AfricaNamibiaKaras Region
Rosh Pinah
Karas Region, Namibia · Africa
About Rosh Pinah
Rosh Pinah sits on the route: 1 hours from Oranjemund.
Rosh Pinah is in Karas Region, Namibia, with about 6,500 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Oranjemund, about 73 km away.
Rosh Pinah is a mining town located in southern Namibia, close to the border with South Africa. It is situated 360 kilometres (220 mi) south of Keetmanshoop in Namibia's ǁKaras Region. West of the town lies Diamond Area 1, the main diamond mining area of Namibia. Rosh Pinah is in the Oranjemund electoral constituency.Read more
The town is connected via road to Aus and Oranjemund.
Copper was discovered here in the 1920s, and German-born Jew Mose Kohan discovered zinc in the nearby Hunz Mountains in 1963. He also coined the name "Rosh Pinah" which is a Hebrew term for "cornerstone". More significant deposits of zinc were found in 1968.
Rosh Pinah is home to two mines, Skorpion Zinc and Rosh Pinah mine. Both mines extract mainly zinc and lead. Like other mining towns in Namibia, the settlement was created when the first mine opened. The Rosh Pinah mine was established in 1969 and has been in continuous operation since then. Skorpion Zinc opened in 2001 and is the eighth-largest zinc mine in the world. It is the largest employer in town, providing 1,900 jobs.
The settlement is administered by the company RoshSkor (named after and co-owned by both mining operators) because it does not have its own local government authority and falls, like all Namibian settlements, under its regional administration. The town manager is Slabbert Burger. The town is economically entirely dependent on its mines which own 90% of the property and provide the vast majority of jobs. "If the mines close, Rosh Pinah will become another Kolmanskop, as we are not sustainable as a town", Burger stated in 2019. Hoeksteen Combined School and Tsau ǁKhaeb Secondary School are government schools located in town.
Decades of mining lead and zinc have led to chronic lead exposure of Rosh Pinah's inhabitants. In 2020, a report was compiled by the company medical practitioner of the zinc mine, confirming chronic lead exposure of all 30 children that were tested. The report was not published, and the doctor was dismissed. When the lead poisoning came to light in 2023, accounts from local doctors hint at hundreds of cases over several years.
Where to Stay in Rosh Pinah
Compare prices across Booking.com, Airbnb, Expedia, and more. Select your dates to see availability.
Filter presets
Pick your must-haves once: provider links open pre-filtered. Each filter lists which sites it applies to.
Compare before you book!
Prices can vary significantly between platforms. We recommend checking at least 2-3 sites to find the best deal for your stay in Rosh Pinah.
Explore the Area
Discover famous landmarks, scenic roads, and more near Rosh Pinah.
Loading map...
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Rosh Pinah?
Rosh Pinah is in Karas Region, Namibia, about 73 km from Oranjemund.
Road trip
Drive to Rosh Pinah
Add it as a stop and the planner works out the driving, the nights and what's worth seeing on the way.
Start planningWhat's nearby?
Swipe through places to go
Places within a drive of Rosh Pinah. Keep the ones you like and add them to your trip.
Explore now
Quick Information
- Population
- 6,540
- Continent
- Africa
- Country
- Namibia
- Region
- Karas Region
- Timezone
- Africa/Windhoek
- Coordinates
- -27.9660, 16.7614
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Namibia
Most highways are gravel: reduce speed and carry two spare tyres on long routes.
Full driving guide for NamibiaTags
Nearby Destinations
Other places to explore near Rosh Pinah.
Your trip starts here
Plan a road trip from Rosh Pinah.
Pick the days, drop in the stops, and share it with whoever's coming.