April 10, 2013
The Tanzanian Ministry of Energy and Minerals granted its first uranium mining licence to Mantra Tanzania, a subsidiary of Australia-based Mantra Resources, Tanzania's The Citizen reported Tuesday (April 9th).
Mantra Resources is owned by Russian uranium company AtomRedMetZoloto (ARMZ), which will put the operation of the Mkuju River mining site under the control of Canada-based Uranium One, which ARMZ acquired in 2012.
ARMZ and its subsidiaries expect to produce 14,000 tons of uranium annually from the Mkuju River, which has measured resources of 36,000 tonnes of uranium and inferred resources of a further 10,000 tonnes.
The first major uranium mining development in south-eastern Tanzania, Mkuju River is expected to bring Tanzania up to 728 billion shillings ($450 million) in foreign direct investments, 405 billion shillings ($250 million) in foreign currency receipts and create 1,600 jobs.
The site was excised from the Selous Game Reserve last year after receiving approval from the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.
United Nations approves uranium mining in Tanzanian nature park
July 06, 2012
The UNESCO World Heritage Committee has approved Tanzania's request to establish a uranium mine in the Selous Game Reserve, a World Heritage site, the International Business Times reported Thursday (July 5th).
"The area set aside for the project is hardly 0.8% of the total area, about 200 square kilometres. The Selous Game Reserves covers a total area of 54,600 square kilometres … and has additional buffer zones," said Natural Resources and Tourism Minister Khamis Kagasheki.
In January 2011, Tanzania told UNESCO in its application that the mining is crucial for funding development programs for the country as well as driving its economy.
Mantra Resources, an Australia-based mining company, will build and operate the Selous Game Reserve mine.
Construction will cost an estimated $400 million, and the mine is expected to earn $250 million of revenue annually for 15 years. The reserve was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982, and is populated with elephants, cheetahs, giraffes and other wildlife.
No comments :
Post a Comment