A compelling new entry has been added to Africa’s critical minerals map, with Australian-listed Askari Metals (ASX: AS2) reporting Phase 1 trenching results at its 100%-owned Uis Project in Namibia that confirm extensive polymetallic mineralisation across a 2.2-kilometre pegmatite trend.
The results highlight strong concentrations of tin, lithium, tantalum and rubidium, minerals that sit at the heart of the global technology and green energy supply chain. Peak grades recorded include 8,340 ppm tin, 0.57% lithium oxide, 299 ppm tantalum and 2,380 ppm rubidium, with lithium grades exceeding commonly used cut-off thresholds for spodumene pegmatites. Trenching was completed on approximately 40-metre spacing to guide follow-up drilling scheduled for the second half of 2026.
Strategic significance of the find extends well beyond the numbers. Tin underpins electronics and alloys, lithium powers batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage, tantalum is essential for capacitors in high-tech devices and rubidium has applications in specialty electronics and atomic clocks. Together, they represent precisely the materials that global supply chains are scrambling to secure as the energy transition accelerates.
For Namibia, already Africa’s largest uranium producer, the discovery reinforces an emerging identity as a multi-commodity critical minerals hub. The country’s established revenue streams from uranium, diamonds and base metals are increasingly being complemented by a new generation of technology-facing mineral assets. With tin prices hovering around US$46,000 per tonne and peaks of US$57,000 per tonne, the Uis Project’s commercial potential is considerable.
Executive Director Gino D’Anna pointed to the project’s proximity to the operating Uis tin mine as a logistical advantage that adds further appeal. “The Uis Project is shaping up to be a major strategic asset, offering substantial economic upside,” said D’Anna. The presence of established infrastructure in the region including the Walvis Bay deepwater port strengthens the case for development further still.
With Namibia actively seeking to diversify its mining sector beyond traditional commodities, discoveries of this calibre underscore the country’s potential to capture a growing share of Africa’s critical minerals market with long-term implications for export revenues, industrial development and global supply chain relevance.
