Aminuis chiefs want in-situ mining to start soon

A committee comprising eight traditional authorities from the Aminuis constituency has called for the reinstatement of a Russian in-situ mining company&#039;s drilling permits, saying they have seen with their own eyes that farmers have successfully farmed next to such mines.Headspring Investments, a Uranium One group subsidiary, had its permits revoked over fears that its in-situ mining would contaminate water in the area.Led by Chief Andrew Kgosiemang of the Batswana ba Namibia community, the group undertook a trip to Russia following a meeting with the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Natural Resources.According to senior councillor of the Ovaherero community, Gustav Kauta, they are ready to help Headspring get its operations off the ground.“We will even call a meeting with the chairperson of the standing committee and see whether we can also petition the [mines] minister. We will stop at nothing to try and make sure this project gets started. “We have been told that the aquifer will be polluted and we will begin to get diseases five or 10 years after this, but we have engaged a farmer who sold a piece of his farmland [to a mining company] and they are living there without diseases,” he said. Eye-openerDuring a press briefing yesterday, the committee said the visit to Russia was an eye-opener for them and they are convinced that the proposed method of uranium mining can be safe and sustainable.During their time in that country, the committee visited several towns and villages in close proximity to in-situ mining, including one that was founded in 1979 on farmland where crop production, animal husbandry and wildlife conservancy is managed. “Residents of the mining town testified that many of them have lived there for more than 25 years and none of them were diagnosed with radiation-related illnesses. “One farm [has] a head of 2 500 cattle, 12 000 hectares of crop irrigation and 30 000 hectares of game range. The delegation can support Headspring to start its operations. Aminuis cannot be the only exception to the rule, [with] its people denied future benefits that can be derived from this opportunity.”jemima@namibiansun.com

Aminuis chiefs want in-situ mining to start soon

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Namibian Sun 2025-03-20

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Aminuis chiefs want in-situ mining to start soon

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Namibian Sun 2025-03-20

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