https://newsletter.en.creamermedia.com
Energy|Exploration|Drilling|Operations
Energy|Exploration|Drilling|Operations
energy|exploration|drilling|operations

Gates-backed KoBold begins hunt for battery metals in Namibia

4th February 2025

By: Bloomberg

  

Font size: - +

KoBold Metals Co., backed by billionaires including Bill Gates and Sam Altman, is extending its search for battery metals to Namibia, a country not known for producing the minerals.

The company is prospecting for lithium and nickel in southern and central Namibia after securing licenses in the third quarter of last year, Mfikeyi Makayi, chief executive officer of its African operations, said in an interview Tuesday in Cape Town.

KoBold was valued at nearly $3-billion in its latest fund-raising round. The US-based company uses artificial intelligence to scour the earth for undiscovered deposits of minerals critical to the energy transition. Lithium and nickel are both crucial to make rechargeable batteries used in electric vehicles.

Yet Namibia isn’t known for producing either — the southwest African nation is better known as one of the world’s biggest sources of uranium.

“This is why we’re exploring,” Makayi said. “Because it’s not known doesn’t mean the opportunities to look deeper are not there.”

KoBold is still doing early-stage prospecting and field exploration before it starts drilling, she said.
  

Edited by Bloomberg

Comments

Projects

Image of molten metal
Hydrogen-based ironmaking plant, Austria
Updated 2 hours 18 minutes ago By: Sheila Barradas

Showroom

Rentech
Rentech

Rentech provides renewable energy products and services to the local and selected African markets. Supplying inverters, lithium and lead-acid...

VISIT SHOWROOM 
Lion Alcolmeter® 700
Alco-Safe

Developed to exceed the latest EN 15964 standards for police breathalysers proving that it will remain accurate and reliable for many years to come.

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Photo of Martin Creamer
On-The-Air (27/06/2025)
27th June 2025 By: Martin Creamer

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:0.142 0.23s - 188pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now