Namibia is emerging as a global copper exploration hub, with Australian juniors leading the way with major drilling programs and historical datasets.
C29 Metals and Midas Minerals are accelerating copper exploration in Namibia, as companies increasingly target underexplored belts in what could be the next hotspot for the in-demand metal.
C29 Metals managing director Shannon Green told Australian Mining the company’s strategy in Namibia is centred on copper exposure, with gold included to balance project optionality.
“C29 has always had its foot in copper projects, so when we were looking for projects, copper and gold were the two top features,” Green said.
“We ended up with both, which gave us a really attractive balance.”
The company acquired a majority interest in a Namibian copper and gold portfolio on April 30, 2026.
The binding agreement includes the advanced Kopermyn copper project in the Otavi Copper Belt and two Damara Belt gold projects.
“When you look at the historical drilling results in the context of copper, they’re nothing short of spectacular,” he said. “Very high grade, very shallow and quite wide intersections, but they probably haven’t even touched the iceberg yet.”
He said the deeper sulphide system and basement geology remain largely unexplored, with previous programs focused on oxide mineralisation and shallow targets.
This creates a strong technical case for follow-up work, particularly across a 10–11 kilometre mineralised trend that has seen limited systematic testing.
The company’s acquisition comes amid growing investor appetite for copper exposure especially as electrification, renewable energy infrastructure and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven demand fuel expectations of supply deficits in the future.
“Our role as a junior is to be nimble, make discoveries and build resources in the right locations where majors eventually want to participate,” Green said.
“That is Namibia, which is emerging as a copper hotspot and has a strong mining pedigree, good infrastructure, a stable mining code that is welcoming of foreign investment and is attracting a lot more attention now.”
Another Australian explorer is making major moves in the country, with Midas Minerals acquiring the Otavi copper project in December, 2025.
“It’s fiscally stable, and it’s a country that understands mining,” Midas Minerals managing director Mark Calderwood told Australian Mining.
He pointed to two major copper provinces where Midas is active – the Kalahari Copper Belt and the Italian Fold Belt – both of which host known mineralisation but remain underexplored relative to their geological potential.
Recent drilling has already seen a significant new copper and silver discovery at the Spaatzu prospect, located only 13km west of the company’s T-13 deposit.
Initial results returned results of 16m at 2.55 per cent copper and 72.6 grams per tonne (g/t) silver within a broader 44m mineralised zone.
Midas acquired its project following a detailed review of historical exploration data, including around $US20 million of prior work. That dataset provided immediate technical confidence before drilling began.
“We saw the results that they had, and we knew it was going to be a nice project,” Calderwood said.
“Since the acquisition, Midas has expanded drilling across multiple targets with six rigs now operating on site.”
According to Calderwood, the early drilling results are confirming both grade and continuity across key mineralised zones, strengthening confidence in a multi-deposit system.
“We’re seeing consistent high-grade copper and silver across significant widths,” Calderwood said. “It’s hanging together very well and reinforcing the scale potential across the project area.”
The company is now focused on defining multiple deposits within a broader system rather than relying on a single discovery centre, with step-out drilling targeting both known mineralisation and untested structural targets. Investor interest in Namibia-focused copper exploration has also strengthened C29’s ability to advance its strategy, with strong institutional participation in its recent capital raising.
“We had really strong support from institutional investors who saw the quality of the opportunity and the geology,” Green said.
As both companies continue to secure strategic ground and advance exploration programs, Namibia is increasingly emerging as one of the world’s most compelling copper frontiers.