primarily driven by lower production levels of diamonds and zinc concentrate and contained, while the production of gold bullion and uranium increased during the period under review.”
Meanwhile, gold and uranium provided some relief to the sector.
The Gold Bullion Production Index rose by 5.8% in August following a 5.1% fall in July, although it remained 2.2% lower year-on-year.
Uranium output rebounded by 10.5% month-on-month after a steep 23.6% decline in July, and registered a 3% increase compared to the same period last year.
