Sharp declines in zinc, diamond and gold production pulled Namibia’s mining output lower in April 2025, the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) has reported.
Zinc concentrate production dropped by 45.2% compared to March, reversing a 33.6% increase recorded the previous month. The NSA also noted that zinc output was down 19.8% year-on-year.
Diamond production fell by 17.3% in April after a 16.5% increase in March, while gold bullion production declined by 9.8%, compared to a 6.0% rise the previous month. On an annual basis, diamond output dropped 26.4%, but gold production was 10.5% higher than in April last year.
“Monthly decreases were driven by lower production in zinc concentrate, diamonds, and gold bullion,” the NSA said.
The combined declines in these key commodities pushed the overall mining production composite index down by 11.8% month-on-month in April. This reversed the 13.4% growth recorded in March. Compared to the same month last year, the index fell by 9.0%.
Uranium was the only mineral to show growth, with production increasing by 9.7% in April, slightly higher than the 8.8% growth seen in March. Uranium output was also up 58.7% year-on-year.
The NSA pointed out that the mining sector had made a strong recovery in March, following a 17.5% contraction in February. “The March gains were supported by stronger production in zinc concentrate, diamonds, uranium, and gold bullion,” the agency said.
In March, zinc production had surged by 33.6% after a 12.0% rise in February, and was up 72.2% year-on-year.
