Everything’s ‘hunky-dory’ at Langer Heinrich mine

THE controversial Langer Heinrich Uranium mine is reported to be on schedule to make its first product shipment in February 2007.

During a publicity trip to the mine in the Namib-Naukluft National Park last week, Managing Director Garnet Halliday said development was 40 per cent complete and full operations would most likely start in September. Two major five-year contracts were signed recently with companies in the United States for the delivery of more than 4,2 million pounds of uranium in total.Construction started in September last year.In the last six months a construction village for 550 workers has been completed and four 16-metre-high leach tanks have risen from the ground in a matter of weeks.Halliday said the mine’s recruitment plan was on schedule with 75 per cent of the workforce employed.Eighty per cent of the companies working on site were Namibian, he said.”We are very happy with the quality of applications from locals.For the most part there is no need to get experts from outside,” said Halliday.The 80-kilometre electricity line was completed in December last year.The contract for laying the water pipeline from Swakopmund has also been finalised.According to Halliday, strict rules were in place to ensure safety and health and to keep the environment intact.A number of workers who had not adhered to the regulations were sent packing summarily.The disturbance of any plant, animal or rock was cause for immediate dismissal and sightings of any animals around the campsite had to be reported to the environmental representative.Halliday also said that rigid laws had been implemented to minimise exposure to radiation and a radiation safety officer was in command.A fully functional medical facility, said to be of the highest international standards, is available on site.There is now also the possibility of a separate vanadium recovery system being developed.Vanadium pentoxide is a by-product at Langer Heinrich and is mainly used to produce high-strength, low-alloy steel.The price of vanadium pentoxide is also increasing dramatically.This plan could result in an extra income of N$19 million to N$46 million a year.With the Langer Heinrich mine in full operation, Namibia is expected to produce between 10 and 15 per cent of the world’s uranium demand.Two major five-year contracts were signed recently with companies in the United States for the delivery of more than 4,2 million pounds of uranium in total.Construction started in September last year.In the last six months a construction village for 550 workers has been completed and four 16-metre-high leach tanks have risen from the ground in a matter of weeks.Halliday said the mine’s recruitment plan was on schedule with 75 per cent of the workforce employed.Eighty per cent of the companies working on site were Namibian, he said.”We are very happy with the quality of applications from locals.For the most part there is no need to get experts from outside,” said Halliday.The 80-kilometre electricity line was completed in December last year.The contract for laying the water pipeline from Swakopmund has also been finalised.According to Halliday, strict rules were in place to ensure safety and health and to keep the environment intact.A number of workers who had not adhered to the regulations were sent packing summarily.The disturbance of any plant, animal or rock was cause for immediate dismissal and sightings of any animals around the campsite had to be reported to the environmental representative.Halliday also said that rigid laws had been implemented to minimise exposure to radiation and a radiation safety officer was in command.A fully functional medical facility, said to be of the highest international standards, is available on site.There is now also the possibility of a separate vanadium recovery system being developed.Vanadium pentoxide is a by-product at Langer Heinrich and is mainly used to produce high-strength, low-alloy steel.The price of vanadium pentoxide is also increasing dramatically.This plan could result in an extra income of N$19 million to N$46 million a year.With the Langer Heinrich mine in full operation, Namibia is expected to produce between 10 and 15 per cent of the world’s uranium demand.