Sinomine Tsumeb Smelter says approximately 98% of its 600-strong workforce is still composed of Namibian employees after its acquisition by Chinese company Sinomine.
The company said the Namibian staff composition will not be affected by the arrival of new team members who have been seconded from the group’s corporate head office to enhance operations and support the existing workforce.
“The team members are seconded to support our existing workforce, and we thank everyone for their continued support in welcoming them as we expand our capacity and capabilities as a business to meet evolving needs of the industry,” said company Director Human Resources, Brumilda Britz.
According to Sinomines CEO Logan Lou, only three of the newly appointed secondments will serve on the executive management team, while the other members will act as additional resources to help drive the smelter’s projects and initiatives.
This comes amid plans to advance copper processing capabilities and develop new initiatives, such as the cesium and germanium projects, both of which are anticipated to create further employment opportunities for Namibians.
“We are committed to enhancing our copper business and introducing new project initiatives, namely the cesium and germanium projects. These efforts are anticipated to create further employment opportunities for Namibians, contributing positively to the local economy,” he said.
In August 2024, Dundee Precious Metals Inc. (DPM) successfully concluded the sale of its Tsumeb smelter to a subsidiary of Sinomine Resource Group Co. Ltd. (Sinomine).
The transaction was finalised on a debt-free and cash-free basis, with a purchase price of N$281.63 million (US$15.9 million).
As part of the agreement, N$88.75 million (US$5 million) will be held in escrow for six months to safeguard Dundee Precious Metals’ indemnity obligations.
Sinomine Resource Group is a Chinese-based global mining group with a comprehensive resource industrial chain.
