• Rep Agrimonitor

Funds needed to protect Stampriet Aquifer

- 2023-02-07 00:00:00

The Stampriet Aquifer Uranium Mining Association (Sauma) has appealed for financial contributions to help cover any future costs that may incur to protect the Stampriet Artesian Basin (SAB) from mining activities.
If mining is to be permitted in the area, international perceptions will adversely impact Namibia's image as a healthy tourism destination, meat exporter and the like, it said.
According to Sauma, it will continue to raise awareness regarding the concerns about pollution resulting from planned uranium mining in the drinking-water aquifer of the SAB.
This planned uranium mining - by Russian company Headspring Investments - came to light for the first time at a public meeting on 28 September 2021, it said.
Headspring is a subsidiary of the atomic energy corporation Rosatom.
According to the association, Headspring commenced with exploration work on several farms in the area as from 2011 and has drilled in excess of 600 boreholes to date.
Two uranium ore bodies were discovered in the main underground artesian sandstone layer (Auob Formation) of the basin.

In-situ leaching
“This layer is widespread throughout the basin and extends into Botswana and South Africa where the same excellent quality drinking water is pumped. The highest water yields are from this layer and it supplies the water for towns and irrigation.”
According to Sauma, numerous farm boreholes also utilise this water.
“The water in the layer is strong and the water table high so that the uranium cannot be mined by open pit or underground methods. The only method is through in-situ leaching.”
Leaching involves drilling thousands of boreholes, on average 20 to 25 metres apart, pumping in a sulphuric acid solution that dissolves the uranium and associated heavy metals, and pumping out the metal-rich and radioactive solution.
“The metal content of the mine solution that is pumped out far exceeds the safe metal content of drinking water, as indicated by the World Health Organisation.
“Thus, in-situ leaching takes place in the drinking water layer,” it said.
“Irrigation and villages utilise the water much faster than in-situ leaching can extract it. It is therefore quite possible that water plus the mine solution will be drawn through and out of the mine area as a result of irrigation and village use.”

For survival
According to the association, this dangerously polluted drinking water can flow for kilometres before the toxic metals are deposited by natural processes over an extended period of time.
Following a field inspection, the agriculture and water ministry withdrew two drilling permits in November 2021 due to permit requirements not being adhered to, the association said.
Meanwhile, 250 new applications for drilling permits have provisionally been rejected by the ministry, however, there are suspicions that exploration and drilling could continue.
Sauma stressed that the SAB is a water-controlled area.
“The underground water is also the only source of permanent, good quality drinking water in this part of the country.”
It added that humans, animals, agriculture and tourism are entirely dependent on this water source for their survival.
The association said it is convinced that no mining activities – let alone uranium extraction – should be allowed in the fresh artesian water.
“Mineral exploration and planned mining activities in the SAB must be stopped before pollution occurs. Ideally, this would be stopped by legislation.”
According to Sauma, it expects Headspring will not give up easily and the case will end up in court.
The association is currently running an information campaign, but will be required to provide evidence to convince the authorities or a court that such an enterprise could potentially be disastrous, it said.
These actions carry financial implications, and therefore it invites contributions to cover costs.
To donate to this cause, use the following bank details:

Sauma
Bank Windhoek
Current account
802 951 9190
Branch code 481-972-00
Swift code BWLINANX