• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Uranium Mining to Start in Namibia Despite Environmentalists' Protests

Posted on: Wednesday, 22 February 2006, 09:00 CST

Text of report by Namibian news agency Nampa website

Windhoek, 21 February: Paladin Resources is set to start uranium mining activities at its Langer Heinrich mine in Namibia's Naukluft Park despite protests from environmental activists.

The Australian uranium mining company (Paladin) recently recruited a general manager of its Langer Heinrich mining operations and various other vacancies are currently being filled to ensure that the mine is fully operational by September this year when it is to be commissioned.

Last month, Paladin secured its first two sales contracts for a portion of its yellowcake (U3O8) production from the Langer Heinrich Uranium Mining Operation. These sales arrangements are with the United States of America (USA) utilities and are subject to finalisation of all necessary legal documentation.

The two sales contracts are for the purchase of 2,145,000lbs U3O8 and 2,080,000lbs U3O8 respectively for delivery between 2007 and 2012.

But the Oeko Institute in Germany objected to the establishment of the mine last year and was supported by Earthlife Namibia environmental group, which argued that such a mine would disturb the fragile desert environment and have a negative impact on the health and water needs of the people living at the two towns near the mine.

In an interview with Nampa on Monday [ 20 February], Earthlife Namibia director Berchin Kohrs said her organization is still worried about the Ministry of Environment and Tourism's reluctance to publish the environmental impact assessment study conducted on the Lander Heinrich Mine.

"We are now aware that we can't stop the mine because they are busy with construction and want to process and export uranium by September this year. But what we find disturbing is that the environmental impact assessment study has not been made public even though it has been reviewed by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism," she said.

She said Earthlife Namibia believes that all citizens have a fundamental right to see the study and know how they would be affected by the uranium mining operations in that part of the country.

"All we want really, is that the mining operation must be managed in the best possible way to ensure that the environment is disturbed as little as possible," said Kohrs.

Paladin had a series of meetings with the residents of Swakopmund and Walvis Bay to address their worries about the establishment of the uranium mine in the area a few weeks before the groundbreaking ceremony.

Paladin said bulk water supplier NamWater had confirmed that there is sufficient water available in the groundwater supplies of the Kuiseb and Omdel deltas.

But other organizations have said that the current annual supply of seven million cubic meters to the coastal areas was already under severe strain and the mine would increase consumption by 15 per cent.

The World Information Service on Energy (WISE), one of the world's largest networks of groups working on nuclear energy issues, also expressed opposition to the opening of the mine, saying it would creates radioactive dust and emission of poisonous gas.

The emissions, WISE argued, would put residents at a greater risk of developing cancer and the radiation exposure could affect men and women's reproductive health.

Source: BBC Monitoring Africa

More News in this Category