Sauma objects to mining in Stampriet aquifer

The Stampriet Aquifer Uranium Mining Association (Sauma) says it does not oppose mining in general, but strongly objects to mining activities within the Stampriet Artesian Basin, which is Namibia's primary and largest artesian water resource.

Sauma again raised concerns about in-situ uranium mining in the aquifer at a meeting with the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Natural Resources, to which only two members of the committee showed up.

The meeting took place in Leonardville on 17 November.

According to Sauma, since July, it has repeatedly requested meetings with the committee on the risks associated with in-situ leach mining of uranium, without success.

“Sauma then by chance got wind of a meeting on the issue scheduled between the committee as well as the Standing Committee on Economics and Public Administration with the community of Leonardville on 11 October.”

During this meeting, the association publicly requested to be granted an audience with both committees, which the chair of the natural resources committee, Tjekero Tweya, acknowledged.

Risks

Another meeting was then proposed to be held in Leonardville on 17 November.

Suma said only two members of the natural resources committee attended, while no representative of the economics committee was present.

“Various regional leaders such as governors and councillors as well as community representatives, all of whom solely rely on the underground aquifers in the basin for their drinking water, attended the gathering.”

The purpose of the meeting was to provide both committees with technical information and raise awareness regarding the risks associated with in-situ leach mining in the area, it said.

“During the event, Sauma delivered a presentation on the process of in-situ leach mining, emphasising the potential risks and outlining its adverse effects.”

According to the association, the presentation covered key aspects such as the critical dependence of everyone living and farming in this region on the water in the underground aquifers, water usage and consumption patterns within the basin and the problems inherent to in-situ leach mining.

It also elaborated on the challenges of restoring the mining areas, the features that will result in leakage of the uranium-rich mine solution from the mined aquifer to other aquifer layers, the presence of radioactivity, the build-up of heavy metal toxicity and the spread of both from the mine area far into the rest of the aquifer.

Sauma provided examples where similar in-situ mine operations elsewhere in the world had resulted in massive contamination of underground aquifers.

Consequences

“While acknowledging the potential for job opportunities that in-situ leach uranium mining may hold for Namibians, the association firmly believes that the environmental contamination of our most valuable water resource far outweighs any short-term benefits.”

The long-term consequences and damage are simply too significant to ignore, it said.

Sauma further appealed to the committee to consider the future implications and their irrevocable effects.

It requested the involvement of independent specialists, including hydrologists and geologists, to conduct a thorough scientific investigation into the hazards associated with in-situ uranium leach mining within a critical drinking-water aquifer.