New prospecting licence for UraMin

THE Ministry of Mines and Energy has awarded a third exclusive prospecting licence (EPL) for uranium deposits in the Erongo Region to UraMin Namibia.

The new licence covers 91,611 hectares adjacent to the Trekkopje hills in the Namib Desert where the existing two licence areas are situated. UraMin Namibia was awarded two EPLs earlier this year which cover 37 368 and 91 611 ha.It brings the total area held by UraMin now to 122 979 hectares.Mining activities might however clash with tourism operations and conservation efforts carried out by the Spitzkoppe community in the vicinity.The third EPL extends approximately 8,7 km into the West Coast Recreation Area near Swakopmund and covers 23 500 ha (3,2 per cent) of its surface.Additional area of the //Gaingu Conservancy is also within the new EPL.”(Future) Impacts arising from exploration activities in the third EPL area will be dealt with in a separate environmental impact assessment (EIA),” said Marie Hoadley of UraMin.Hoadley deals with the public participation process regarding the current environmental assessment which is underway for the first two EPLs.Developing the Trekkopje uranium project will cost approximately N$1,26 billion.The Klein Trekkopje uranium deposit is situated between Spitzkoppe and Arandis.The Trekkopje site lies some 70 km north-east of Swakopmund.The existing Roessing Uranium mine lies 35 km south of the property and the newly developed Langer Heinrich Uranium mine, which will start operations early 2007, lies approximately 80 km to the south-east.UraMin has started extensive drilling and sampling on site “in accordance with an approved environmental management programme,” UraMin said.The Trekkopje ore body is 5,5 km long and has a depth of 19 metres.The Klein Trekkopje deposit extends for approximately 15 km and is of a higher grade than the Trekkopje deposit.The ore cannot be as easily excavated as was initially expected, the consultants have discovered.Blasting will be required.Hydraulic shovels will load the ore directly into trucks.It will then be transported to a crushing plant in the pit.Approximately 40 000 tonnes of ore and 10 000 tonnes of waste rock will be mined daily.Landscape impacts will be minimised by dumping waste rock back into the pit excavation.Once in full production, the Trekkopje mine is expected to employ over 120 full-time staff.During the construction phase some 360 people might be employed.The mine is expected to operate for over 15 years, although this period may vary according to changes in economic conditions.Processing the rock to extract uranium oxide or yellow cake will be done on site.If fresh water is to be used in the treatment process, a pipeline may be extended from the existing Roessing terminal reservoir.If seawater is used, probably from an envisaged desalination plant at the coast, a new pipeline from the coast is required.ENVIRONMETAL IMPACT An EIA is underway and will be compiled after the independent and public review processes are complete.”The EIA process will culminate with public meetings in Arandis, Swakopmund and Windhoek (next year),” according to Marie Hoadley.A period has been set aside for review of the draft report, during which interested and affected parties will be invited to comment on it.The consultants conducted public meetings at the coast and at Arandis this year.It was established that the Trekkopje Project is situated on communal land, which is under the traditional leadership of the !Oe#Gan Traditional Authority, and within the boundaries of the #Gaingu Conservancy.The socio-economic issues which are expected to arise with the community at Spitzkoppe include the use of local labour during construction and operation, outsourcing by the mine and the growth of viable small enterprises.The existence of a construction camp 50 kilometres from the Spitzkoppe settlement could have a negative impact through increased social ills and stresses, and an increase of informal settlements as job seekers move into the area.”Community members’ seasonal grazing rights, access rights and future use of the land for agricultural purposes will be affected,” according to a recent information document issued by UraMin.The potential use of the land by the #Gaingu Conservancy for tourism will be affected by the loss of some of the conservancy land to mining operations.”Tourism to the Spitzkoppe may be affected by negative perceptions of uranium mining on the part of the public,” the document said.A separate feasibility study on the total Trekkopje mining – to see if it is economically viable – will be completed by the middle of 2007.”A trial mine could be in operation by the end of 2007,” said Ian Stalker, Chief Executive Officer of UraMin.Another mining company is currently examining the possibility of extracting uranium from the mountains of the scenic Swakop River Valley at the farm Palmenhorst near Swakopmund, which is a very popular tourism spot.The company has banned all tourism activities in that area, which has angered local tourism operators.UraMin Namibia was awarded two EPLs earlier this year which cover 37 368 and 91 611 ha.It brings the total area held by UraMin now to 122 979 hectares.Mining activities might however clash with tourism operations and conservation efforts carried out by the Spitzkoppe community in the vicinity.The third EPL extends approximately 8,7 km into the West Coast Recreation Area near Swakopmund and covers 23 500 ha (3,2 per cent) of its surface.Additional area of the //Gaingu Conservancy is also within the new EPL.”