Ohorongo Cement to source local gypsum

Ohorongo Cement (Pty) Ltd and Elspe Minerals (Pty) Ltd have signed a supply and co-operation agreement under the terms of which Elspe Minerals, owned by the Namibian family Kahl, agrees to supply high quality gypsum to Ohorongo. The gypsum deposits, situated in the Namib Naukluft Park close to Swakopmund, are one of the few known gypsum resources in Namibia which can reliably supply sufficient gypsum to Ohorongo (Fig.). Through this agreement, as well as through the recently negotiated contract with Okorusu to supply iron ore to the plant, all of the raw materials which Ohorongo requires for the production of cement are now sourced in Namibia.  This makes Ohorongo Cement one of the few Namibian companies that complete the entire value chain of their product within the country, from bare limestone rock to quality cement. Ohorongo Cement will start with the production of cement within a few months.  Section by section, the 700 000 t/a plant is being commissioned to complete Africa’s most modern cement plant, with the best available technology introduced for environmental, health and safety as well as quality concerns.