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Uranium exploration licence for Namura/Xemplar
By: Rodrick Mukumbira
Posted: '13-NOV-06 15:00' GMT © Mineweb 1997-2006



WINDHOEK (Mineweb.com) --Namura Mineral Resources, a wholly owned subsidiary of Canadian Xemplar Energy Corp, says it will move “fast” to develop the Engo Valley uranium deposits in north-western Namibia after the Ministry of Mines and Energy last week awarded it an exclusive reconnaissance licence.

The licence, which covers 1,239 square kilometres, gives Namura exclusive and preferential rights to the area that is described as having rich uranium deposits in the sensitive Namib Desert along the northern Kaokaland coast and 200 kilometres north of Mowa Bay.

The deposit lies within a Permo-Triassic age Karoo sediments, which are quite extensive in the Namib Desert.

A statement from Simon Tam, a director at Xemplar Energy Corp., said the deposits were discovered by the Sarusas Group in 1973. Between 1974 and 1980, the Sarusas Group carried out joint exploration work with General Mining and Finance Corporation resulting in 5,784 metres being drilled that revealed a calculated ore reserve of approximately 5.68 million tonnes at 0.34 kg/t U3O8.

Although noting that the resource calculation was reliable, Tam however cautioned against reliance on it due to the absence of data to support it.

He, nevertheless, said that the Namibian government has proposed that the third deep water harbour be constructed at Cape Fria, which is 40 kilometres south of the Engo Valley uranium deposits.

Uranium developments in the Namib Desert have been a subject of controversy following the advent of Paladin Resources’ Langer Heinrich project, Namibia’s second producing uranium mine.

“The company appreciates that this part of Namibia is an environmentally sensitive area and as a result the company has provided in its exploration programme for an Integrated Environmental Management programme,” said Tam. “The Engo Valley Uranium deposit is a significant resource for Xemplar and the company intends to proceed with its development as quickly as possible.”

He said exploration work during the tenure of the licence would consist of an extensive and thorough data compilation of all existing borehole data, uranium assays and detailed airborne radiometrics. A ground radiometric survey together with an extensive Alphatrack radon survey is also planned.

Namura thus joins the ranks of Nambian uranium explorers with Kalahari Minerals plc, which last week, through its joint venture partner Extract Resources Ltd, received an exclusive nuclear fuel prospecting licence for the area located between Namibia’s oldest uranium mine, Rössing, and the Langer Heinrich project.

Kalahari Minerals, a mining exploration and evaluation group with assets in Namibia, said the one-year licence will be incorporated within the existing Husab joint venture, in which it has a 49% stake.

Last week, ASX-quoted West Australian Metals also reported significant uranium results from the first phase of a trench and pit geochemical sampling programme over parts of its Marenica Uranium project, north of the Rössing uranium mine, which confirmed the presence of significant and wide spread areas of near surface uranium mineralization.

Although noting a lower grade than at similar deposits like Langer Heinrich’s 32 metres averaging 700 ppm U3O8, West Australian Metals said the results demonstrated that significant amounts of uranium mineralization was present and that scope remained to define higher grade zones