Windhoek: Two of Namibia's established mines reported strong operational gains at the Namibia Mining Expo and Conference, with B2Gold's Otjikoto Mine on track to pass a cumulative two million ounces of gold produced since 2014, and Namdeb lifting carat production by 63% between 2022 and 2025 despite a sharp fall in diamond prices.

According to Namibia Press Agency, this announcement was made by B2Gold Namibia Managing Director John Roos and Namdeb Diamond Corporation Chief Executive Officer Riaan Burger at the expo, held at the Windhoek Showgrounds from 04 to 06 August 2026. The event, themed 'From Dialogue to Delivery: Assessing Progress in Creating Mining-led Economic Growth and Employment since NamPPF,' highlighted the impressive gains made by these mining giants.

Otjikoto Mine is 90% owned by B2Gold Corp, with Namibian partner EVI Namibia holding the remainder. The mine is projected to produce between 70,000 and 90,000 ounces of gold this year. Since the start of its operations in 2014, it has generated two million ounces in total, bringing in US$3.6 billion in revenue. Of this, US$628 million has been contributed to Namibia in taxes.

Burger noted that despite the diamond price decline costing the Namibia De Beers partnership N$12.9 billion in net present value from 2022 through the end of 2025, there are early signs of global demand for natural diamonds stabilizing, with a growth of 0.4% in 2025 in US dollar terms.

In response to these challenges, the company took steps such as selling Namdeb properties, closing Orange River Mines, undergoing three rounds of voluntary separation, and implementing a zero-based organizational redesign. These measures also included increasing treatment capacity by 35% and securing approximately 2,600 jobs for employees and business partners.

Additionally, the company experienced a significant reduction in its stripped reserve, which fell from a peak of 445,000 square meters in January 2025 to 108,000 square meters by July 2026, marking a 75.8% drawdown. Burger further emphasized that Namdeb's 20-year business plan, announced in October 2021, is expected to contribute N$40 billion to the Namibian fiscus over its duration.