Independent association planned for Stampriet aquifer
Farmers, stakeholders team up
Concerned parties are opposed to uranium prospecting in the area because of the potentially disastrous impacts in-situ leaching could have for Namibia's south-eastern Kalahari Desert and neighbouring countries.
An independent association is in the process of being established as the challenge over uranium mining in the Stampriet water-controlled area appears to be gaining momentum.
This process was put into motion after the Stampriet Aquifer Uranium Mining Steering Committee touched base with the Legal Assistance Centre about the matter and contacted several international experts for further advice.
The committee is made up of concerned farmers and other stakeholders who depend on the aquifer and are opposed to uranium prospecting in the area. This because of the potentially disastrous impacts in-situ leaching of uranium in the underground aquifers of the huge Stampriet artesian basin could have for Namibia's south-eastern Kalahari Desert and the neighbouring countries Botswana and South Africa.
According to the Namibian Agricultural Union (NAU), an environmental impact assessment (EIA) still has to be completed by the Environmental Compliance Consultancy (ECC) for a test mining pilot plant by Headspring Investments, which is a subsidiary of Russian nuclear power corporation Rosatom.
“This EIA will hopefully include comprehensive replies to in-depth queries in excess of 60 pages that were submitted to ECC after the public hearings held in Windhoek and Leonardville at end of last year.
“A critical factor is the pre-mining baseline water quality in and around the uranium orebody on which Headspring intends to carry out test samples. Samples were collected by Headspring and are being analyzed in Kazakhstan. The results will be part of the EIA,” the union said.
Feedback awaited
The NAU added that since the water in the underground aquifers is good-quality drinking water and is the only year-round source of drinking water for people and animals in the basin, totally independent pre-mining baseline water quality analysis is required for comparison and to establish the exact water flow models of the basin and the interconnectedness between the different water bearers.
“This is even more important against the background of high-usage water pumping for irrigation projects. Irrigation will have a definite impact on flow models, including the direction and speed of movement of underground water through the test mining area.”
It said contact has been established with agriculture ministry officials who monitor water usage in the area and feedback is awaited.
This process was put into motion after the Stampriet Aquifer Uranium Mining Steering Committee touched base with the Legal Assistance Centre about the matter and contacted several international experts for further advice.
The committee is made up of concerned farmers and other stakeholders who depend on the aquifer and are opposed to uranium prospecting in the area. This because of the potentially disastrous impacts in-situ leaching of uranium in the underground aquifers of the huge Stampriet artesian basin could have for Namibia's south-eastern Kalahari Desert and the neighbouring countries Botswana and South Africa.
According to the Namibian Agricultural Union (NAU), an environmental impact assessment (EIA) still has to be completed by the Environmental Compliance Consultancy (ECC) for a test mining pilot plant by Headspring Investments, which is a subsidiary of Russian nuclear power corporation Rosatom.
“This EIA will hopefully include comprehensive replies to in-depth queries in excess of 60 pages that were submitted to ECC after the public hearings held in Windhoek and Leonardville at end of last year.
“A critical factor is the pre-mining baseline water quality in and around the uranium orebody on which Headspring intends to carry out test samples. Samples were collected by Headspring and are being analyzed in Kazakhstan. The results will be part of the EIA,” the union said.
Feedback awaited
The NAU added that since the water in the underground aquifers is good-quality drinking water and is the only year-round source of drinking water for people and animals in the basin, totally independent pre-mining baseline water quality analysis is required for comparison and to establish the exact water flow models of the basin and the interconnectedness between the different water bearers.
“This is even more important against the background of high-usage water pumping for irrigation projects. Irrigation will have a definite impact on flow models, including the direction and speed of movement of underground water through the test mining area.”
It said contact has been established with agriculture ministry officials who monitor water usage in the area and feedback is awaited.
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