Brigitte Weidlich
28 October 2009
THE desert scenery east of Goanikontes in the Namib Desert would be irreversibly destroyed by a new uranium mine and the 'sense of place' lost forever, experts who undertook an environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the new Etango uranium mine have warned.
In the comprehensive EIA report, which was posted online last week, experts said "direct and indirect impacts of all the activities taking place in and around the proposed Etango site have the potential to profoundly alter the way people perceive and use this section of the Namib-Naukluft National Park, affecting both people's psyches and some people's livelihoods."
This might be serious enough that the authorities might not grant the mining company, Bannerman Resources, permission to go ahead with the mine.
"The negative impact resulting from the loss of sense of place due to visual impacts is rated high and permanent are unmitigatable," said Alex Speiser of the company A. Speiser Environmental Consultants.
"The results from the impact assessment of sense of place are the only ones which might justify a no-go option. The sense of place will be altered forever, especially from a visual point of view."
Bannerman Mining Resources Namibia is the local branch of the Australian company Bannerman Resources and is applying to Government for a uranium mining licence for its Etango project.
The proposed uranium mine lies within the Namib-Naukluft National Park, 41 kilometres east of Swakopmund and east of the Goanikontes turnoff, east of the main viewing points for the moon landscape, a famous tourist attraction on the Swakop River.
The new mine will have a pit as deep as 400 metres and waste rock will be stockpiled over an area of 21 000 square metres approximately 40 metres high.
The mine buildings will be visible from the main road in the Namib-Naukluft Park, which might be detrimental to tourism.
Yet another water pipeline will have to be laid across the Namib Desert. One new pipeline was constructed three years ago for the country's second uranium mine, Langer Heinrich Uranium (LHU).
The life expectancy of the Etango mine is estimated at 15 years, with mining operations planned to begin in 2013.
It is anticipated that during construction, up to 1 500 people will be employed. During the mine's lifespan, approximately 500 people will be employed.
Uranium mining will follow a conventional open-pit drill, blast, load and haul truck and excavator operation. The final pit will be three kilometres long from north to south, one kilometre wide and approximately 400 metres deep.
Water sources for construction and operation have yet to be finalised. "NamWater has indicated that water for operation cannot be sustainably provided from the Omdel dam on the Omaruru River or the Kuiseb River aquifers. All water for the operation will have to come from desalinated water," the EIA report said.
A new 32-km pipeline is proposed to supply water to the Etango site. It is envisaged that the pipeline will run parallel to the existing LHU pipeline adjacent to the C28 road.
The maximum electricity demand for the proposed mine and process plant at Etango is 20 megawatt, with the constant load expected to be approximately 17 MW. NamPower will construct a new line from the main electricity grid.
The power system, which will be supplied and installed by NamPower, should be fully operational by June 2012.
Water supply to the proposed mine will be a problem.
The area near Goanikontes is frequented by several tour operators taking tourists on day trips.
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