230406001277 - Application for the Renewal of the ECC for Ongoing and Proposed Mining Operations in the Mining Licenses (MLs) Nos. 120 and 123, Swakopmund District, Erongo Region, West Central Namibia

The renewed ECC is required by the Proponent with respect to the ongoing and proposed mining operations in the Mining Licenses (MLs) Nos. 120 and 123, Swakopmund District, Erongo Region, West Central Namibia. The following is the summary of the key components of the ongoing and proposed project operations:  Commodity Group: Dimension stone with special focus granites and other economic rock rocks. The Proponent has applied to the Competent Authority (Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME)) to include base and rare metals, industrial minerals, precious metals, and semi-precious stone group of minerals on both of its MLs.  Size of Deposit: Multiple quarries have been opened with mining only focused on one quarry based on the market needs and all supported by ongoing exploration activities.  Estimated duration of the operations: An ML is valid for a maximum period of 25 years and renewable as provided for in the Minerals (Prospecting and Mining) Act, 1992, (Act No. 33 of 1992).  Socioeconomic benefits / Project Motivation: The Proponent has invested extensively in the Namibian economy in last 20 years and in particular the Erongo Region. The project continues to create employment opportunities, value addition, in-situ potential underground minerals resources and high beneficiation opportunities in Namibia and additional socioeconomic benefits in terms of capital investments, license rental fees, royalties payable to Government, export earnings, foreign direct investments and various taxes payable to the Government.  Mining Technique: Quarry, with a diamond wire saws and stone cutting machines used for cutting out small block 2 m x1 m x 0,6 m (majority), and larger blocks 2,8 m x1 ,3 x 0,8 m (minority) rectangular blocks.  Processing: Further processing of the mined-out and sorted / graded granite blocks will take place at the processing plant. At the processing plant, a giant saw is used to cut up the granite into more manageable pieces.  Sources of water supply: Greywater supplies from Arandis and groundwater from a local borehole drilled.  Sources of electricity supply: National grid, diesel generator and solar.  Mining and operational equipment: Multiple excavators, wheel-loaders, forklift loaders, diesel generator sets, four-cylinder mining machines, wire saw machines, giant saws, semi-automatic drilling machines, containers, trucks, 4 by 4 cars and air-compressors, and.  Waste Rock: Waste rock is being stockpiled and used for other engineering applications such as coastal defences and mine final rehabilitation process. Fine grounded materials from the giant saw are being tested for potential use in soil enhancements for improved crops production applications in the agricultural industry. The effective capacity of the waste rock facility will vary but is likely to be in range of 120 × 90 m3, calculated with 0.85 as capacity utilisation coefficient of waste rock per quarry area opened and fully operated.

Prpject status APPROVED

For further information contact:

Ministry of Environment and Tourism

Department of Environmental Affairs

(+264 -61) 284 2701 (T)

(+264-61) 240 339 (F)

http://www.met.gov.na