PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Uranium miner Paladin Energy on Tuesday confirmed that a January tank rupture at its Kayelekera mine, in Malawi, has had no impact on the surrounding environment.
Early in January, the ASX- and TSX-listed company launched protection and remediation procedures at the Kayelekera site, after heavy rainfalls caused a liner in the plant run-off tank to rupture, releasing some 500 m3 of material to the bunded areas of the site.
The company subsequently undertook sampling at the site of the storm-damaged tank and surface water upstream and downstream of where any possible incursion might have occurred, but said that results of chemical analysis had indicated that no contamination had occurred.
Paladin also obtained confirmation from an independent laboratory services group from duplicate water samples.
The results of the analysis have been handed over to Malawi’s Environmental Affairs Department.
The Kayelekera mine officially ceased production in May last year, and was placed on care and maintenance. Paladin also owns the Langer Heinrich mine, in Namibia, which is operational.