KAROO NEWS - A notice informing the public that Wellani Prominent (Pty) Ltd, a South African company based in KwaZulu-Natal, has applied for a mining permit and environmental authorisation for uranium mining in the administrative districts of Jansenville and Aberdeen is currently in circulation.
In terms of the notice, portions of Kareeboschfontein and Buffelsfontein have been identified for the uranium mining activities.
Speaking to the Graaff-Reinet Advertiser, Sifiso Oscar Sibambo, who was identified as the contact person on the notice, confirmed the validity thereof and requested all interested and affected parties to send an email to sifiso@tandotechnologies.co.za following which they will receive the relevant application information.
The Karoo has a "world-class uranium deposit."
The uranium ore is at shallow depth and can be accessed easily with open-pit mining. In the past decade, there had been several attempts at uranium mining in the Karoo, but this resulted in nothing more than a few holes around Beaufort West that were left behind by mining companies and continue to pollute the environment until today.
The most recent application was in 2016 when an Australian uranium company, Peninsula Energy, had plans for uranium mining in the Karoo.
This application was resisted by local environmental organisations SAFCEI (South African Faith Based Environmental Institute) and Support Centre for Land Change (SCLC), supported by environmental organisations nationwide, who raised substantive objections against uranium mining in the Karoo.
In addition to the devastating environmental legacy left behind by mining companies that have previously attempted to tap into the uranium resources of the Karoo, excessive water use and groundwater contamination were raised as particular concerns.
Another key concern is related to radioactive dust and evaporated toxins that can be dispersed by the wind and potentially result in lung cancer when breathed in.
In the end, the discovery of a tiny succulent rescued the Karoo. It turned out that the botanical survey of the developers overlooked this rare species of Nananthus and many other endemic plants. The botanical studies had to be redone and delayed the whole environmental impact assessment.
After spending more than US$10 million in consultants and legal fees with nothing to show for it, the Australian uranium company eventually decided to leave the Karoo in 2018.
In terms of the notice currently in circulation, the public is invited to register as interested and affected parties, express interest, comment and participate in the public participation process.
It further states that a Draft Basic Assessment Report will be available for review for 30 days at the nearest community library and municipality as well as electronically upon request.Graaff-Reinet Advertiser is still gathering more information on this application and will keep readers updated.
'We bring you the latest Graaff-Reinet, Karoo news'
