Selebi-Phikwe – A town built on copper and nickel mining
Selebi-Phikwe, also spelled Selibe Phikwe, is a mining town in eastern Botswana. It grew up around the copper and nickel deposits that gave the town its purpose, and its double name recalls the two mining sites of Selebi and Phikwe.
Mining shaped daily life, work and the growth of the community for decades, and it made Selebi-Phikwe one of the country's notable industrial towns. Although it lies within the Central District, the town forms its own administrative district, and in 2022 it had 42,488 inhabitants. Today Selebi-Phikwe is looking for new paths beyond its mining heritage. Do you have memories of the mine or of town life? Share your stories with us!