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Frost Forecasts Big increase in Namibia Uranium Production
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Frost & Sullivan’s mining report states that Namibia is currently the world’s fourth-largest uranium producer and Africa’s largest uranium exporter, with uranium production in the country expected to quadruple in the near term, owing to increased exploration and expansion activities taking place in the Erongo region.
“About four new uranium mines in the Erongo region are expected to become operational by 2014,” adds Frost & Sullivan mining research analyst Christy Tawii.
Rio Tinto has invested about $285- million in the expansion of the Rössing Uranium Reserve Development project and the construction of a heap-leach processing facility.
China Guandong Nuclear Power Corporation subsidiary Taurus Minerals’ Husab uranium mine expansion project, which Frost & Sullivan says is worth about $1.6-billion, is the highest- value project in Namibia’s uranium mining industry, accounting for 32% of total capital expenditure (capex) invested in the country.
Multinational mining business Areva’s Trekkopje uranium mine, which is expected to start production by 2013, accounts for 19% of the total capex invested in uranium projects in Namibia.
Seven pre-feasibility and three construction stage projects will increase Namibia’s projected uranium production to about 12 000 tons of uranium in 2013
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Once fully operational the Trekkopje mine will process 100,000 tonnes of crushed ore per day, with an expected output of 3 000 tonnes of yellow cake per year. The plan is for the ore to be processed using an on-off heap leach methodology, whereby the spent ore is removed from the pad on completion of the leaching cycle. The leach pad facility will extend over 3 kilometers in length and 810 meters wide, making it one of the biggest alkali heap leach operations in the world. Full-scale production at Trekkopje Mine is planned for the last quarter of 2013.
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