The Tsumeb Mine is located in northern Namibia and was developed as part of modern mining operations from 1907 onwards by the Otavi Mining and Railway Company (OMEG), although the exceptionally high-grade copper ore deposit had already been known in the 19th century. Mining began in 1908 via a central shaft and quickly developed into one of Africa's most important polymetallic mines, with copper, lead, zinc, silver, and germanium as its main raw materials. Geologically, it is a steeply dipping, pipe-like ore body hosted in dolomitic carbonate rocks of the Otavi Group and formed by complex hydrothermal processes and intensive supergenic alteration. The mine is known worldwide for its exceptional mineralogical diversity, with over 300 described mineral species, including numerous rare arsenates, vanadates, and secondary minerals. At its peak, the shaft reached a depth of over 1,200 m, producing several million tons of ore. Regular mining operations ceased in 1996, primarily for economic reasons and due to increasing geotechnical and hydrogeological problems. Today, the mine is not freely accessible to collectors; however, many classic Tsumeb specimens originate from historical mining phases and can be found in museums, antique collections, or on the international mineral market.
