The Skorpion zinc mine lies 25 km north of the town of Rosh Pinah, on the main road to Aus. On entering the mine, one is immediately struck that the area is split into two distinct operations. The first is the chemical refining plant, a huge steel structure of conveyors, tanks, etc., that uses 25% of Namibia’s electricity. Tucked away at the back of the plant is the open pit where the ore is mined by huge double-storey tip trucks, bulldozers and front-end loaders.

This deposit was first di...

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