Despite headwinds threatening the country’s ambition to transform into high-income status, the government continues to put several initiatives on the table towards the objective.
One of the initiatives intended to support the transition is attraction of foreign direct investment (FDI) through the ongoing Nossop Ncojane Interpretation of Aeromagnetic Data Project.
Under the Nossop-Ncojane Block project aims, the government through its exploration and prospecting advisor – Botswana Geoscience Institute intends to conduct a comprehensive high-resolution aeromagnetic survey of approximately 320,000-line kilometres in the western part of Botswana.
Over the years, the region is largely underexplored due to complex geological conditions, including the thick Kalahari sand cover.
The ongoing survey is mapping subsurface geology and evaluating mineral potential in targeted geological environments, such as Mafic and Ultramafic complexes, which are known to host valuable minerals, including platinum group metals, gold, and base metals. According to Minister of Minerals and Energy Lefoko Moagi, the development is supporting the national priority of having a sustainable vibrant and diversified mineral resource industry, integrated into other sectors of the economy.
The high resolution geophysical data is expected to identify new mineral prospects in the Kalahari sand especially in the south-western part of the country.
He said government continues to advance mineral discoveries through research in order to grow and expand the country’s economic status through exploration, mining, manufacturing and processing of various mineral commodities.
Moagi said the project is a cornerstone of the Transitional National Development Projects to foster an environment ripe for export-led growth and attract foreign direct investment (FDI).
“The project marks a significant achievement, and completes an initiative that started in the early 90’s to cover the whole country with high resolution airborne magnetic surveys, an enabler for private sector mineral exploration and development in Botswana,” said Moagi, adding the project will rekindle mineral prospects in the Nossop-Ncojane region. He said the project is expected to harness and reveal mineral potential obscured by the thick Kalahari sands.
“Currently, there is still over 70 percent of potential mineral resources in the country that remain unexplored,” said Moagi emphasizing that the project targets to unravel the richly endowed economic minerals and to enable creation of an inherent value that exists in the strategic mineral commodities.
He said the baseline data from the project will also empower other key stakeholders with relevant geoscientific data needed for knowledge-based decision making.
The minister said the project data will be disseminated online just like the current available Mining Cadastre. “These platforms have underpinned facilitation of effective information management and dissemination to potential investors both in Botswana and globally, as well as transformation to a knowledge-based economy.” He said the results have also enabled the out bringing of digitalized products and services to farmers, researchers, scholars, consultants, and exploration and mining companies creating a one-stop-shop platform.
Meanwhile, statistics indicate that Botswana is one of the rich countries in mineral resource endowments and has attained a score of 73 percent on Best Practices Mineral Potential Index (BPMPI) and by Frazer Institute ranking 10th out of 62 countries with a score of 82 percent on Investment Attractive Index.
On completion of the survey, the country will be close to hundred percent high resolution aeromagnetic data coverage except for some few small and restricted areas. The new mark will place Botswana among a very select few countries that have done high resolution aeromagnetic data coverage.
The project aims to align with Botswana's strategic priority of diversifying its mineral base beyond diamonds and geological environments being targeted have the potential to yield critical resources like platinum group metals, which have a wide range of industrial applications.
One of the initiatives intended to support the transition is attraction of foreign direct investment (FDI) through the ongoing Nossop Ncojane Interpretation of Aeromagnetic Data Project.
Under the Nossop-Ncojane Block project aims, the government through its exploration and prospecting advisor – Botswana Geoscience Institute intends to conduct a comprehensive high-resolution aeromagnetic survey of approximately 320,000-line kilometres in the western part of Botswana.
Over the years, the region is largely underexplored due to complex geological conditions, including the thick Kalahari sand cover.
The ongoing survey is mapping subsurface geology and evaluating mineral potential in targeted geological environments, such as Mafic and Ultramafic complexes, which are known to host valuable minerals, including platinum group metals, gold, and base metals. According to Minister of Minerals and Energy Lefoko Moagi, the development is supporting the national priority of having a sustainable vibrant and diversified mineral resource industry, integrated into other sectors of the economy.
The high resolution geophysical data is expected to identify new mineral prospects in the Kalahari sand especially in the south-western part of the country.
He said government continues to advance mineral discoveries through research in order to grow and expand the country’s economic status through exploration, mining, manufacturing and processing of various mineral commodities.
Moagi said the project is a cornerstone of the Transitional National Development Projects to foster an environment ripe for export-led growth and attract foreign direct investment (FDI).
“The project marks a significant achievement, and completes an initiative that started in the early 90’s to cover the whole country with high resolution airborne magnetic surveys, an enabler for private sector mineral exploration and development in Botswana,” said Moagi, adding the project will rekindle mineral prospects in the Nossop-Ncojane region. He said the project is expected to harness and reveal mineral potential obscured by the thick Kalahari sands.
“Currently, there is still over 70 percent of potential mineral resources in the country that remain unexplored,” said Moagi emphasizing that the project targets to unravel the richly endowed economic minerals and to enable creation of an inherent value that exists in the strategic mineral commodities.
He said the baseline data from the project will also empower other key stakeholders with relevant geoscientific data needed for knowledge-based decision making.
The minister said the project data will be disseminated online just like the current available Mining Cadastre. “These platforms have underpinned facilitation of effective information management and dissemination to potential investors both in Botswana and globally, as well as transformation to a knowledge-based economy.” He said the results have also enabled the out bringing of digitalized products and services to farmers, researchers, scholars, consultants, and exploration and mining companies creating a one-stop-shop platform.
Meanwhile, statistics indicate that Botswana is one of the rich countries in mineral resource endowments and has attained a score of 73 percent on Best Practices Mineral Potential Index (BPMPI) and by Frazer Institute ranking 10th out of 62 countries with a score of 82 percent on Investment Attractive Index.
On completion of the survey, the country will be close to hundred percent high resolution aeromagnetic data coverage except for some few small and restricted areas. The new mark will place Botswana among a very select few countries that have done high resolution aeromagnetic data coverage.
The project aims to align with Botswana's strategic priority of diversifying its mineral base beyond diamonds and geological environments being targeted have the potential to yield critical resources like platinum group metals, which have a wide range of industrial applications.
