Exploring for and mining uranium in the Karoo will not have significant negative health and safety consequences for the environment and its inhabitants – it will rather assist in improving the social and economic prospects of the region, asserts uranium miner Peninsula Energy CEO John Andrew Simpson.

He tells Mining Weekly that the company has undertaken detailed environmental- impact assessments (EIAs) on its 40 prospecting rights, which cover 7 800 km² of the main ura- nium-molybdenum-bearing sandstone channels in South Africa’s Western Cape Karoo basin.

“A radiological-impact assessment is currently under way, as the mine will have to comply with the National Nuclear Regulator’s radiological risk criteria, which stipulate that there is a maximum allowable public dose limit of 1 mSv/year above background radiation levels. This is aligned with the latest international criteria of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the International Commission on Radiological Protection,” Simpson states.

He stresses that “scaremongering” by certain environmental lobbyists about the impact of uranium mining and the nuclear energy industry, in general, is very detrimental to developing countries like South Africa, which will benefit greatly from a vibrant uranium mining and nuclear energy sector.

Further, Simpson points out that the com- pany’s Lance uranium mine, in Wyoming, US, is operational and is run according to the highest environmental standards.

Mining Weekly reported in January that Peninsula completed its first delivery under a 2011 sales and purchase agreement with a US-based utility.

Uranium recovery operations from the Lance project started in December 2015. During the first stage of development, Lance will pro- duce between 500 000 lb and 700 000 lb of uranium oxide a year. Production will increase to 1.2-million pounds a year and to 2.3-million pounds a year in the second and third stages respectively.

Peninsula has four significant uranium concentrate sale and purchase agreements in place for a major portion of production over the first five years of the Lance operation.

Additionally, Simpson points out that the level of unemployment in the Karoo is high; however, the company has already created nine full-time jobs at its offices in Beaufort West, in the Western Cape.

“ . . . establishing uranium mines in the Karoo has the potential to create hundreds of new job opportunities for locals. In addition to this, our social labour plans will ensure that training centres and community development programmes will be established, which will further benefit the people of the Karoo.”

He says Peninsula has held several rounds of public engagement, which have been “robust and frank”. These forums have enabled interes- ted and affected parties to engage the company about their concerns and questions.

Although attendance at these meetings has largely been good, Simpson acknowledges that the more recent meetings had poor turnouts, which he attributes to people having attended previous meetings and not needing to attend additional ones.

Simpson says feedback have been largely positive, as Karoo communities have recognised the significance of the project and its potential to create much-needed job opportunities.

The company has ensured the public that all information regarding the project and its development is available on its website and Facebook page, titled Tasman RSA Mines, he adds.

Nonetheless, the company remains open to engaging all stakeholders who might have concerns or require more information about its projects and will continue to arrange public forums throughout all the phases of the project’s development and operational period.

Peninsula has submitted an application to construct uranium mines in the Karoo and is awai- ting response from the Department of Mineral Resources.

“The South African government has made its intention clear to add 9 600 MW of nuclear power to the national grid over the next 15 to 20 years, and it is crucial that there is local feed- stock available to power these plants.

“New uranium mines in the Karoo would be perfectly placed to supply [State-owned power utility] Eskom with material for these new nuclear power stations,” Simpson says.

He also points out that South Africa already has a sophisticated nuclear research and development sector, which includes the production of radiological isotopes for nuclear medicine.

Nuclear medicine is a branch of medical imaging that uses small amounts of radioactive material to diagnose and determine the seve- rity of, and potentially treat, a variety of diseases including many types of cancers; heart disease; gastrointestinal, endocrine and neurological disorders and other abnormalities within the body.