Tanzania permitted to mine uranium in Selous
By Gadiosa Lamtey

1st July 2011

The World Heritage Centre (WHC) committee has permitted Tanzania to start exploring uranium in Selous Game Reserve, after the country has met two referral conditions she had been required earlier to fulfill.

According to Minister for Natural Recourses and Tourism Ezekiel Maige, the government had been required to work on the two conditions within a period of one year to allow a report to be submitted in the 36th WHC conference.

Making the revelation on the WHC decision reached in France late last month to journalists in Dar es Salaam yesterday, the minister said Tanzania had first been asked to conduct Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) indicating possible effects that might occur and work out strategies to minimise their impacts.

In the second condition a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) team was required to visit the project site and work together with government officials in preparing a mining plan and strategies to minimise environmental impacts.

The first condition ESIA submitted to the centre was incomplete because it was not approved by the National Environment Management Council (NEMC) and it showed that it could take long time to discover some of the effects and might not be easy to know their magnitudes.

“Under the permit, other activities relating to commencement of mining can continue while the two conditions were being worked on and submitted to the 36th WHC conference,” the minister.

During the conference, the government took the opportunity to endorse the 1972 International Agreement on Biodiversity Conservation and Protection.

Under the agreement, the minister said, areas that have unique heritage will be recognised and listed in World Heritage Sites under Unesco. According to the agreement, exploration projects are not allowed in the game reserve, he added.

However, given the importance of uranium mining to Tanzania, the government submitted a requested to have the boundaries of Selous Game Reserve changed, and have its 34,532 ha reduced to pave way for the project, he said.

“The centre gave us conditions although Tanzania is our land because of the agreement the government signed which prohibits exploration activities at WHS. The project however is important for the community and government because 78 per cent of the mineral products will remain in the country and create employment,” he said.

Commenting on national conservation in the country, he said WHC received the country report but was somewhat pessimistic about conservation of Serengeti National Park (senapa)—specifically on the proposed road project.

At the meeting, the government explained its stance that the Serengeti road project will not be constructed at tarmac level, (the tarmac will end at Loliondo on the eastern side, leaving 123 kilometers which will be under Tanzania National Parks (Tanapa), he said.

On Wednesday Tanzania and Uganda signed a multi-billion-shilling railway construction project to run from Tanga via Arusha to Musoma which authorities said would steer clear of the much contested Serengeti National Park stretch by 100 kilometers to preserve the ecosystem.

According to Transport minister Omar Nundu, the project will consider concerns by Tanzanians and the international community over the need to preserve Serengeti National Park’s ecosystem.

The plan to steer clear of the particular stretch follows reports by the international media that the government has dropped plans to build a highway through the world-famous park.

The reports also suggest that the government has informed Unesco’s World Heritage Committee that it would continue with its plans to build the proposed Arusha-Musoma highway but without touching the 53km stretch through the National Park.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

TBA

There goes the neighborhood...

FOLLOW THE MONEY!!!! someone in the Tz. government is getting some serious nyama from this deal. and how did the Selous Game Reserve get to be only 34,532 hectares?
However, given the importance of uranium mining to Tanzania, the government submitted a requested to have the boundaries of Selous Game Reserve changed, and have its 34,532 ha reduced to pave way for the project, he said.

I believe they mean the area to be excluded from the reserve for mining will be 32000+ ha......

Very interesting Interview with Dr. Baldus about mineing in the Selous http://safaritalk.net/index.php?showtopic=7037

Who is the ultimate owner of the Uranium? This is the road to selling UR to no telling who, and for the purpose of enrichment? No doubt, those countries who should never be allowed to posses enriched UR will wind up with it. Then what.....

Monday October 24, 2011
Local News

Rules on mining in parks coming


By ALVAR MWAKYUSA, 23rd October 2011 @ 19:45,


REGULATIONS to guide mining activities in game reserves are in pipeline as Tanzania is due to start mining of uranium in the Selous Game Reserve.

Tanzania is also seeking approval from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to implement the project in the game reserve, one of UNESCO'S world heritage sites.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism and Natural Resources, Ms Tarishi Kibenga, said in Dar es Salaam on Sunday the regulations would be out in the near future.

"The regulations will be out very soon," Ms Kibenga told journalists shortly after officiating at a sensitisation seminar on uranium activities to members of the Parliamentary Committee on Land, Natural Resources and Environment.

"The regulations are in line with the Wildlife Conservation Act of 2008 which recognises existence of minerals in reserved areas. It thus allows mining of uranium, natural gas and oil in such areas," she said.

The parliamentary team had during the weekend visited the site of the proposed uranium project at Mkuju River in Namtumbo District, Ruvuma Region, on a fact-finding mission.

The PS stressed that mining activities should be implemented in accordance to the laws governing environment, mining and conservation of natural resources.

She also cited the Environment Act of 2008 which calls for strategic assessment for projects to be implemented in wildlife and swampy areas.

The Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee, Mr James Lembeli (Kahama - CCM), called for transparency in implementation of the project.

Tanzanians are having high expectations in this project and it should be implemented in a transparent manner," he cautioned.

