2016 Annual SEMP Report
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Strategic Environmental Management Plan (SEMP) for the Central Namib Uranium Province 2016 Annual Report December 2017 Prepared by Geological Survey of Namibia Project Management: Ministry of Mines and Energy, Geological Survey of Namibia, Divi- sion of Engineering and Environmental Geology Status of Data Received: November 2017 Compiled by: Norwel Mwananawa (GSN) and Sandra Müller (NUA) Contributions from: Geological Survey of Namibia (Israel Hasheela, Norwel Mwananawa, Alfeus Moses, Michelle Hijamutiti) DWAF (Anna David and Nicholene Likando) MET (Hiskia Mbura and Riaan Solomon) Namibian Uranium Association (Frances Anderson, Carlene Binne- man, Werner Ewald, Murray Hill, Sandra Müller, Jacklyn Mwenze, Ingrid Scholz, Zhao Xigang) NamPort (Tim Eimann) NamWater (Merylinda Conradie, Erwin Shiluama, Henry Mukendwa, Selma Muundjua and Willem Venter) NERMU (Elbé Becker and Theo Wassenaar) NRPA (Joseph Eiman) Swakopmund Municipality (Robeam Ujaha) Walvis Bay Municipality (Nangula Amuntenya, David Uushona and André Burger) Final editing: Norwel Mwananawa, Sandra Müller and Israel Hasheela © Geological Survey of Namibia, Ministry of Mines and Energy 2017 Citation Geological Survey of Namibia (2017): Strategic Environmental Management Plan (SEMP) for the Cen- tral Namib Uranium Mining Province, 2016 Annual Report. Ministry of Mines and Energy, Windhoek, Republic of Namibia Additional Information and queries to: Mr. Norwel Mwananawa Coordinator Geological Survey of Namibia Ministry of Mines and Energy Private Bag 13297 Windhoek Namibia Tel: +264-61-2848157 Email: [email protected] 2016 Strategic Environmental Management Plan Report for the Central Namib Uranium Province EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Strategic Environmental Management Plan (SEMP) for the Namibian uranium province is a pub- lic-private collaborative initiative housed within the Geological Survey of Namibia, Ministry of Mines and Energy. The SEMP is an over-arching framework and roadmap to address the cumulative im- pacts of existing and potential developments, within which individual projects have to be planned and implemented. Annual SEMP reports measure the performance around twelve Environmental Quality Objectives (EQOs) and the extent to which uranium mining is impacting the central Namib. Each EQO articulates specific goals and targets that are monitored by a set of key indicators. The 2016 SEMP report is the sixth annual report since the inception of the process. It has become clear now that many objectives were formulated under the assumption that the “uranium rush” that triggered the SEA would lead to the development of a number of new mines. This prediction did not materialise due to the current low demand for uranium. The uranium spot price fluctuated around US$20 per pound during 2016. Langer Heinrich Uranium and Rössing Uranium were the only fully operational mines, though Swakop Uranium drummed its first product in December 2016. The overall performance of the 2016 SEMP showed a reduction in the number of indicators being MET (47%) compared to previous years, while three indicators were again EXCEEDED (2%). The per- centage of indicators that were NOT MET increased to 9%, while the indicators IN PROGRESS dropped to 23%. In 2016, 30 indicators were rated NOT APPLICABLE because the relevant activity did not take place (25%). Figure 1 displays the performance for each EQO, which is summarised be- low. Percentage 0 20 40 60 80 100 Development 1 Employment 2 Infrastructure 3 Water 4 Air quality 5 Health 6 Effect on tourism 7 Ecological integrity 8 Education 9 Governance 10 Heritage & future 11 Mine closure 12 Exceeded Met In progress Not met Not applicable Figure 1: Performance per EQO in 2016 The Socioeconomic Development (EQO 1), Employment (EQO 2) and Air Quality (EQO 6) ob- jectives were 100% MET. The two applicable indicators in Heritage and the Future (EQO 11) were also MET. The indicators that were rated as EXCEEDED were in the Infrastructure EQO (average waiting time for ships to obtain a berth at Namport was much lower than 12 hours), in Effect on Tourism (tourists’ expectations of their visual experience in the Central Namib were mostly i 2016 Strategic Environmental Management Plan Report for the Central Namib Uranium Province exceeded) and in the Education EQO (percentage of wage cost allocated to skills develop- ment exceeded the 3% target at operating mines). The objectives for Infrastructure (EQO 3), Effect on Tourism (EQO 7)and Mine Closure and Future Land Use (EQO 12) were mostly MET with some indicators IN PROGRESS or EXCEED- ED. Mixed results ranging from MET to NOT MET were obtained in the following EQOs: Water (EQO 4), Ecological Integrity (EQO 8), Education (EQO 9) and Governance (EQO 10). In the Health EQO (6) the number of indicators IN PROGRESS or NOT MET was higher than the ones that were MET, mostly because it appears unlikely that the stipulated ratio of healthcare professionals and facilities per number of population will be achieved by 2020. Other indicators that were NOT MET relate to the availability of desalinated water in EQO 4 and biodiversity offsets in EQO 8. One EQO 10 indicator was NOT MET because there is no legislation that would allow the Ministry of Environment & Tourism to appoint honorary conservators. In view of the cyclical nature of commodity markets it is expected that the demand for uranium will increase in future. The implementation of the EQO targets is therefore essential to ensure that the region is well positioned for future uranium mining projects. Table 36The most important actions to address the shortcomings that have been identified in this report are summarised as follows: EQO 3: Traffic volume on the B2 has • Upgrade the road to double lanes or create passing increased so that the road has be- lanes at least up to Arandis come unsafe (Roads Authority) EQO 3: Optimum use of rail infra- • Upgrade the railway line so that bulk freight (e.g. fuel) structure (Transnamib) can be shifted from the road EQO 4: Continuous availability of • Communicate with bulk water users about their ex- desalinated water to meet the pected demand and inform the Erongo desalination mines’ demand and ensure that no plant of increases in demand well ahead of time investors are lost (NamWater) EQO 6: Number of healthcare pro- • Employ the number of healthcare professionals identi- fessionals and facilities (MHSS) fied in the 2015 WISN study, add or enlarge healthcare facilities (hospitals, clinics, ambulances) EQO 8: Implementation of biodiver- • MET to create enabling legislation for the lasting protec- sity offsets (MET, Mines) tion of offsets • Mines endorse a “no net loss” policy and create offsets for irreversible damage to important biodiversity areas EQO 12: Lack of mine closure regula- • Create regulations for review and approval of mine clo- tions (MME) sure plans; financial guarantees; implementation review; relinquishment and transfer of liabilities to the subse- quent land owner The SEMP has become a useful long-term monitoring and decision-making tool through which po- tential impacts are highlighted so that measures can be taken to avoid unnecessary impacts and mit- igate unavoidable impacts. A continuing aim of the SEMP process is to increase the commitment of key government institutions, the uranium industry and NGOs to undertake actions that will allow communities in the Erongo region and the mining industry to co-exist in harmony. ii 2016 Strategic Environmental Management Plan Report for the Central Namib Uranium Province CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................. i CONTENTS .................................................................................................................................. iii ABBREVIATIONS .......................................................................................................................... vi SEMP BACKGROUND .................................................................................................................... 1 URANIUM MINING SCENARIO IN 2016 .......................................................................................... 3 EVALUATION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY OBJECTIVES ....................................................... 7 EQO 1. Socio-Economic Development ............................................................................................................... 7 EQO 2. Employment ......................................................................................................................................... 11 EQO 3. Infrastructure ....................................................................................................................................... 13 EQO 4. Water ................................................................................................................................................... 35 EQO 5. Air Quality ............................................................................................................................................ 52 EQO 6. Health ................................................................................................................................................... 63 EQO 7. Effect on Tourism ................................................................................................................................. 76 EQO 8. Ecological Integrity ..............................................................................................................................