He told Nampa on Tuesday that claims that the Government was making an concerted effort to get special uranium mining licences apparently offered to foreigners by the Zimbabwe Investment Centre (ZIC) were lies.

The minister spoke out on the issue after an online publication, Zimdaily, claimed that Namibia wanted the mining licence as part of its strategy to become Africa's biggest uranium producer.

The Zimdaily said Namibia has shown willingness to pour in a significant investment running into billions of US dollars through foreign partners in Australia and the country is also likely to get a second preference to mine uranium ahead of South Africa which appears to be interested in platinum.

Nghimtina said it was unthinkable that Namibia would approach Zimbabwe for uranium mining licences given the abundant amounts of uranium deposits at home.

"We are even giving licences out to individuals to come and mine here.

How can someone even think that we would want to go to another country for resources that we have plenty of already.

These are total lies fabricated by people who just want to confuse Namibians," said Nghimtina.

Namibia is set to become the continent's biggest uranium producer once the Trekkopje mine is commissioned.

The new uranium mine, to be run by Gulf Western Trading (Pty) Ltd trading as UraMin Namibia, is scheduled to commence with construction and mining activities near the western town of Arandis this year, pending approval of its mineral license application.

This new mine will bring to three Namibia's uranium mines and move it upwards as Africa's biggest producer of uranium.

- Nampa

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