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Namibia: The Price of Uranium Mining - a Namib Desert Scarred By Pipelines
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The Namibian (Windhoek)
7 April 2008
Posted to the web 7 April 2008
Brigitte Weidlich
Windhoek
The water requirements of at least 12 new uranium mines by 2015 will come to about 53 million cubic metres, compared to a total water supply of 67 million cubic metres presently provided by NamWater to all its customers countrywide.
According to NamWater Chief Executive Dr Vaino Shivute, an envisaged water desalination plant at the coast was imperative and would be constructed in order to supply 25 million cubic metres from seawater by January 2010.
"There will be seven new uranium mines coming into operation by 2013 and five more in 2015 while the two existing mines, Roessing and Langer Heinrich, will expand and increase operations by 2010, requiring more water than now," Shivute told reporters at a press briefing on Thursday.
"We must use water from existing sources like the Kuiseb aquifer and the Omdel dam near Omaruru responsibly and the N$1,48 billion desalination project will relieve the pressure on the aquifers," Shivute added.
To finance the project, NamWater will have to borrow money, but the owners of the prospective uranium mines have pledged to pay water tariffs that would enable the water utility to repay the loan.
"Some mines have an envisaged life of up to 20 years so payments are guaranteed," Shivute said.
A desalination plant would have far less impact than a dam and was cheaper and faster to construct, he added.
"Once the lifespan of all the uranium mines had ended, the desalination plant would still be there and serve the coastal towns, which would have grown and required more water by then.
"Having such a plant in place for the uranium mines will not increase water tariffs for residents of the coastal towns above normal rates," Shivute promised.
However, the desalination plant, to be erected near Wlotzkasbaken, will provide only half of the water needed by the uranium mines.
One new mine, Trekkopje, will build its own, smaller desalination plant next to that of NamWater, which both parties will jointly own and manage.
That plant will cost about N$700 million.
Responding to questions, Shivute admitted that the scenic Namib Desert in the Namib-Naukluft Park, where most of the new mines would be situated, would be scarred by many new pipelines.
This could have a negative impact on tourism.
Wild game like ostrich, gemsbok and springbok are reluctant to cross pipelines.
"The Ministry of Environment will direct us in this matter," he said.
Once all the uranium was depleted - around 2030 - mining companies would have to rehabilitate the mined areas.
The pipelines could possibly also be removed then, the NamWater boss said.
Tenders for the design of the plant will close at the end of May, a construction company will be appointed by the end of June and construction is to start in October.
Namibia's oldest uranium mine, Roessing, not only receives water from NamWater via a pipeline, but has also extracted underground water from the nearby Khan River for the last 30 years, which has seriously impacted on the vegetation.
Groundwater levels in the area have dropped from eight metres to 17 metres below the surface, a new environmental impact assessment report for the expansion of the Roessing mine revealed last month.
Voluntary reduction of water extraction from the Khan River raised water levels slightly to about 15 metres below the surface.
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The experts who compiled the report admitted that the drop in groundwater levels had negative effects on the vegetation in the area, such as camelthorn trees, which are a protected species in Namibia.
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