Environmental Approval Advances N$1.03 Billion Walvis Bay Industrial Project
Green Metals Refining has secured environmental clearance for a planned manganese refinery and N$1.03 billion sulphuric-acid plant at Walvis Bay, removing a key regulatory hurdle ahead of final investment approval and construction.
SOURCE SIGNAL
Green Metals Refining has secured environmental clearance for its planned manganese refinery and sulphuric-acid plant at Farm 58 in Walvis Bay.
The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism issued the Environmental Clearance Certificate on 9 October 2026 following its assessment of the Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Management Plan for the proposed facilities.
The approval removes an important regulatory hurdle and advances the projects towards construction readiness. Green Metals Refining has, however, not yet taken a final investment decision.
The company previously announced an intended investment of approximately N$1.03 billion in the sulphuric-acid plant. Initial production capacity is expected to be approximately 175,000 tonnes annually, with the potential to increase to 720,000 tonnes if the facility is fully developed.
The acid plant is intended to supply the proposed manganese refinery and other industrial customers, including mining operations involved in copper, uranium, rare-earth and fertiliser production.
COUNTRY IMPACT
The proposed facilities represent a potential expansion of Namibia’s domestic industrial-processing capacity.
Namibia currently imports sulphuric acid required by mining and other industrial users. Establishing local production could reduce reliance on imported industrial chemicals while providing a domestic input for mineral processing and future beneficiation projects.
The manganese refinery would support the production of higher-value manganese chemicals rather than relying exclusively on the export of unprocessed mineral resources.
The environmental approval materially advances both projects, but it does not establish that financing is complete or that construction has started. Their economic contribution remains dependent on a positive final investment decision, funding, construction and successful commissioning.
RELEVANCE TO SUNGATE
The planned Green Metals Refining facilities are located at Walvis Bay and have no direct operating connection to SUNGATE.
Their relevance lies in the wider industrial and logistics system connecting Namibia’s port, mining regions, Windhoek and international markets.
An operating manganese refinery and sulphuric-acid plant could create recurring requirements for imported equipment, raw materials, specialist personnel, industrial logistics, storage, distribution and supporting professional services.
SUNGATE is a 408-hectare master-planned mixed-use development adjacent to Hosea Kutako International Airport and positioned at the convergence of air, road and rail.
The environmental approval is therefore an indirect industrial-development signal. It strengthens the wider economic environment in which demand for logistics coordination, commercial services and well-connected industrial infrastructure can develop without implying that Green Metals Refining intends to locate at SUNGATE.
SOURCE
New Era, “Green Metals Refinery cleared for manganese, sulphuric acid plant,” 22 October 2026.