Trigon Metals (Trigon) has announced a “proactive operational adjustment” at its Kombat Mine in Namibia to manage unexpected maintenance needs for its dewatering systems.

On 16 January, the company announced the suspension of operations at the mine for an anticipated period of six to nine months.

The temporary suspension of activities is to address the failure of both the main submersible dewatering pumps, which are “crucial” for operations at the Kombat Mine.

Trigon has initiated a phased recovery strategy following the situation. The recovery plan includes repairing and upgrading key equipment to ensure long-term efficiency and reliability.

Both pumps have been safely recovered and are now being carefully examined by a third-party engineering company to improve their efficiency and durability.

Mining operations will remain on hold until the commencement of dewatering activities in the third quarter of 2025, when the pumps  are repaired and the risk of reoccurrence has successfully been mitigated.

Water levels at Shaft 1 have returned to their normal levels of 60m below service and 120m at Shaft 3.

Trigon Metals CEO and executive chairman Jed Richardson said: “While this temporary pause is not the outcome we envisioned, it is a critical step to strengthen Kombat’s infrastructure for sustained success. Our team is already advancing solutions to modernise our systems, ensuring we return to operations with greater reliability and efficiency.

“We extend our deepest gratitude to our employees and contractors, whose dedication has been instrumental in our progress to date, and to our stakeholders for their unwavering trust. Trigon is committed to emerging from this phase as a more resilient company, poised to deliver value for years to come.”