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Uranium mining in Namibia

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Rössing uranium mine, an open-pit mine near Arandis

Uranium mining in Namibia is of considerable importance to the national economy. In 2020, Namibia produced 11% of uranium worldwide, ranked as the 4th largest producer, behind Kazakhstan, Canada, and Australia.[1][2]

Uranium is one of the five mineral resources that were declared "strategic" by the Namibian government in 2011.[3] No new exploration licenses may be granted without involvement of the state-owned mineral exploration company Epangelo Mining.[4][5]

Background and history

Uranium mineralization was first discovered in the Namibia's Rössing Mountains, Namib Desert in 1928 by Captain G. Peter Louw. Though he tried promoting prospecting, it did not occur for another three decades. In the late 1950s, Anglo America Corporation of South Africa drilled and performed some underground exploration, but because of unstable uranium values and poor economic prospects, the search was abandoned. Uranium exploration was restarted in the country in the following decade, with Rio Tinto obtaining exploration rights for the Rössing deposit in 1966 and starting production in 1976.[6]

The United Nations held special hearings on "The plunder of Namibian uranium" in 1980.[7] Jacob et al. reported in the mid-1980s that the country's uranium mineralization was concentrated in the central zone of the Pan-African Damaran Orogen.[citation needed] In 1999, the International Atomic Energy Agency reported that the only operating mine in the county was the Rössing uranium mine,[8][9] the largest uranium mine in the world. However, there has been a resurgence in the industry since 2003,[10] and in 2008 uranium mine production in the whole of Africa increased by 16% compared to the previous year.[11] Primary mines have since been opened, including Valencia, Ida Dome, and Goanikontes, as well as two secondary mines, Langer Heinrich (started in 2006) and Trekkopje (started in 2012).[2]

Notable mines

Rössing

Main article: Rössing uranium mine

The Rössing mine contains the largest uranium deposit in the world associated with an igneous rock.[12] Rössing Uranium is owned by Rio Tinto, the world’s largest mining group, which has annual profits of over $1.4 billion. It supplies enriched yellowcake uranium to power stations in France, UK, USA and Japan. The open-cast mine opened in 1976 and at one time[when?] faced closure. Rössing Uranium Ltd. processed about 12 million metric tons of ore in 2006 and produced 3,617 tons of uranium oxide (U3O8), and in 2009 they processed 12.6 million tonnes of uranium ore and produced 4150 tonnes of uranium oxide in comparison to 4067 tonnes in the previous year.[13]

Langer Heinrich

Main article: Langer Heinrich mine
Deposit from the Erongo Region

When it opened in 2006, the Langer Heinrich mine was the first conventional uranium mine to be opened in the world in two decades.[14][15] Langer Heinrich is now considered to have the greatest potential in the country,[16] and saw a 59% increase to 1225 tons of uranium oxide in 2009, compared with 771 tons in 2008.[13] This mine is under care and maintenance since 2018, awaiting higher uranium prices.[17]

Husab

Main article: Husab Uranium Project

Swakop Uranium operate the Husab mine which is expected to be the second largest uranium mine in the world. Another deposit, the Ida Dome mine, is part of this project.

Trekkopje

Main article: Trekkopje mine

The Paris-based multinational corporation Areva Group developed the Trekkopje Mine, but have decided to mothball the project.[18][19] It is located 70 kilometres (43 mi) of Swakopmund. In 2009, operations were estimated to produce about 100,000 metric tons per day of ore and about 3,000 tons a year of yellowcake.[13] The company has built a desalination plant which is expected to be operating until around 2024.[citation needed]

Advanced projects

Norasa

Main article: Norasa uranium project

Forsys Metals Corporation of Canada is developing the Valencia and Namibplaas uranium deposits, 40 km north of the Langer Heinrich mine. The company was granted a 25-year mining license in 2008 and, in 2009, announced the completion of an independent mineral resource study for the Valencia deposit.[13] Total Proven and Probable Reserves (2015) were estimated as 206 million tonnes of ore with average grade of 200 ppm (0.02%) uranium oxide (U3O8) for 90.6 million pounds of U3O8.[20]

Etango

Main article: Etango mine

Bannerman Energy owns and operates the Etango project, which is located 30 kilometres (19 mi) southwest of the Rossing Mine, and 30 kilometres (19 mi) southeast of Swakopmund.[13] Etango is considered to have the largest unexploited uranium resource in the world.[13] A heap leach demonstration pilot plant operated from 2015 to 2020. In 2021 feasibilty studies were ongoing for a conventional open pit mining and heap leach processing operation.[21][22]

