NAMDEB

HISTORY
Namdeb’s rich history goes as far back as 1920 when diamond-mining companies along the Orange River were amalgamated to form Consolidated Diamond Mines (CDM). In 1994 CDM entered into a new partnership with the Namibian Government and Namdeb was formed.

OWNERSHIP
Namdeb Diamond Corporation is owned by Namdeb Holdings. In turn, Namdeb Holdings is owned 50:50 by De Beers and the Government of the Republic Namibia respectively. Namdeb Holdings has long-term mining concessions in the south west of Namibia both on land and offshore, adjacent to the Orange River and offshore in the shallow waters.

CORE BUSINESS
Diamond exploration and mining takes place along the south-west coast and inland areas of Namibia’s //Karas Region. The main land-based operations are found in the town of Oranjemund and satellite mines near Lüderitz and along the Orange River.

EMPLOYEES
Namdeb has a workforce of approximately 1700. There remains a focused commitment to increase the number of female employees within jobs and roles that have been traditionally male-dominated.

SAFETY
Safety is the first value and the number one priority for Namdeb. A zero harm approach forms the foundation of all aspects of operations and this care is extended to all stakeholders and the environment in which Namdeb operates. Namdeb is proud to have continuously retained its Occupational Health and Safety Audit Standard (OHSAS 18001:2007).

HEALTH
Namdeb’s first priority is to ensure a safe and healthy work environment for employees. This is achieved through a holistic wellness programme which focuses on the prevention and care of diseases. In addition to this, a variety of services are offered to enhance continuous health monitoring. Namdeb prides itself on being the first organisation in Namibia to provide antiretroviral (ARVs) medicine to employees, their spouses, life partners and dependants.

ENVIRONMENT
Namdeb operations are located within the Tsau //Khaeb (Sperrgebiet) National Park, adjacent to the international Orange River and Namibian Islands Marine Protected Area. This unique location, as well as the potential for tourism in the area, creates a strong focus for the integration of biodiversity stewardship into the mine’s life cycle from exploration, projects, operations and closure is a critical strategy. For several years the company has supported various research and conservation efforts in both land and marine environs through the establishment of partnerships with key research and academic institutions.

INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Several types of innovative mining techniques have been employed to extract diamonds from alluvial deposits of ore bodies. Over the years, specialised equipment such as vacuum extractors, dredgers, accretion conveyors and drill platforms have been used to sample, extract the resource and create more accretion respectively.

DIAMONDS DO GOOD
Namdeb mines diamonds profitably, sustainably and responsibly for the benefit of shareholders and other stakeholders whilst making a lasting contribution to Namibia. Diamond mining has played a significant role in building the social and physical infrastructure of an independent Namibia. As part of leveraging diamond equity, Namdeb will continue to investigate new opportunities which seek innovative ways of creating value.