Monkagedi Gaotlhobogwe
28 November 2008
interview
Developers of uranium mines in Serule and Letlhakane, A-Cap Resources of Australia have distanced themselves from the nuclear waste facility that will be built at Pilikwe in Tswapong soon.
The nuclear waste facility is being mooted by the Department of Radiation in the Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology, and environmental impact assessment has already started with the various stakeholders including the villagers at Pilikwe and the surrounding areas.
A-Cap Resources CEO, Andrew Tunks based in Australia, says that although A-Cap plans to start mining in Serule and Letlhakane in 2011, they will not be using the Pilikwe facility but they will develop their own environmental plan.
"Of course we will have storage facilities for any dangerous waste, chemical or water.
The quantification of these hazards is an important part of the environmental study that A-Cap must undertake and submit to the government to get a license to develop the mine.
"The design of all these systems will occupy A-Cap and a team of environmental science experts for most of 2009," he said amidst speculations that the waste facility at Pilikwe is being put in place in readiness for the uranium mines by A-Cap.
The mines are expected to produce nuclear waste that would need to be disposed of at a facility like the one being fashioned at Pilikwe.
However Tunks says they will use a type of mining called heap leach operations, which usually do not produce harmful nuclear waste. "A heap leach operation, the type of mine we are proposing, does not produce mine tailings in the traditional sense. In a traditional mill and agitated leach, the residue of the rocks after the ore has been extracted is pumped as slime to a tailings facility.
"In the type of mine we are proposing, all the ore is stacked on a leach pad and then the uranium is extracted leaving the rocks minus the uranium on the pad," Tunks continued.
"Don't forget that NO mining operation adds dangerous metals to the rocks. It is our business to extract metal! The people of Serule and Gojwane have been living adjacent to these uranium deposits for many years with no ill effects ever being documented".
Tunks also says that the levels of radioactivity produced from the ore at the Letlhakane Project is very low-level
Mmegi: There is currently a radioactive waste site mooted in Botswana. This will be the first of its kind. Do you know about the project? Is it perhaps being prepared in readiness for the radioactive waste from the mine you are planning?
Tunks: No. A-Cap has no knowledge of this proposal. All environmentally sensitive materials that result as mine production or waste will be stored at the Letlhakane Project mine site as per the strict environmental guidelines that will be developed... a detailed environmental study which will look at a range of environmental factors involved with mining, transport and storage of radioactive materials will be developed specifically for the planned operation.
Mmegi: Would you say the uranium will be processed in Botswana, or outside?
Tunks: The current plan is that the uranium will be extracted from the rocks and exported as Uranium Oxide (U3O8). The next step in the nuclear cycle is the conversion of the uranium oxide into uranium hexafluoride. This conversion is a highly technical process and there are only three major processing facilities in the western world where this process can be handled".
Mmegi: We would like to know the time frame for the mining project in Botswana.
Tunks: Important stages of the development will occur over the next year with the commencement of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). This is a process that will run for all of 2009 and involve extensive community and government consultation and liaison. In conjunction with the EIA will be an important water resource study looking at options for a mine water source. Pending positive results from this work it is currently planned that project construction could commence in 2010 with mining commencing in 2011.
Mmegi: How advanced are you in this project, do you already have the design project ready(artist impressions, etc), if not, when do you hope to have completed it?
Tunks: We have completed what is known as a "Scoping Study", which is a first pass planning study on the resources so far discovered. This type of study looks at the preliminary economics of the deposit, in other words "does it have the potential to make a profitable mine?" The results from the scoping study are very preliminary but do indicate a profitable project, which should run for 6-10 years based on the production rates and metal prices. A-Cap is confident further exploration will add to the mineral resource and thus extend the mine life beyond this date.
Mmegi: Are you therefore pushing or advising the government of Botswana to put in place environmental protection measures to enable you to mine and process the uranium safely?
Tunks: The mining and processing of uranium ore is strictly controlled under the auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Botswana is a signatory to IAEA and the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty. As such both A-Cap and the statutory authorities will work together to ensure world best practice in environmental and safety procedures.
Mmegi: As we speak, Botswana, unlike other countries who mine Uranium and produce radio active waste, does not have its own National Nuclear Agency to guide you in your vital operations.
Tunks: In the absence of a Botswana Agency A-Cap will adopt world's best practice through the IAEA guidelines.
MMEGI: In the absence of a Nuclear agency here, would you say your job has been smooth sailing nonetheless?
Tunks: To this stage it has made little difference as there are already stringent protocols in place. Australia has a long history of safe and environmentally friendly uranium mines in operation and A-Cap has adopted many safety and environmental practices from these operations.
MMEGI: As an interested party, are you advising the government authorities here to fast track the establishment of the nuclear agency?
Tunks: For some time the Botswana government has been developing policies to deal with the nuclear industry. A-Cap has made several submissions to these developing agencies and is content with the rate of progress being made by the government. Do not forget that Botswana does not have to develop such policies and procedures in isolation as the uranium mining industry has been developing its own procedures in conjunction with the IAEA and these can easily be adapted to meet Botswana's best interests.
Mmegi: In the Daily news of September 18, you are quoted as saying that you will also operate a nuclear power plant from your mines. Can you confirm this ambition, and say when exactly do you intend doing that.
Tunks: At no stage has A-Cap announced plans to build a nuclear power plant for the generation of electricity. A-Cap is a mining and exploration company. It has discovered a Uranium resource which it is developing plans to mine. It has NO plans nor the expertise required to develop a power plant. A-Cap has NO plans to develop nuclear power generation in Botswana or anywhere else for that matter.
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