Namibia: Concerns Remain About Uranium Mine
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The Namibian (Windhoek)
9 October 2007
Posted to the web 9 October 2007
Adam Hartman
Windhoek
ERONGO communities still have many concerns that need to be addressed in an environmental management plan before the green light is given for full-scale production at the Valencia Uranium Mine.
Canada's Forsys Metals Corporation's Chairman, Duane Parnham, recently announced that the pre-feasibility study had been completed and that the construction phase is likely to start next year, subject to approval of a mining licence application.
Production should start in 2009. In the meantime, the communities of Swakopmund, Walvis Bay, Arandis and Usakos, as well as farmers near Valencia site, which is about 25 km north-east of Roessing Uranium, have until October 15 to comment on a 75-page Environmental Assessment scoping report for the Valencia Uranium Project. The report, which gives background on the project and touches on socio-economic and biophysical aspects, also summarises the opinions of stakeholders and the various communities. While the socio-economic spin-offs of such a venture were acknowledged in general, especially by the smaller communities such as Usakos and Arandis, there were still many concerns among the broader community regarding the cumulative impact of the growing uranium industry in the region.
At a meeting held at Usakos recently, the need for economic development was expressed by a large number of job seekers. Although the general impression was positive, suggesting that the development would benefit the town by bringing business, job opportunities and social responsibility projects, there were some concerns about water availability and potential pollution.
The benefits of the proposed mine within the socio-economic context were also favoured by those at Arandis, although concerns relating to radiation, health and safety and pollution were aired too. It was also noted by the Environmental Assessment team that there was a "noticeable fatigue" among the Arandis community because of apparent promises made during previous consultation processes (in light of other projects) that were not implemented or followed through. Waste management and pollution were concerns highlighted at Walvis Bay. At Swakopmund, a concern that featured strongly was the potential depletion and pollution of Erongo's water resources as a result of the booming uranium industry.
Here considerable support was given for the development of a desalination plant in co-operation with other bulk water users, such as Uramin's Trekkopje Uranium Mine, which is also expected to start production soon, and which has already embarked on plans to construct a desalination plant near Wlotzkasbaken. The effects and control of radiation was also a prominent issue at Swakopmund, while other concerns included dust, air and noise pollution, impacts on wildlife and vegetation, power supply and road access.
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Owners of nearby farms raised issues concerning the impact on water availability and quality, the impact on wildlife movement and numbers, and tourism plans. Road access, security problems and the effects of vibration from blasting on nearby houses and dams, as well as noise and dust pollution were among the most pressing concerns. The objective of the report, which can be viewed at the public libraries of Swakopmund and Walvis Bay, and the Arandis and Usakos Municipalities, is to seek further public input for the compilation of a Strategic Environmental Assessment and Management Plan.
This plan will include relevant plans and programmes, environmental protection objectives, environmental or sustainability problems, and the existing and future state of the environment. The Valencia mine will have a projected lifespan of at least 11 years. It will be an open-pit mine similar to Roessing Uranium, and it will be about 1 400 metres long and 700 metres wide, with a depth of about 350 metres. Operations and processing are said to be very similar to those of Roessing Uranium. The proposed mine will require a power supply of 20MW, and a supply of two to three million cubic metres of water annually.
Although a stand-alone desalination plant at the coast for the project was considered, a collaborative project between a number of existing and new bulk water users is in progress. In either case, the construction of a pipeline to the proposed site will be required.
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