NMP blasts critics over seabed mining
The company says it is clear that what is good for the goose, is no longer good for the gander.
Amidst an ongoing legal battle regarding the controversial mining of marine phosphate in the country, Namibian Marine Phosphate (NMP) says the development of the industry continues to be hamstrung by public emotion, legal action and bureaucratic delays.
In a statement this week, the company said the marine diamond industry continues to flourish in the same environment and ecosystem as offshore phosphate mining, using dredging that is on a larger scale, and yet, it remains unopposed.
“We urge against unfairness and double standards in favour of objectivity and scientific empirical evidence.
“This is to be the basis on which the viability of the phosphate mining industry in Namibia is assessed. Motives and justifications to oppose and deny Namibia the opportunity to benefit from this natural resource must be interrogated and understood, free from emotions,” NMP said.
The environment ministry last year November granted an environmental clearance to NMP for the 'Sandpiper Project' that is located about 120km southwest of Walvis Bay for offshore phosphate mining.
The granting of the environmental clearance to NMP caused public outcry with interested and affected parties and the fishing industry, saying they were not afforded the opportunity for inputs.
The environmental clearance was later withdrawn by the ministry leading to the current matter before the courts.
NMP and the fisheries and environment ministries are embroiled in a legal tussle over the licenses and clearance certificates.
“It is an undeniable fact that both seabed mining for diamonds and phosphate mining utilise forms of seabed dredging, involving the removal of surface seabed sediments, with fine sediment discharged overboard. Seabed mining methods used in the two processes are effectively the same, however, diamond operations have a significantly larger annual footprint than phosphate mining,” NMP said.
It said the announced expansion of marine diamond mining in Namibia received unilateral support from most ministries in government.
The company said this was contrary to the outcry against the establishment of a new marine phosphate industry.
“There was also no formal resistance, objections or legal injunctions from the fishing industry as a whole to the planned expansion of marine diamond mining in Namibia.”
NMP believes the lack of opposition is presumably because of economics. According to NMP, the diamond industry is the largest single contributor to the Namibian GDP at around 9%.
“The imminent closure of four major coastal diamond mines means that in future, up to 95% of annual diamond production will be derived from seabed mining.”
It said in contrast to marine diamonds, for the past five years the opportunity to develop a new marine phosphate industry in the same marine environment has been frustrated and delayed with unsubstantiated, emotively charged resistance from the fishing industry and self-styled environmental activist groups.
“These same parties have failed to utter a single word to oppose the expansion of the marine diamond industry. Why this double standard and hypocrisy? Marine diamond mining and the envisaged phosphate mining would operate in the same environment. Is what is good for the goose, no longer good for the gander?”
According to NMP, just like the marine diamond industry, the phosphate industry is premised on the sustainable harvesting of Namibia's natural resources in order to significantly contribute to Namibia's GDP and create employment opportunities. It said the company will also empower previously disadvantaged communities in Namibia, starting with the residents of the coastal areas. According to NMP, the government openly invites foreign investment in the mineral sector and has approved the licenses to explore for minerals and develop new mines, which is the primary objective of any exploration.
It says since 2008, its shareholders have invested more than N$780 million into the development of marine phosphate exploration and mining licenses issued by the government to NMP.
ELLANIE SMIT
In a statement this week, the company said the marine diamond industry continues to flourish in the same environment and ecosystem as offshore phosphate mining, using dredging that is on a larger scale, and yet, it remains unopposed.
“We urge against unfairness and double standards in favour of objectivity and scientific empirical evidence.
“This is to be the basis on which the viability of the phosphate mining industry in Namibia is assessed. Motives and justifications to oppose and deny Namibia the opportunity to benefit from this natural resource must be interrogated and understood, free from emotions,” NMP said.
The environment ministry last year November granted an environmental clearance to NMP for the 'Sandpiper Project' that is located about 120km southwest of Walvis Bay for offshore phosphate mining.
The granting of the environmental clearance to NMP caused public outcry with interested and affected parties and the fishing industry, saying they were not afforded the opportunity for inputs.
The environmental clearance was later withdrawn by the ministry leading to the current matter before the courts.
NMP and the fisheries and environment ministries are embroiled in a legal tussle over the licenses and clearance certificates.
“It is an undeniable fact that both seabed mining for diamonds and phosphate mining utilise forms of seabed dredging, involving the removal of surface seabed sediments, with fine sediment discharged overboard. Seabed mining methods used in the two processes are effectively the same, however, diamond operations have a significantly larger annual footprint than phosphate mining,” NMP said.
It said the announced expansion of marine diamond mining in Namibia received unilateral support from most ministries in government.
The company said this was contrary to the outcry against the establishment of a new marine phosphate industry.
“There was also no formal resistance, objections or legal injunctions from the fishing industry as a whole to the planned expansion of marine diamond mining in Namibia.”
NMP believes the lack of opposition is presumably because of economics. According to NMP, the diamond industry is the largest single contributor to the Namibian GDP at around 9%.
“The imminent closure of four major coastal diamond mines means that in future, up to 95% of annual diamond production will be derived from seabed mining.”
It said in contrast to marine diamonds, for the past five years the opportunity to develop a new marine phosphate industry in the same marine environment has been frustrated and delayed with unsubstantiated, emotively charged resistance from the fishing industry and self-styled environmental activist groups.
“These same parties have failed to utter a single word to oppose the expansion of the marine diamond industry. Why this double standard and hypocrisy? Marine diamond mining and the envisaged phosphate mining would operate in the same environment. Is what is good for the goose, no longer good for the gander?”
According to NMP, just like the marine diamond industry, the phosphate industry is premised on the sustainable harvesting of Namibia's natural resources in order to significantly contribute to Namibia's GDP and create employment opportunities. It said the company will also empower previously disadvantaged communities in Namibia, starting with the residents of the coastal areas. According to NMP, the government openly invites foreign investment in the mineral sector and has approved the licenses to explore for minerals and develop new mines, which is the primary objective of any exploration.
It says since 2008, its shareholders have invested more than N$780 million into the development of marine phosphate exploration and mining licenses issued by the government to NMP.
ELLANIE SMIT
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article