By Kabelo Dipholo

Copyright thevoicebw

Tataki Mine re-opens after decade-long closure
*Projected to generate US$4.2 billion in revenue

After 10 years of darkness, including a drawn-out acquisition process that took two tedious years, the lights are finally back on at Tati Nickel Mine.

Renamed Tataki, the historic mine was officially opened on Tuesday in a feel-good ceremony, with hope thick in the air to go with the nickel and copper reportedly abundant under the ground.

The mine was acquired by NIU Investment, a leading European company with offices in Berlin and London, headed by Austrian investor and principal shareholder, Cevdet Caner.

The new mine is managed under the leadership of Global Critical Resources Corporation (GCR), a U.S. registered producer of critical metals that power modern life, with assets in Africa and South America.

Speaking at the official opening, GCR Executive Chairman, Caner revealed that the company intends to invest US$200 million into the mine over the next decade, including US$50 million within the first 18 months to ramp up steady-state production. He added that the mine is expected to generate over US$4.2 billion in revenue and contribute a 1.5 percent increase to Botswana’s annual GDP.

Boasting one of Botswana’s largest reserves of nickel, copper, cobalt, and platinum group metals, Tataki is set to produce a range of internationally traded metals and hydroxide salts. Its products will include nickel and cobalt hydroxide precipitates, copper cathodes, platinum group metal bars (platinum, palladium, rhodium), and precious metals such as gold.

Minister of Minerals and Energy, Bogolo Kenewendo, credited with expediting negotiations between government and NIU, said GCR would deploy the latest technologies to harness the mine’s deposits.

She stressed the importance of ensuring that nearby villages benefit from the development.

“Not just through CSR, but through contextual beneficiation. This is an order from the President, that we must make sure there’s Industrial Cluster Development!” declared Kenewendo, her words prompting a nod of the head from President Duma Boko beneath his sunglasses.

In his keynote address, President Boko echoed the Minister’s sentiments, stressing the need for Matsiloje’s residents to be part of the value chain.

“People of Matsiloje must feel the development and be active participants in the mine,” he instructed, putting emphasis on the word ‘feel’.

The President described the reopening of the mine as a promise delivered, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to creating employment and opportunities for young Batswana.

He acknowledged that although the economy grew at an average rate of 3.8 percent over the past decade, this did not translate into job creation.

“We want our economy to grow at a sustained rate of 6.8 percent in order to create jobs,” Boko said.

He further recognised the hardships communities endured since the mine’s closure.

“Livelihoods were shattered, and hope was lost. We come with a solemn assurance that we will restore that lost hope, generate the opportunities our people so desperately need,” he said.

Boko announced that Tataki will create 400 permanent jobs and over 3, 000 indirect jobs once fully operational. He also highlighted additional business opportunities linked to the mine’s operations.

“I understand water will be processed, treated, and redeployed for Agricultural projects, and there will also be aggregates available for construction projects,” he revealed.

“Tataki Mine is more than a mining operation; it is a promise kept, a commitment delivered. It is proof that our vision to revive key industries and unlock opportunities is translating into real jobs, real impact, and real change for Batswana,” the President concluded.

Tataki Mine Fact Sheet

*Replacement value: USD 500m+

*Life of Mine: 10 years, processing approx. 40 million tonnes from the open pit and re-processing over 80 million tonnes of surface stockpiles

Estimated production:

*170, 000 tonnes of nickel (in hydroxide)

*100, 000 tonnes of copper (cathode)

*7, 000 tonnes of cobalt (in hydroxide)