Others

Environmental implications

The environmental impact of uranium mining in Namibia has raised concerns amongst environmentalists, especially as many mining activities are conducted within the Namib-Naukluft National Park.[23] The highly acidic tailings dams found at Namibia's uranium mines are an environmental concern.[24] Monitoring activities include: air, water, and dust quality; biodiversity; medical surveillance; occupational hazards; and radiation protection.[25]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Uranium Production Figures, 2011-2020". London: World Nuclear Association. September 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
  2. ^ a b Merkel, Broder; Schipek, Mandy (28 October 2011). The New Uranium Mining Boom: Challenge and Lessons Learned. Springer. pp. xvi, 111–. ISBN 978-3-642-22121-7. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
  3. ^ "2012 Investment Climate Statement - Namibia". U.S. Department of State. Washington, DC: Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment. 20 January 2017. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
  4. ^ Kufa, Leon (April 2016). "Boom and Slump. The Mining Industry Has Seen it All". Mining Journal. Supplement to The Namibian. pp. 9–11.
  5. ^ "Uranium in Namibia". London: World Nuclear Association. October 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
  6. ^ International Atomic Energy Agency (17 June 2008). Uranium 2007: Resources, Production and Demand. OECD Publishing. pp. 256–. ISBN 978-92-64-04766-2. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
  7. ^ Eriksen, Tore Linné; Moorsom, Richard (1985). The Political Economy of Namibia: An Annotated Critical Bibliography (PDF). Uppsala, Sweden: The Scandinavian Institute of African Studies. pp. 184–185. ISBN 91-7106-297-1. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  8. ^ International Atomic Energy Agency (21 September 1999). Environmental Activities in Uranium Mining and Milling: A Joint Report. OECD Publishing. p. 115. ISBN 978-92-64-17064-3. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
  9. ^ Santcross, Nick; Ballard, Sebastian; Baker, Gordon (2001). Namibia Handbook: The Travel Guide. Footprint Travel Guides. pp. 355–. ISBN 978-1-900949-91-0. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
  10. ^ Merkel, Broder J.; Hasche-Berger, Andrea (24 October 2008). Uranium, Mining and Hydrogeology. Springer. p. 17. ISBN 978-3-540-87745-5. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
  11. ^ Geological Survey (U.S.) (24 October 2010). Minerals Yearbook, 2008, V. 3, Area Reports, International, Africa and the Middle East. Government Printing Office. p. 1. ISBN 978-1-4113-2965-2. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
  12. ^ Robb, L. J. (2005). Introduction to Ore-Forming Processes. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 41–. ISBN 978-0-632-06378-9. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
  13. ^ a b c d e f Geological Survey (10 November 2011). Minerals Yearbook Area Reports: International Review, 2009, Africa and the Middle East. Government Printing Office. p. 32. ISBN 978-1-4113-2975-1. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
  14. ^ SouthScan Southern Africa monthly regional bulletin. D. Coetzee. 2005. p. 142. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
  15. ^ World mineral production. British Geological Survey. 2006. p. 95. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
  16. ^ OECD Nuclear Energy Agency; International Atomic Energy Agency (September 2002). Uranium 2001: resources, production and demand. OECD Publications. p. 216. ISBN 978-92-64-19823-4. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
  17. ^ Ndjavera, Maihapa (10 June 2021). "Langer Heinrich Uranium still awaits recovery of uranium prices". New Era.
  18. ^ "Areva gèle son projet minier de Trekkopje en Namibie" [Areva freezes its Trekkopje mining project in Namibia]. Les Échos (in French). 12 October 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  19. ^ Belda, Pascal (May 2008). EBizguide Namibia. MTH Multimedia S.L. pp. 102–. ISBN 978-84-935202-1-2. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
  20. ^ "Norasa". Toronto, Ontario: Forsys Metals Corp. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
  21. ^ "Etango Project". Subiaco, Australia: Bannerman Energy. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  22. ^ "Etango Uranium Project, Namibia Optimisation Study" (PDF). Bannerman Resources. 22 December 2015. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  23. ^ Pallet, John, Environmental Evaluation Associates of Namibia
  24. ^ Mweti, I.; van Wyk, H. (6 October 2009). NSSC Development Studies Module 1 Student's Book. Cambridge University Press. pp. 176–. ISBN 978-0-521-17955-3. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
  25. ^ Agency (2008), p. 263

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Geological Survey.

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