New Uranium Mining Projects - Tanzania
(last updated 9 Nov 2011)
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Tanzania
General • Mkuju River (Mantra Res.) • Mkuju (Uranex) • Manyoni
In Tanzania, uranium prospection and exploration is being performed by Uranex NL, Omegacorp Ltd, Mantra Resources Ltd, Uranium Resources plc , Indago Resources Ltd , Sabre Resources Ltd , Uranium Hunter Corporation , Trimark Explorations Ltd., IBI Corporation , Gambaro Resources, Douglas Lake Minerals Inc. , Canaco Resources Inc. , Sub-Sahara Resources NL , East Africa Resources Ltd , Tanganyika Uranium Corp. , Troll Mining Ltd, Jacana Resources Ltd , Globe Metals & Mining Ltd , Atomic Minerals Ltd , Universal Power Corp.
Central Iron Ore Ltd , VIPR Industries Inc. , Minergy Tanzania Ltd (Mauritius), Peak Resources Ltd , Kinti Mining Ltd , Kilimanjaro Mining Company, Inc. , Edenville Energy Plc , Japan Oil, Gas and Metal National Corporation
Uranium mining in Tanzania is being opposed by Civil Education is the Solution for Poverty and Environmental Management (CESOPE)
General
U.S. law firm sends environmental expert to Tanzania to help set up uranium mining regulations: John Englert, a partner at the Downtown law firm K&L Gates who specializes in environmental issues, spent more than a week in the African nation of Tanzania last month providing free legal advice to government officials on environmental issues related to mining its vast uranium resources.
"We had a substantial number of participants from government who weren't lawyers," he said. "They had little understanding of uranium and why it should be regulated differently than gold." "When you mine uranium and pull the uranium from the ground, what is left remains radioactive and must be handled a certain way to avoid exposure to radiation and the spread of contamination," Mr. Englert said.
Because of uranium's slow decay rate, "This must be done for thousands of years. There are long-term implications to this type of mining." (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Nov. 7, 2011)
20,000 signatures against uranium mining handed over to Tanzanian embassy in Germany: On Sep. 2, 2011, 20,000 signatures against uranium mining in Tanzania were handed over to the embassy of Tanzania in Berlin. The signatures were collected in Germany by NGOs uranium-network.org , Rettet den Regenwald , tanzania-network.de , and NABU International . (NABU International Naturschutzstiftung Sep. 2, 2011)
Motion against uranium mining to be tabled in parliament: An MP expects to table a private motion in the October Bunge [National Assembly] session to block extraction of uranium in the country.
Mr Tindu Lissu, the Singida East MP (Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo, Chadema), said his decision follows a petition signed by over 3,000 wananchi [people] from Bahi District in Dodoma and Manyoni in Singida which he had received. He said they decided to write the petition, which he expects to table as a private motion, after learning that the government has granted a license for uranium extraction in their area to Mantra Resources Limited.
He said the petition was signed last Saturday (July 16) in Bahi after launching of the economic and social effects of uranium report. He said a team of activists conducted a research to find out the effect of uranium extraction. (The Citizen July 20, 2011)
Tanzania "eyeing the world's biggest uranium producer slot":
When opening the new offices of the Tanzania Atomic Energy Commission in Arusha, President Jakaya Kikwete said Tanzania was eyeing the world's biggest uranium producer slot. "If all the reserves we have are fully exploited, Tanzania can become the seventh leading uranium producers in the world," said Kikwete.
Already Mantra Resources and a Russian firm ARMZ have entered into a joint venture to mine uranium. Tanzania has so far confirmed the presence of multiple thick zones of sandstone-hosted uranium mineralisation at shallow depths at the Nyota Prospect. An Inferred Mineral Resource of 35.9 million pounds (U3O8) [13,808 t U] has been estimated for the Prospect, Kikwete said this initial resource estimate is based on drilling that covers only a small part of the total area of the Prospect, and the potential exists to substantially grow the resource base with ongoing work. (The East African May 2, 2011)
Japanese Company signs mineral exploration deal with Tanzania: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Japan Oil, Gas and Metal National Corporation (JOGMEC) and the Geological Survey of Tanzania (GST) will see the two institutions join efforts to explore and assess mineral resources in the country.
