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    Roll-Front or Sandstone Uranium in SAB

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    psmanasse
    The document discusses the potential environmental risks of in-situ leaching of uranium from the Auob Formation sandstones in the Stampriet Artesian Basin aquifers in Namibia. It notes that the uranium deposits are soluble in oxidized water and that the injected leaching solutions could spread in all directions, potentially contaminating the regional aquifer system which flows southward. Given the high porosity and existing southward flow paths through the aquifer, any dissolved uranium or excess chemicals could migrate over long distances. The document urges stopping the proposed uranium project to prevent pollution of the critical groundwater resources used by local communities.

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    Roll-Front or Sandstone Uranium in SAB

    Uploaded by

    psmanasse
    43 views19 pages
    The document discusses the potential environmental risks of in-situ leaching of uranium from the Auob Formation sandstones in the Stampriet Artesian Basin aquifers in Namibia. It notes that the uranium deposits are soluble in oxidized water and that the injected leaching solutions could spread in all directions, potentially contaminating the regional aquifer system which flows southward. Given the high porosity and existing southward flow paths through the aquifer, any dissolved uranium or excess chemicals could migrate over long distances. The document urges stopping the proposed uranium project to prevent pollution of the critical groundwater resources used by local communities.

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    Roll-front or Sandstone Uranium in SAB

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    The document discusses the potential environmental risks of in-situ leaching of uranium from the Auob Formation sandstones in the Stampriet Artesian Basin aquifers in Namibia. It notes that the uranium deposits are soluble in oxidized water and that the injected leaching solutions could spread in all directions, potentially contaminating the regional aquifer system which flows southward. Given the high porosity and existing southward flow paths through the aquifer, any dissolved uranium or excess chemicals could migrate over long distances. The document urges stopping the proposed uranium project to prevent pollution of the critical groundwater resources used by local communities.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    43 views19 pages

    Roll-Front or Sandstone Uranium in SAB

    Uploaded by

    psmanasse
    The document discusses the potential environmental risks of in-situ leaching of uranium from the Auob Formation sandstones in the Stampriet Artesian Basin aquifers in Namibia. It notes that the uranium deposits are soluble in oxidized water and that the injected leaching solutions could spread in all directions, potentially contaminating the regional aquifer system which flows southward. Given the high porosity and existing southward flow paths through the aquifer, any dissolved uranium or excess chemicals could migrate over long distances. The document urges stopping the proposed uranium project to prevent pollution of the critical groundwater resources used by local communities.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 19

    High probability of extreme pollution of

    Wings Uranium
    Stampriet Artesian Basin (SAB) aquifers Project
    by
    in-situ leaching of uranium Headspring
    Investments

    Rosatom

    Leonardville area
    SAB Transboundary Aquifer

    X
    Wings project
    270 m.y.

    300 m.y.
    Secondary Uranium deposits

    • Uranium is soluble in oxidised water


    • Uranium is not soluble in reduced
    water
    Sandstone-hosted uranium
    or
    Roll-front uranium
    Grade of roll-front uranium deposits

    • Typically 500 – 4000 ppm


    • 4000 ppm = 4 kg/ton

    • Rössing – 350 ppm (0.35 kg/ton)


    • Husab – 550 ppm (0.55 kg/ton)
    Model of
    in-situ leaching
    PROBLEMS
    • The uranium orebody is probably in one or
    more of the Auob Fm sandstones
    Leachate for In-situ leaching
    (for disolving the uranium)
    • Either
    – Concentrated sulphuric acid (H2SO4)
    – Weak sulphuric acid + hydrogen peroxide
    (H2O2)
    – Sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) + Bicarbonate of
    soda (NaHCO3)
    – Othe combinations of alkalis and oxidants
    Model of
    in-situ leaching

    Injected solvents
    will go in
    all directions
    • Will production well recover all the excess
    chemicals and the dissolved uranium?

    • If monitoring wells pick up any uranium, it


    will mean that uranium has been lost into
    the aquifer
    • The aquifer slopes to the south so there is
    a natural southward flow of the water
    Underground map
    of the elevation
    of the top
    of the Auob Fm:
    X
    Compiled from
    lithologs of
    1600 boreholes
    Underground map
    of the elevation
    of the top
    of the eroded
    Karoo sediments X
    and the
    palaeo
    Aranos River
    (70 m.y.)
    now buried below
    the Kalahari
    The Auob Fm
    has been
    leaking water
    into the
    pre-Kalahari valley
    for 70 m.y.

    Fast initially,
    but slowly
    since the valley
    filled up with
    Kalahari sediments

    Auob Fm saturated
    with water:

    High water table


    • Southward flow of water in the Auob Fm
    enhanced by:
    – Leakage into the pre-Kalahari valley
    – Pumping by all the farm boreholes
    • We are dealing with an abnormally high
    concentrations of uranium
    • Porosity of the Auob Fm is 25 – 30%
    • Uranium molecules, whether oxidised of
    reduced, will move through the aquifer
    with the normal southward flow of the
    water
    • Are there more deposits?

    • One cannot see, taste or smell natural


    radioactivity
    This project must be stopped

    • The aquifers in the Stampriet Artesian


    Basin are the life-blood of the farming,
    lodge and business communities in the
    Kalahari of SE Namibia.
    • Development of any kind within any
    aquifer sandstone must be prevented.

    • How?
    This project must be stopped
    • Please register as an Interested and
    Affected Party (IAP) with
    • Environmental Compliance Consultancy
    who are doing the
    • Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
    – [email protected];
    – Tel: 081 669 7608

    • Object at all public meetings


    • Such meetings are comulsary so that
    concerns of IAPs can be heard

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