Business NewsFront Page

Paladin yet to discharge treated water at Kayelekera Uranium Mine

Dual-listed Paladin Energy Limited, the parent company of Paladin (Africa) Limited which owns Kayelekera Uranium Mine (KM) in Karonga, has said controlled treated water release will recommence when government has renewed KM’s licence for the discharge of treated water.

In its quarterly activities report ending September 30 2015, Paladin interim chief executive officer Alexander Molyneux said operations at KM remain on care and maintenance (C&M), with quarterly activities at site focused on modifying the water treatment plant.

Under scrutiny: Paladin's Kayelekera  operations in Karonga
Under scrutiny: Paladin’s Kayelekera operations in Karonga

He said: “These modifications will enable KM to move from a conventional reagent based precipitation water treatment method to a non-reagent water treatment method using filtration only. After successfully completing the modifications, the plant commissioning began in late September 2015.”

Last year, the expected discharge of treated water attracted a barrage of criticism from non-government organisations based in Karonga. They argued that the treated water will contaminate rivers and lakes in the district, which could have a negative impact on people’s lives.

Molyneux said Paladin’s 12-month licence expires on  October 22 2015 and the application for renewal was submitted in early September 2015.

Commenting on further exploration activities, he said this awaits parliamentary approval and introduction of a new Mining Act.

The Mines Department has deferred the issue of two exploration licenses to Paladin, south of KM at Kopakopa and Nthalire, he said.

“The reason for this delay is that Intra Energy Limited has coal exploration licences for the same lease areas and the Government of Malawi is endeavouring to clear these licence overlaps before the introduction of the new Mining Act.

“Paladin will continue to monitor the situation and liaise with the Malawi Mines Department and prepare for the introduction of the new legislation,” he said.

The official said exploration in the September quarter concentrated on surface geophysical surveys, stream sediment sampling and geological mapping in areas to the east of the mine.

On safety, Molyneux said the company achieved 452 Lost Time Injury (LTI) free days at the KM compared to 118 LTI free days at the Langer Heinrich Mine (LHM) in Namibia at the end of this quarter.

“The company’s 12-month moving average Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate [LTIFR] was 1.39 as compared to 2.41 last quarter and 4.10 for the three months ended 30 September 2014.

“LHM had two incidents this quarter both involving mine haul trucks, which did not result in any injuries, but had the potential to cause serious injury or a fatality. Both incidents were fully investigated,” he said.

On the uranium market, the report quoted in The TradeTech Weekly which put the spot price average for the September quarter at $36.48 per pound, representing a one percent decrease compared to $36.80 per pound for the prior quarter and an increase of 17 percent compared to $31.17 per pound for the September quarter.

Paladin put KM on care and maintenance in February 2014 largely due to a slump in global spot prices of uranium due to the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan and said it will resume its operations once the prices rebound.

The disaster at Fukushima 1 Nuclear Power Plant in Japan was initiated by the tsumani in March 2011.

There is a ray hope, however, because Kyushu Electric’s Sendai Unit 1 restarted on August 11, becoming the first Japanese reactor to return to service since September 2013.

Related Articles

Back to top button