Minister of Energy and Minerals William Ngeleja noted that a big portion of Tanzania had not been geologically surveyed; areas that are mostly in the Southern parts of the country, saying that there are a lot of mineral resources that have not yet been discovered. "Preliminary studies in these areas have revealed abundant alluvial gold deposits in the Mbwemkuru River Basin, nickel occurrences in Nachingwea, uranium occurrences in Namtumbo district and various gemstones in the Mhuwesi River Basin," he explained. (Daily News Dec. 7, 2010)
Areva eyes Tanzanian uranium: French energy group Areva is interested in developing Tanzania's uranium deposits, a senior executive told Reuters. Tanzania has at least 54 million pounds of uranium oxide [20,769 t U] deposits and expects to start mining some of it by 2011. (Reuters May 7, 2010)
Tanzania to develop uranium deposits: In the wake of encouraging surveys of the country's uranium deposits, Tanzania's government is developing a policy on nuclear energy. Dar es Salaam Daily News reported on July 24 that Tanzania's Minister of Communications, Science and Technology Professor Peter Msolla said the country's rich uranium deposits in Dodoma and Ruvuma will be developed to allow the country to generate electricity [!]. (UPI July 24, 2009)
Uranium extraction in Tanzania to start in 2011: Tanzania plans to start uranium extraction in three years, according to Energy and Minerals minister, William Ngeleja. (Tanzania Guardian March 21, 2009)
Mkuju River project (Mantra Res.), Namtumbo district, Ruvuma Region
> View deposit info
Atomredmetzoloto applies for mining licence at Mkuju River project: An Australian firm [ehm, well, 100% owned by Russia's Atomredmetzoloto since June 7, 2011], Mantra Tanzania, is seeking a licence to start mining uranium in the country. The environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA) has just been completed and the reports have been submitted to the National Environmental Management Council .
The firm has been conducted prospecting activities at the Mkuju River area in Ruvuma region.
Mantra country manager Asa Mwaipopo said extensive exploration has identified a significant and world-class uranium deposit at the Mkuju River. There is mineable ore reserve base of 65.5 million pounds [25,200 t U] which can support an average annual production of 4.2 million pounds [1,600 t U] over a minimum 12 year mine life. (The Citizen Reporter) (The Citizen Oct. 26, 2011)
House Committee: Stop uranium exploration in Selous Game Reserve: The Parliamentary Committee on Lands, Natural Resources and Environment has advised the government to suspend uranium exploration in Selous Game Reserve because majority of Tanzanians do not know how they are going to benefit from the project. The project is being implemented by Mantra Resources Tanzania Limited.
They raised the concern yesterday at a seminar on uranium mining in Dar es Salaam after visiting the mining site in the Selous last week. The MPs also said that if implemented the minerals are likely to have a great impact on the wild animals adding that as a result the government would lose a lot of tourism income. Citing the number of mining projects which Tanzanians have not directly benefited from, they said time for uranium extraction is not ripe yet. (The Guardian Oct. 24, 2011)
Selous Game Reserve may be declared a "World Heritage Site in Danger," if the Tanzanian government approves uranium mining: One of Tanzania's UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Selous Game Reserve, may be declared a "World Heritage Site in Danger," should the Tanzanian government continue to recklessly pursue plans to open up a Uranium mine and build a dam at Stiegler's Gorge, it was learned yesterday. (eTN Aug 23, 2011)
Tanzanian minister calls World Heritage Committee an "insignificant entity from which we cannot take orders": The World Heritage Committee of Unesco has warned Tanzania against plans to mine uranium and undertake oil exploration in the Selous Game Reserve. It said the move would constitute a clear case for inscribing the game reserve on the list of World Heritage in Danger. But Natural Resources and Tourism minister Ezekiel Maige told The Citizen yesterday that the World Heritage Committee was an "insignificant entity from which we cannot take orders". (The Citizen July 17, 2011)
Selous Game Reserve cannot remain a World Heritage Site if the Tanzanian government gives go-ahead for mining, renowned conservationist says: Dr Rolf D. Baldus , a wildlife conservationist who has worked in the Selous Game Reserve for 13 years, and is regarded as one of the major authorities on the reserve, said there was general agreement that no mining activities may be conducted in a World Heritage Site.�"The Selous cannot remain a World Heritage Site if the Tanzanian government gives the go-ahead for mining to start within the property," said Dr Baldus in a statement made available The Citizen.
Dr Baldus, who has authored or edited about 60 publications on the Selous Game Reserve, said Tanzania had not provided an environmental impact analysis (EIA) for the projects in the Selous. "It is a good Tanzanian tradition that public investments and projects with major ecological consequences are either not subjected to EIAs at all or the EIAs provided are sub-standard and of unacceptable quality. Mostly they seem to have been written just in order to justify the government decision. The recently planned Serengeti highway was such an example," he said. (The Citizen July 17, 2011)
World Heritage Committee refers decision to revise the boundaries of Selous Game Reserve for uranium mining: On July 7, 2011, the World Heritage Committee "decided to refer the proposed minor modification to the boundaries of the Selous Game Reserve submitted by the Government of Tanzania. The Committee decides to refer a nomination back to the State Party to request that additional information may be provided, and the nomination resubmitted to the following Committee session for examination.
