Groundbreaking at Husab

22 April 2013

Work has formally begun on Namibia's newest uranium mine, with a groundbreaking ceremony at the Husab project.

Husab groundbreaking (CGNPC)_460
Husab (Image: CGNPC)


Husab is majority owned by China Guangdong Nuclear Power Corporation (CGNPC) subsidiary Taurus Minerals following its 2012 purchase of former owner Extract Resources. The project is being developed by Extract subsidiary Swakop Uranium, in which Namibian state-owned mining company Epangelo acquired a 10% stake in November 2012.

The project received a mining licence from Namibia's Ministry of Mines and Energy in November 2012, and temporary access roads and water supplies have already been built. Construction is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2015. Production is then planned to ramp up to 5770 tonnes of uranium per year by 2017. The mine is expected to have a life of more than 20 years according to CGNPC.

The groundbreaking ceremony at the site in the Namib Desert was attended by representatives of the Namibian and Chinese governments, as well as the chairman of CGNPC.

Researched and written
by World Nuclear News