Namibia: A desalination plant to preserve groundwater
2010 Responsible Development of AREVA’s Mining Activities Report
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Renovation of middle schools in Niger
Namibia
AREVA Resources Namibia is the Namibian subsidiary of AREVA Resources Southern Africa. The company has offices in Windhoek and Swakopmund and currently developing:
- The Trekkopje mining project situated 70km north-east of Swakopmund. It is one of the most advanced assets under construction;
- Water to Trekkopje Mine is provided by the Erongo desalination plant, thus negating the need for the mine to fulfil its water requirement by extracting water from the soil.
- This project currently employs 1255 people (90% Namibian people). In the long term, the total workforce is set to reach 1,200 people (including 600 sub-contractors for mining operations).
Namibia imports half of its electricity from South Africa. To meet the energy challenges that the country is experiencing, the Namibian government is interested in the possibility of developing a nuclear power program.
Namibia has 2 large uranium mines that are capable of supplying nearly 10% of the world's mining production. Commercial operation of the first mine began in 1976.
AREVA's nuclear power activities in Namibia
Trekkopje project
Trekkopje is the next AREVA open pit mine to be developed in Southern Africa and will be the largest of its type. Its deposit is a very large, shallow, high tonnage, low-grade uranium deposit hosted by calcretised palaeochannels with a main mineralisation that covers an area of approximately 14km x 3km.
Namibia desalination plant inauguration press kit
AREVA Resources Namibia has built a desalination plant in order to supply all of the water used by the Trekkopje mine, located approximately 40 kilometers into the desert. As a result, AREVA will not pump water from the earth and will preserve the country’s water reserves.
Namibia: A desalination plant to preserve groundwater
On April 16th 2010, AREVA has inaugurated the first seawater desalination plant ever built in Southern Africa, near the Trekkopje mine.The excess production will be distributed to the local population and other mines in the future.
Erongo desalination plant
AREVA Resources Namibia commissioned a seawater desalination plant and distribution infrastructure at Wlotzkasbaken, approximately 30km north of Swakopmund, that forms part of the overall project.
The plant will supply sufficient water to support the mining operations in the Erongo region. The water is conveyed to Trekkopje Mine via a 48km long, 800mm diameter pipeline inland into the desert, supported by three pump stations.
The plant has a surplus of potable water available for domestic and industrial usage in the Erongo Region.
Corporate social responsibility
For more than 50 years AREVA has been committed to social responsibility while operating uranium mines in Africa.
AEVA’s ongoing commitment to this ethos combines state-of-the-art technology, worldwide leadership and responsibility to help Namibia develop its uranium resources in a safe and professional manner.
AREVA’s goal is to translate corporate and social responsibility ideals into firm actions which build authentic relationships with its stakeholders. To make its societal commitments concrete, AREVA invests directly in a range of corporate social and environmental initiatives aimed at contributing to the development of the respective countries in which AREVA operates.