This additional time should allow Tanzania to complete the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process and to also allow for adequate time for IUCN to complete its evaluation of the proposed boundary modification, including by sending a mission to the property."
> View WHC release July 7, 2011
Atomredmetzoloto/Uranium One to mine uranium in the UN World Heritage site Selous Game Reserve: Tanzania will go ahead with plans to mine uranium in the UN World Heritage site Selous Game Reserve , the natural resources minister has told the BBC. Ezekiel Maige said he told the recent UN World Heritage Centre meeting it would mean the park's size would need to be reduced by less than 1%. The UN body said it would approve the plans, as long as environmental assessments were carried out.
According to the UN cultural organisation Unesco, the 5 million hectare-Selous Game Reserve in the south of Tanzania has large numbers of elephants, black rhinos, cheetahs, giraffes, hippos and crocodiles - and is relatively undisturbed by humans. (BBC Jul. 1, 2011)
Mkuju River uranium mine might become bigger than planned so far: Uranium One is reluctant to discuss details of its development plans for the Mkuju River project in Tanzania until an updated feasibility study is published early next year, but CEO Chris Sattler indicated on Tuesday (June 21) that production levels will likely be somewhere between five-million and seven-million pounds [1,900 and 2,700 t U] a year.
The project could produce an average of 4.2-million pounds a year of yellowcake [1,600 t U/a], at costs of $22/lb, according to a May feasibility study completed by Mantra. Uranium One has said it expects to build a bigger project, although it has not provided any specific numbers. (Mining Weekly June 22, 2011)
Uranium One becomes operator at Mkuju River Project: On June 7, 2011, Uranium One Inc. announced that its 51% shareholder, JSC Atomredmetzoloto, has completed the acquisition of Mantra Resources Ltd.
Uranium One also announced that it has now become operator of Mantra's Mkuju River Project in Tanzania, pursuant to an operating agreement entered into on June 6, 2011 between Uranium One, ARMZ and Mantra.
Positive Definitive Feasibility Study announced for Phase 1 development of Nyota prospect: On May 6, 2011, Mantra Resources Ltd announced the completion of the Phase 1 Definitive Feasibility Study for the company's Nyota Prospect, part of the wholly owned Mkuju River Project in
Tanzania, "which confirms the robust technical and economic viability of the Project and demonstrates that Nyota will be a low cost, near term uranium producer".
The study assumes an annual production of 4.2 million pounds of U3O8 [1,615 t U] during steady state operation, based on average annual throughput of 5.2 million tonnes of ore at an average grade of 437 ppm U3O8 [0.037% U], with an initial mine life of 12 years (including ramp up and ramp down) for Phase 1, with potential to increase further.
> Calculate Nyota Prospect mine feasibility
Russia acquires owner of Mkuju River uranium project: Rosatom Corp., Russia's nuclear holding company, agreed to buy Mantra Resources Ltd. for A$1.16 billion ($1.15 billion), giving it the Australian-based company's Tanzanian assets. Rosatom, through its ARMZ Uranium Holding Co. subsidiary, will buy Perth-based Mantra for A$8 a share, a 5.5 percent premium to its last trading price before the shares were halted prior to the takeover announcement today. The all-cash offer is subject to Australian regulatory approval, the companies said in a statement. Buying Mantra will give Rosatom the Mkuju River project in Tanzania and add to its controlling stake in Canada's Uranium One Inc. that it purchased in June. (Bloomberg Dec. 15, 2010)
It is expected that the Mkuju River uranium project in Namtumbo district, Ruvuma Region, will start production this year. Mantra Tanzania Limited is developing the project which is in advanced stage. Speaking in Namtumbo over the weekend, the Mantra Tanzania managing director, Mr Tony Devlin said that the development of the project, whose feasibility study was completed in March this year, is progressing well. He said that on completion, the mine has the potential of producing over 1,650 tonnes of uranium oxide [1,400 t U] a year.
Under this rate, he said, Tanzania will be in the list of eight largest producers of uranium oxide in the world. (The Citizen Sep. 6, 2010)
On Mar. 1, 2010, Mantra Resources Limited announced that the Pre-Feasibility Study for the Company's Nyota Prospect, part of the wholly owned Mkuju River Project in Tanzania, has confirmed the technical and economic viability of the Project and its capacity to operate with strong cash margins. A Definitive Feasibility Study is to commence immediately, targeting completion by the end of 2010.
Uranium mining company Mantra Resources Ltd (Mantra) of South Africa has been given the go ahead by the Tanzania government to mine uranium after it met all environmental conditions as mandated by the National Environment Management Council . Mantra expects to complete a pre-feasibility study anytime now, ahead of the awarding and commencement of a full feasibility study. The drilling programmes are scheduled to be concluded by December and will be followed by a revised resource estimate expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2010. (The East African Sep. 14, 2009)
"Mantra Tanzania Limited is expected to start mining uranium by 2012," Minister William Ngeleja said in a speech to parliament. (Reuters July 26, 2009)
On June 17, 2009, Mantra Resources Limited announced that the Scoping Study for its wholly owned Nyota Prospect, part of the Mkuju River Project in Tanzania, has confirmed the technical and economic viability of the Project and its capacity to operate with strong cash margins. A Pre-Feasibility Study is now underway.
