Sauma demands halt to Headspring drilling

The Stampriet Aquifer Uranium Mining Association (Sauma) has demanded an immediate halt to newly authorised uranium research drilling near Leonardville until the potential risks to groundwater are clarified.In a statement issued on Tuesday, Sauma stressed that drilling approval did not mean the wider project had been declared safe.“Any suggestion that the wider project has now been cleared as safe would be premature and unacceptable,” Sauma said.“The public is entitled to know how boreholes will be constructed, sealed and monitored, how groundwater will be protected, and who will be held accountable if safeguards fail,” it added.The 12-month authorisation was granted to Russian-owned Headspring Investments for additional boreholes at its proposed Wings uranium project in the Omaheke region. The Stampriet aquifer supplies communities and farmers in Namibia, Botswana and South Africa.Sauma called for transparency on how compliance would be enforced, meaningful public consultations before any decision on pilot extraction and engagement with Botswana and South Africa on potential risks to the shared aquifer.The association also wants government to publish the full drilling authorisation, including the issuing authority, approved activities, locations, duration and conditions, and clarify whether separate approval has been granted for pilot extraction or chemical injection.Environmental clearance refusedAgriculture ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda confirmed that the drilling authorisation was valid for 12 months but stressed that it did not permit mining to commence.Headspring must still meet regulatory requirements and obtain the necessary clearances, he added.Environment ministry spokesperson Vilho Angula said the company's application for an environmental clearance certificate (ECC) had been denied in its current form, with authorities requiring improvements to its environmental impact assessment (EIA) and environmental management plan (EMP).“The ongoing drilling is to expand the data collection area in order to provide sufficient empirical information to improve the EIA and EMP required to reapply for the ECC,” Angula said.The revised documents must provide stronger empirical evidence that the project would not adversely affect the environment, particularly groundwater, he added.Sauma has also demanded the release of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission report and recommendations, baseline water-quality data, aquifer assessments and groundwater protection measures for independent scrutiny.The IAEA conducted a technical review mission in Namibia in February to assess the proposed mining method and provide technical input to the government.Presidency spokesperson Jonas Mbambo said on Monday that decisions concerning the project must be guided by credible scientific evidence, particularly on groundwater protection.Headspring makes promisesHeadspring maintains that the research phase will involve no chemical reagents. The boreholes are meant to collect water samples, assess water quality and establish aquifer characteristics ahead of possible pilot testing.“We intend to deliver a project that will serve as a model for combining economic development with environmental protection and social responsibility,” managing director Kirill Egorov-Kirillov said.Headspring has explored for uranium near Leonardville since 2011, but its proposed mining method has attracted scrutiny because of potential risks to the Stampriet Transboundary Aquifer System.

Sauma demands halt to Headspring drilling

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Namibian Sun 2026-11-05

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Sauma demands halt to Headspring drilling

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Namibian Sun 2026-11-05

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