Challenges to Promoting Sustainability in FastTracked Mining Projects

1
Challenges to Promoting Sustainability in
Fast-Tracked Mining Projects

• UraMins Trekkopje Project

Daniel Limpitlaw Marie Hoadley
2
Weak Sustainability

• Economic capital - the machines, buildings,
  finances and infrastructure which support the
  production of goods and services
• Natural capital those natural resources and
  ecological processes which provide raw materials
  and comprise a life support system (for both
  humans and ecosystems) and
• Social capital the human skills, capabilities
  and belief systems, as well as community and
  institutional systems, that allows a society to
  function.

3
The Trekkopje Uranium Project

• 70 km NE of Swakopmund
• Hyper-arid Namib desert setting
• Economically depressed communities
• Exclusive prospecting licence over 30,000 ha
• Very large open cast truck and shovel operation
  (100,000 t/day)
• Heap leach processing of low grade ore

4
Trekkopje Concession Area
Rössing Uranium Mine
Namib-Naukluft Park
Langer Heinrich Uranium Mine
5
Challenges in the Receiving Environment
(Biophysical)

• The great age of the Namib (15 Ma) a large
  proportion of endemic, protected species
• The gravel plains are characterised by sensitive
  gypsum crusts that are easily destroyed
• Few perennial plants survive their first season.
  Individuals encountered are often hundreds of
  years old, so recovery is extremely slow
• Little is known about rehabilitation of mining
  landscapes in the Central Namib

6
(No Transcript)
7
(No Transcript)
8
(No Transcript)
9
(No Transcript)
10
Challenges in the Receiving Environment
(Socio-Economic)

• Swakopmund inward migration causing
• Large informal settlement
• Backyard shack dwelling (4000 in one suburb)
• Health and social ills crime, domestic
  violence, HIV/AIDS, TB
• Impact on tourism

11
Challenges in the Receiving Environment
(Socio-Economic)

• Arandis post-closure characteristics versus
  threat of boom/bust development
• High unemployment
• Low skills
• Dependency
• Expectations

12
Challenges in the Receiving Environment
(Socio-Economic)

• Spitzkoppe
• Underdeveloped and marginalized
• Dysfunctional
• Subsistence livelihoods
• High unemployment and low skills
• CBNRM a potential livelihood

13
Challenges in the Receiving Environment
(Socio-Economic)

• The//Gaingu Conservancy is one of the largest
  conservancies in Namibia it has yet to generate
  income or provide employment for its members
• Its natural resource base is directly threatened
  by mining.
• The Spitzkoppe campsite, run by the community,
  has been plagued by infighting, political
  agendas, mismanagement and poor environmental
  practices

14
Spitzkoppe
15
Arandis CBD Saturday morning
16
Timelines

• Research into ecosystem re-establishment on spent
  heap leach piles
• Soils
• Lichens and fenster algae
• Re-vegetation challenges

17
Timelines (2)

• Training and skilling of communities
• Alternative livelihoods
• Stable revenue base for local authorities
• The need to manage community expectations

18
Timelines (3)

• Commodity price fluctuations - the uranium price
  spike
• Project financing (US 500 million)
• Production deadlines, compounded by slow response
  time from Authorities
• Design optimisation and changes

19
ESIA

• conducted to assist projects to contribute to
• poverty alleviation,
• employment creation and improved economic
  development,
• protecting the natural environment and
• minimising waste and identifying appropriate
  interventions for ameliorating unavoidable
  impacts.
• seeks to predict the impacts of a proposed
  project on the human and natural environment

20
Conclusion

• A modern SEIA approach facilitates a
  comprehensive risk assessment for mining projects
• A public participation process results in risk
  identification and helps to prepare a community
  for change

21
Conclusion

• Project time lines are short and delivery is
  required within months of initialisation
• Biophysical data and knowledge of ecosystems is
  often lacking. Research to fill gaps may take
  several years
• Communities have little capacity to respond to
  challenges and opportunities.