Mkuju uranium project (Uranex)
> View deposit info
On May 18, 2011, Uranex NL announced substantial high grade uranium intersections from initial drilling of the Likuyu North Prospect, part of its 100% owned Mkuju Uranium Project, in Southern Tanzania.
Manyoni project
(formerly Bahi project)
> View deposit info
Group cautions Tanzanian government over environmental impacts of proposed uranium mining: The Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) is planning to take the government to court should it go ahead with uranium mining projects in Bahi and Manyoni districts in Dodoma and regions respectively. The LHRC cautioned yesterday that it was against the projects because they would lead to serious health and environmental impacts on the people living in the area.
Addressing reporters in Dar es Salaam on behalf of the LHRC executive director, Mr Harold Sungusia, who is LHRC's director of Advocacy and Reforms, said the Centre had established that there would be negative implications after it made a follow up on uranium exploration in the areas said to have reserves of the mineral.
"We don't have to think of relocating people from these areas because we have past experience on how the issue of compensating becomes problematic," said Mr Sungusia, who is the LHRC's director of advocacy and reforms. However, the government has no plan to provide alternative safe residences or compensate the residents of the area when the mining activities begin.
For other areas, apart from the two districts, the government would take prior measures before implementing the mining activities. LHRC said experts must be fully consulted to determine environmental effects in order to identify short and long-term effects associated with uranium mining, noting that the issue of uranium mining should go hand in hand with education regarding effects and benefits of the activities.
LHRC also asked the government to learn from other nations, such as Niger, that have already experienced negative effects of uranium mining. Reached for comment, the deputy minister for Energy and Minerals, Mr Adam Malima, said the mining activities would not have any impact on the people since the minerals would only be produced in their raw form. (The Citizen Aug. 15, 2011)
Legislator recommends to study impacts of proposed uranium mining in Bahi: The government has been advised to carry out a through study and get experience from other countries on the health, social and environmental hazards likely to occur before embarking on uranium extraction in Bahi.
Bahi legislator Omari Badwel gave the advice yesterday during an exclusive interview with a Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) fact finding mission investigating facts on the mineral in Bahi District, Dodoma Region. (The Guardian July 23, 2011)
Costs of proposed uranium mining in the Bahi Swamp area highly likely to exceed benefits, NGO report finds: On July 16, 2011, the group Civil Education is the Solution for Poverty and Environmental Management (CESOPE) released a report about the economical and environmental impacts of the proposed uranium mining in the Bahi Swamp area. The authors "conclude that there is a serious risk and high probability that the costs to the local and Tanzanian economy will by far exceed the benefits".
> Download Economical and ecological research of Bahi Swamp, by Damas K. Mbogoro, Augustino Mwakipesile, and Howard D. Smith (Ed.), Civil Education is the Solution for Poverty and Environmental Management (CESOPE), December 2010, 35 p. (785k PDF, posted with permission)
On Oct. 27, 2009, Uranex NL announced the commencement of the final stage of the Pre-Feasibility Study at its wholly owned Manyoni Uranium Project in central Tanzania following successful additional leach test work and initial results from the 2009 infill drilling programme.
Uranium mining company Uranex has been given the go ahead by the Tanzania government to mine uranium after it met all environmental conditions as mandated by the National Environment Management Council . (The East African Sep. 14, 2009)
"Uranex Tanzania Limited ... expects to start producing the mineral [uranium] in 2011," Minister William Ngeleja said in a speech to parliament. (Reuters July 26, 2009)
On June 10, 2009, Uranex NL, once again, announced the commencement of the Pre-Feasibility Study for its Manyoni Project in Central Tanzania. The study now is scheduled for completion by December 2009.
Uranex NL may start operating a mine in Tanzania's central Bahi region within two years, Chief Executive Officer John Wilfred Cottle said. Studies conducted at Manyoni, about 80 kilometers west of the capital, Dodoma, in the Bahi region show an inferred resource estimate of 6,900 metric tons of uranium oxide, Cottle said in an interview today in the commercial capital, Dar es Salaam. "These are very shallow deposits so we expect it to be low-cost and relatively simple to process," Cottle said. "We would like to start producing in that region in 2010." (Bloomberg Oct. 7, 2008)
On Aug. 20, 2008, Uranex NL announced the commencement of a pre-feasibility study on the Bahi uranium project in central Tanzania. The study is to be completed by December 2008.
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