10 Mar 2020

Parliament has been informed that since Independence, a total of 6 181 prospecting licences for various minerals were issued.

Mineral resources, green technology and energy security minister, Mr Lefoko Moagi said there were 656 prospecting licences issued to 100 per cent locally owned companies, of which 17 were in the Kanye North constituency.

From the prospecting licences that advanced to mining, Minister Moagi said a total of 38 large mines and 37 quarries were commissioned.

“As for Kanye North, nine prospecting licences progressed to mining stage, resulting in two quarries and seven small mines (for gravel and pit sand),” he said.

Mr Moagi further noted that none of the 100 per cent locally owned companies issued with prospecting licences had reached mining stage in the large mines category.

As for the quarry mining category, he explained that 28 prospecting licences progressed to mining stage.

“In Kanye North, Mr Moagi said a total of eight prospecting licences were issued to 100 per cent locally owned companies and progressed to mining stage, resulting in one quarry and seven burrow pits.

Further, he told the House that prospecting licences were issued for precious stones (diamonds), metals (copper, gold, nickel, iron, ore), energy minerals (coal, coal bed methane, uranium) and industrial minerals (construction aggregates) under Mines and Minerals Act.

Minister Moagi said exploration licences were issued for petroleum (oil and gas) under the Petroleum Act. The licences, he added, were issued on first come first served basis, competition and through tendering.

He stated that the competition and tendering methods made it possible to reserve some prospecting areas for citizen companies.

Minister Moagi highlighted that prospecting for minerals was a capital intensive and speculative undertaking where investments were sunk in without the benefit of making returns.

This was in response to a question from the MP for Kanye North, Mr Thapelo Letsholo, who had asked the minister to explain the number of prospecting licences for various minerals that had been issued since independence to date.

The minister was further to state the number of licences issued to 100 per cent locally owned companies and how many were in Kanye North.

Mr Letsholo also wanted to know the number of licences that reached mining stage in the country and Kanye North, the number of 100 per cent locally owned companies issued with prospecting licences that had reached mining stage in Botswana and how many were from Kanye North. ENDS