New development on Namibia tantalum market
----Interview with Larry Johnson
CEO
Kazera Global
- Kazera Global is an investment company focused on opportunities principally, but not exclusively in the resources and energy sectors. The Company’s first investment is in African Tantalum, a Namibian based operation in the southern region of Namibia with current tantalum underground materials.
- Asian Metal: Hi Mr Johnson, Thank you for taking part in this interview. Could you please give us a brief introduction about your company and business?
- J: Kazera Global is an investment company focused on opportunities principally, but not exclusively in the resources and energy sectors. The Company’s first investment is in African Tantalum, a Namibian based operation in the southern region of Namibia with current tantalum underground materials.
- Asian Metal: What do you act in the tantalum and niobium market now? Mainly focus on trading or producing? Have you already made deals successfully with downstream buyers in the world?
- J: We are currently focused on the production of Tantalite and have shipped multiple very high-grade tantalite to end users on a global basis. We also have a global outreach to supply through trading from a large network of small scale mining.
- Asian Metal: How about your future plan about the mining?
- J: To continue to expand the current operations in the Namibia mine but also extend our global foot print from a large network based on many years in the business. We are currently Core Drilling the entire Namibia property to have a resource through Jorc Reporting for total mineralization.
- Asian Metal: What are the advantage and disadvantage of your company to expand the tantalum- niobium business?
- J: The advantage is the ability to produce world class high grade Tantalite that has been 40+ % Ta205. The disadvantage is obtaining water supply from the Orange River to grow the Namibia mine.
- Asian Metal: What about the current investment environment in Namibia?
- J: It is a democratic run government who supports investments.
- Asian Metal: Could you introduce something about the total tantalum and niobium supplying and producing situation in Africa, especially in Namibia?
- J: Namibia is unique with its excellent road and logistics systems, level I country concerning global compliance against the Dodd Frank Act. We have world class Ta205 levels, non-artisanal based operation as well as a localized supply of employees to choose from within short distance from the mine.
- Asian Metal: Which kinds of licenses do you have for tantalite production? Is there any positive or negative policy from the local government?
- J: A complete Mining License to produce, there is not any negative concerning government to the operations.
- Asian Metal: As it may take some time and money to develop a new tantalum and niobium project, would you like to find more partners in the future? What kind of requirements do they need to become the partners?
- J: We are open to the right kind of partner and they would need to hold the highest standards on confidentiality and be able to meet very stringent due diligence and have excellent references.
- Asian Metal: When will you plan to put into normal production? How about the production capacity?
- J: After the Orange River pipe line is installed that looks to take up to a year. The capability of the current plant can produce between 20-30tpq.
- Asian Metal: Thank you for granting us this interview. We wish a better future for your company.
