best thing that ext have done , page-4

And could it be that they may not even need to build a plant lol.


Rossing Uranium Limited would exist until the year 2016, providing more time for Arandis to develop economic independence and reduce the risk of becoming a ghost town.

According to the Sustainability Assessment for the Life Extension (SALE) of the mine, issued last year, there are no significant negative environmental impacts associated with extending the lifespan of the mine to 2016, which cannot be addressed and minimised.

Over the years, a foreign company and the potential impacts the mine might have on workers health and the environment, have raised some concerns regarding the exploitation of Namibia’s uranium resources.

Rossing’s Mine Managing Director, Mike Leech said although no decision has yet been taken on the future of the mine, new opportunities to extend the life of the mine had already been identified and are being investigated.

“In fact, as part of the upgrading of the uranium production process there are a number of proposed operational changes, which would result in improved environmental performance, including reduced water usage rates, reductions in dust emissions to air and reduction for groundwater pollution,” the assessment noted.

Social studies showed that Arandis is entirely dependent on the mine.Extending mine life into phase two would provide enough time for the Rossing Foundation to help develop alternative economic activities in the town – thus providing an opportunity for it to develop economic impetus and independence from the Rossing mine.

The study was conducted to determine whether the positive influences of the mine outweigh the potential negative impacts – thus guiding a decision on whether to extend mining operations through to the year 2016 or opt for closure in 2007.

It highlighted that “Sufficient uranium ore is available to continue mining operations but substantial capital investment would be needed for the replacement of haul trucks and ore shovels and to upgrade equipment in the uranium production plant. Furthermore, fluctuating uranium prices and the value of the Namibia Dollar against the US Dollar (uranium at the mine is sold in US dollars) could make Rossing’s operation unfeasible at any time.”

If the mine were to extend its operations to the year 2016, the total value of uranium production is likely to be more than US Dollars 1,000 million with a proportion of about one half going towards wages, taxes and interest, as well as profits distributed to shareholders.

Although not included in the calculation of this proportion, payments for supplies to the mine would represent an important indirect contribution to the economic activity in the country.

It is expected that the mine would provide approximately 930 jobs annually for the 12-year period – thus directly and indirectly contributing to the income of almost 1,000 households to ultimately support more than 4,000 people in the Erongo region.

In the year 2001, the mine contributed N$1 billion to the Namibian economy and 10 per cent to the country’s export earnings.

Namibia’s Environmental Assessment Policy and the global Mining, Minerals and Sustainable Development Project guided the approaches used in the assessment.

Rössing is one of the largest open cast uranium mines in the world and with solid reserves will continue to serve the world is energy industry.
Rössing is part of the Rio Tinto Group of Companies, which currently holds 68,6 percent of Rössing's equity. (NAMPA)