Mimetite (ATES-0002)

specimen number:
9273191

location:
Kombat Mine, Otjozondjupa, Namibia

description:

Very attractive sparkling golden crystals of mimetite across the top of matrix. This is in super condition. We provide the locality as it was provided to us. I am not so certain that this one is not from the famous Tsumeb mine in Namibia instead. Regardless, an outstanding specimen.

The Kombat mine, located in the Otavi Mountain Land of northern Namibia, is a historic underground metal operation primarily focused on the extraction of copper, lead, and silver. Geologically, the deposit is a complex, strata-bound sulfide and manganese oxide mineralized system hosted within the Neoproterozoic carbonate sequences of the Otavi Group, specifically concentrated where karstification, tectonic brecciation, and structural faults created pathways for hydrothermal fluids beneath impermeable shale layers. The ore occurs as massive chalcopyrite, galena, and bornite replacements, along with associated copper-manganese silicates and native copper. Commercial mining at the site began under German colonial administration in 1911, though early operations were intermittent due to heavy water inflows and political disruptions. The property was significantly expanded in the mid-twentieth century by Tsumeb Corporation Limited, which operated the mine continuously from 1962 until the early 2000s, when extreme flooding and corporate restructuring led to a prolonged shutdown. Following several changes in corporate ownership and extensive dewatering campaigns, the mine was successfully revitalized and returned to active commercial production in the early 2020s, with modern extraction and milling operations ongoing today.

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