Use of Namibian uranium only for ‘peaceful purposes’

NAMIBIA will not allow third parties to export locally-mined uranium to buyers who would use it to create weapons of mass destruction or endanger the health of people, a top Government official has said.

Speaking at the opening of a two-day conference on uranium mining opportunities in Namibia, Joseph Iita, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Mines and Energy, said Namibia did not want third parties to export uranium from its soil if they would compromise the country’s peace, stability and prosperity. “We want to ensure that uranium of Namibian origin is not diverted from its intended use and is only applied for peaceful non-explosive purposes,” Iita told the 50 mining experts.Namibia is the world’s fifth largest uranium producer after Canada, Australia, Kazakhstan and Russia, producing eight per cent of the annual world demand.Several safeguards are in place to ensure the peaceful use of Namibian uranium and to trace its destination, Iita added.”Namibia is a signatory to the international Non-Proliferation Treaty since 1992, the Safeguards Agreement and the Small Quantities Protocol.On top of that, uranium export permits are only issued once a year and that is in December and they are only approved by the Minister.”Additional export permits could be issued, however, if good reasons were given.Uranium mines must apply to the Minister for approval of sales agreements.These have to meet several requirements and any amendments to existing sales agreements also require ministerial approval.”In addition, uranium mines operating in Namibia must send monthly reports to our Ministry concerning the quantity of uranium exported and to which destinations.Quarterly stock balance reports are also submitted.”The Namibian Government is also considering a separate policy on uranium resources in the country, according to Iita.Presently uranium mining falls under the general mineral policy.Although over 60 mining outfits are waiting for uranium prospecting licences and Russia and China are interested in importing uranium from Namibia, Iita said there was no ‘uranium rush’ in the country.”The demand and supply gap might take some time to balance as demand increased recently and prices soared up to over US$120,” he said.The Ministry put a temporary freeze on uranium exclusive prospecting licences (EPLs) earlier this year and only 16 have been issued so far.The latest exploration activities are carried out by a Canadian company, Xemplar Energy Corporation, near Aus, a tiny village 200 kilometres west of Keetmanshoop and close to the Orange River.The two sites are well known in mining circles, but low uranium prices over the past two decades prevented their development.Namibia has two operational uranium mines, Roessing and Langer Heinrich Uranium.Future uranium mines possibly coming on stream are at Trekkopje, which will require a water desalination plant near Wlotzkasbaken and a pipeline through the Namib Desert to the proposed mine, at Goanikontes in the Swakop River outside Swakopmund and a few kilometres south of that site near the old Ida mine.The conference, which ends today, covers topics like mining geology with special reference to uranium, processing techniques and environmental aspects.”We want to ensure that uranium of Namibian origin is not diverted from its intended use and is only applied for peaceful non-explosive purposes,” Iita told the 50 mining experts.Namibia is the world’s fifth largest uranium producer after Canada, Australia, Kazakhstan and Russia, producing eight per cent of the annual world demand.Several safeguards are in place to ensure the peaceful use of Namibian uranium and to trace its destination, Iita added.”Namibia is a signatory to the international Non-Proliferation Treaty since 1992, the Safeguards Agreement and the Small Quantities Protocol.On top of that, uranium export permits are only issued once a year and that is in December and they are only approved by the Minister.”Additional export permits could be issued, however, if good reasons were given.Uranium mines must apply to the Minister for approval of sales agreements.These have to meet several requirements and any amendments to existing sales agreements also require ministerial approval.”In addition, uranium mines operating in Namibia must send monthly reports to our Ministry concerning the quantity of uranium exported and to which destinations.Quarterly stock balance reports are also submitted.”The Namibian Government is also considering a separate policy on uranium resources in the country, according to Iita.Presently uranium mining falls under the general mineral policy.Although over 60 mining outfits are waiting for uranium prospecting licences and Russia and China are interested in importing uranium from Namibia, Iita said there was no ‘uranium rush’ in the country.”The demand and supply gap might take some time to balance as demand increased recently and prices soared up to over US$120,” he said.The Ministry put a temporary freeze on uranium exclusive prospecting licences (EPLs) earlier this year and only 16 have been issued so far.The latest exploration activities are carried out by a Canadian company, Xemplar Energy Corporation, near Aus, a tiny village 200 kilometres west of Keetmanshoop and close to the Orange River.The two sites are well known in mining circles, but low uranium prices over the past two decades prevented their development.Namibia has two operational uranium mines, Roessing and Langer Heinrich Uranium.Future uranium mines possibly coming on stream are at Trekkopje, which will require a water desalination plant near Wlotzkasbaken and a pipeline through the Namib Desert to the proposed mine, at Goanikontes in the Swakop River outside Swakopmund and a few kilometres south of that site near the old Ida mine.The conference, which ends today, covers topics like mining geology with special reference to uranium, processing techniques and environmental aspects.