(Future) Impacts arising from exploration activities in the third EPL area will be dealt with in a separate environmental impact assessment (EIA),” said Marie Hoadley of UraMin.Hoadley deals with the public participation process regarding the current environmental assessment which is underway for the first two EPLs.Developing the Trekkopje uranium project will cost approximately N$1,26 billion.The Klein Trekkopje uranium deposit is situated between Spitzkoppe and Arandis.The Trekkopje site lies some 70 km north-east of Swakopmund.The existing Roessing Uranium mine lies 35 km south of the property and the newly developed Langer Heinrich Uranium mine, which will start operations early 2007, lies approximately 80 km to the south-east.UraMin has started extensive drilling and sampling on site “in accordance with an approved environmental management programme,” UraMin said.The Trekkopje ore body is 5,5 km long and has a depth of 19 metres.The Klein Trekkopje deposit extends for approximately 15 km and is of a higher grade than the Trekkopje deposit.The ore cannot be as easily excavated as was initially expected, the consultants have discovered.Blasting will be required.Hydraulic shovels will load the ore directly into trucks.It will then be transported to a crushing plant in the pit.Approximately 40 000 tonnes of ore and 10 000 tonnes of waste rock will be mined daily.Landscape impacts will be minimised by dumping waste rock back into the pit excavation.Once in full production, the Trekkopje mine is expected to employ over 120 full-time staff.During the construction phase some 360 people might be employed.The mine is expected to operate for over 15 years, although this period may vary according to changes in economic conditions.Processing the rock to extract uranium oxide or yellow cake will be done on site.If fresh water is to be used in the treatment process, a pipeline may be extended from the existing Roessing terminal reservoir.If seawater is used, probably from an envisaged desalination plant at the coast, a new pipeline from the coast is required.ENVIRONMETAL IMPACT An EIA is underway and will be compiled after the independent and public review processes are complete.”The EIA process will culminate with public meetings in Arandis, Swakopmund and Windhoek (next year),” according to Marie Hoadley.A period has been set aside for review of the draft report, during which interested and affected parties will be invited to comment on it.The consultants conducted public meetings at the coast and at Arandis this year.It was established tha
t the Trekkopje Project is situated on communal land, which is under the traditional leadership of the !Oe#Gan Traditional Authority, and within the boundaries of the #Gaingu Conservancy.The socio-economic issues which are expected to arise with the community at Spitzkoppe include the use of local labour during construction and operation, outsourcing by the mine and the growth of viable small enterprises.The existence of a construction camp 50 kilometres from the Spitzkoppe settlement could have a negative impact through increased social ills and stresses, and an increase of informal settlements as job seekers move into the area.”Community members’ seasonal grazing rights, access rights and future use of the land for agricultural purposes will be affected,” according to a recent information document issued by UraMin.The potential use of the land by the #Gaingu Conservancy for tourism will be affected by the loss of some of the conservancy land to mining operations.”Tourism to the Spitzkoppe may be affected by negative perceptions of uranium mining on the part of the public,” the document said.A separate feasibility study on the total Trekkopje mining – to see if it is economically viable – will be completed by the middle of 2007.”A trial mine could be in operation by the end of 2007,” said Ian Stalker, Chief Executive Officer of UraMin. Another mining company is currently examining the possibility of extracting uranium from the mountains of the scenic Swakop River Valley at the farm Palmenhorst near Swakopmund, which is a very popular tourism spot.The company has banned all tourism activities in that area, which has angered local tourism operators.