Green Metals Refining Ltd (GMR) has appointed Fabian Shaanika to the board of Kudu Chemicals (Pty) Ltd, its wholly owned Namibian subsidiary, as it progresses plans for a N$1.03 billion sulphuric acid plant near Walvis Bay.
Kudu Chemicals is developing the project as part of Namibia’s broader industrialisation agenda, with facilitation support from the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB).
The proposed facility is expected to reduce Namibia’s reliance on imported sulphuric acid while supporting a growing pipeline of mining and energy projects, particularly in copper, uranium, rare earths and fertiliser production.
A recently completed scoping study confirmed the project’s commercial viability, indicating that the first phase will produce 175,000 tonnes of sulphuric acid annually, with a projected pre-tax internal rate of return of 20%.
Production is expected to scale up to 720,000 tonnes per year once the project reaches full capacity.
GMR Founder and Chief Executive Derk Hartman said the development is aimed at addressing a structural supply gap in Namibia’s industrial inputs market.
Namibia remains a net importer of sulphuric acid, with demand expected to rise in line with expanding mining and processing activity.
Beyond supplying GMR’s planned battery-grade manganese refinery, the plant is expected to serve third-party mining operations, while also generating surplus baseload electricity and process steam.
Hartman said early market interest from local operators signals strong demand for a domestic supply solution.
The project is positioned to play a strategic role in strengthening Namibia’s upstream and midstream industrial base, as the country seeks to capture greater value from resource-driven growth and position itself within global energy transition supply chains.
