Vedanta opens R10 billion Gamsberg Phase II expansion

President Cyril Ramaphosa opened Vedanta Zinc International’s Gamsberg Phase II expansion on 16 October 2026. Vedanta describes the project as a R10 billion investment that adds a second concentrator.

The expansion brings annual zinc-in-concentrate capacity to approximately 500,000 tonnes. That figure describes production capacity, rather than an amount already produced.

Employment expectations

Vedanta says more than 1,500 people worked on the project at peak construction. It expects the expanded operation to sustain approximately 800–1,000 jobs. The South African Government also reports that expected operational range, with recruits predominantly from the Northern Cape. The range is a projection, not a final employment count.

Smelter remains a proposed next step

Vedanta plans a zinc smelter in the Namakwa Special Economic Zone. Unlike the opened Phase II concentrator, the smelter is a proposal, so potential local refining should not be treated as an outcome of this expansion.

Ramaphosa identified commercially viable electricity and reliable infrastructure as requirements for the smelter. For the proposed processing investment, those requirements matter separately from the capacity now available at Gamsberg.