25 Mar 2021

The uranium project in Serule failed to take off due to the collapse of the uranium market, which was further exacerbated by the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station accident in Japan in 2011, says Minister of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security, Mr Lefoko Moagi. He said most countries closed some of their older nuclear plants and cancelled new projects, adding that uranium prices also remained depressed.The minister said A-Cap Resources was given a mining licence to mine uranium near Serule in September 2016. 

Due to the above reasons, Mr Moagi said the company did not start production as initially planned in 2018 due to the depressed market. He said its production was estimated at 3.75 million pounds (Mlbs) of uranium with an anticipated 18-year-life of the mine. The minister said uranium deposits discovered in the Serule area were one of the largest undeveloped deposits in the world, but not the biggest.

He said the reserves were estimated at 74.7 million poundsm, and that countries with the biggest uranium deposits were: Kazakhstan, Australia, Canada, China, South Africa and Russia. Mr Moagi further told Parliament that uranium mining could create various job opportunities such as mining engineering, geology, mineral processors, environmental and safety practitioners, various technical and artisan cadres, supporting functions like finance, human resource and IT.

He said the company planned to employ 402 employees, adding that the A-Cap Resources’ proposed project was close to the serviced rail line, a tarmacked road as well as an established powerline.

He also noted that the nearby settlements of Serule and Gojwane were about 1.3 km and 3.8 km respectively from the boundary of the lease area. With regards to safety and health, Mr Moagi said all mining companies were regulated under the Mines, Quarries, Works and Machinery Act. He said uranium mining and processing required stringent safety and security protocols due to possible adverse impact to human health when exposed to radiation.

He also said uranium mining could be done by surface or underground mining processes and also by heap leaching.“In all methods, land can be left with radioactive, toxic elements and pollution of the soil and water,” he said. Uranium is mainly used to produce electricity. It provides thermal energy which is used to heat and convert it to steam which is then used to turn turbines to generate electricity.

The MP for Kanye North, Mr Thapelo Letsholo had asked the minister to appraise Parliament on the law that regulated the exploration and mining of uranium, and if it was true that the uranium discovered in Botswana was the largest undeveloped deposit in the world. He also asked the minister to describe uranium mining in terms of job creation and safety to health and the environment, and to state which companies had been given licences to mine uranium and where and when they would start production. ends