The MP expressed concerns that there was little awareness among responsible stakeholders on the project causing wrong and negative perceptions on its execution.

Mr Lembeli suggested that Tanzanians should be made more aware of the project.

"I had a lot of worries on the project until I visited the site and got briefed on how it will be accomplished," the MP said.

He acknowledged that there are some people against and others in support of the project, blaming secrecy for speculations.

"For instance, we were all kept in the dark when the government made an application to UNESCO to have the approval for the project, these issues should be made clear to Tanzanians to enable everyone understand what is going on," he said.

The lawmaker also urged for protection of wildlife and environment during the implementation of the project.

Kibaha Urban MP (CCM), Mr Silvestry Koka, wanted the project to be of economic and social benefit for the people of Tanzania.

"An area within the Selous Game Reserve that will be portioned for the project is very small. We should now discuss on how this mega project will be of benefit to Tanzanians," he suggested.

Uranium One is currently the operator of Mantra's Mkuju River Project (MRP).

House Committee: Stop uranium exploration in Selous

By Patrick Kisembo
24th October 2011

Worries about environment, legality
Govt says everything under control

The Parliamentary Committee on Lands, Natural Resources and Environment has advised the government to suspend uranium exploration in Selous Game Reserve because majority of Tanzanians do not know how they are going to benefit from the project.

The project is being implemented by Matra Resource Tanzania Limited.

They raised the concern yesterday at a seminar on uranium mining in Dar es Salaam after visiting the mining site in the Selous last week.

The MPs also said that if implemented the minerals are likely to have a great impact on the wild animals adding that as a result the government would lose a lot of tourism income.

Citing the number of mining projects which Tanzanians have not directly benefited from, they said time for uranium extraction is not ripe yet.

Michael Lekule Laizer (Longido, CCM) said if the government allows uranium extraction it should also allow the mining of soda ash at Lake Natron which was suspended due to the fact that it might pollute the hatching grounds of the flamingos.

Vita Kawawa (Namtumbo, CCM) asked the Ministry of Energy and Minerals to state clearly the benefits which people living in the project area would get.

Committee chairman James Lembeli said: “There is a big problem which the government should work on. This project looks beneficial to the nation, but the procedures have been secret and we don’t know why,” he said.

He added: “As a result people have made their own interpretations of the outcomes of the project and possible consequences for the people living around it.”

Lembeli who is also the legislator for Kahama constituency said Tanzanians have high expectations on the project, but its success will depend on their understanding of the whole issues of contracts, benefits and the government’s keenness in monitoring it.

He said: “There are people who want the project to start today and others tomorrow. Whatever happens, issues of environmental preservation and mining must be clearly spelt out, so as not to affect people and animals.”

He said it is an open secret that people have been complaining of not benefiting from mining activities.

“We don’t want to have another Buzwagi or Nyamongo. The government must be very careful in undertaking these uranium projects by involving all the stakeholders and it must confirm to the people that the bread is shared equally,” he said.

Magdalena Sakaya, MP and committee member, complained over ownership of the companies exploring uranium in the area saying they have been changing names.

“Earlier there was a company by the name of Mantra Resource, which became Mantra Tanzania and now we have Mantra Resource Tanzania Limited. We don’t exactly know how they changed from the first to the third,” she said, adding: “How is it possible for a company to use three names in one contract?”

Sakaya said they have established that the company was exploring minerals in other parts of the reserve, an indication that it might expand operations if it finds out that uranium exists elsewhere in the reserve.

She said the company was given 3250 sq kms of exploration, but it applied for another 300 square kms for which they have done prospecting. They are now looking for a licence to get 100 sq kms.

“It is possible they have many areas in the reserve and they can in future mine in a bigger place destroying the ecology of the reserve,” she said.

“We want the government to study the situation and consider monitoring the mining,” she said.

Kibaha MP Sylivestor Koka said there is a feeling that the project will destroy the reserve’s ecology, but added that the area which they have taken was small contrary to what people think.

“We better utilize the natural resources we have for the development of this country and its people rather than being mocked at by foreigners that we have not used what God has given us,” he said.

Natural Resources and Tourism ministry permanent secretary Tarish Maimuna Kibenga said the project was transparent and they have tried to educate the public about it.

Kibenga said the sector was facing a lot of challenges. She told the MPs that the project was being implemented within the set legal procedures and that the government is preparing regulations to help protect the environment.

For his part, Mantra Tanzania Limited country director Assah Mwaipopo said the government believes that the development of the proposed mining operation is of strategic importance to the nation and its development programme.

He said exploitation of the deposits would promote Tanzania to the position of the eighth largest uranium producer in the world and third largest in Africa based on 2009 production figures.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

You know, on my last two major hunts I found signs of the roads miners put it as they dig core samples. They are no longer in use, but the scars stay around for a long time.

The locations were the Selous the the Yukon.

The seismic grid lines cut in the Selous are over 30 years old when oil exploration took place.
Had oil been discovered I wonder if there would still be the Reserve we know today?
Those grid lines now serve as hunting tracks.

While I agree that mining in the Selous will not end well for hunting.

No country should have to get "permission" from an international body to mine within it's own broders, That's BS.

Of course there is probably a good reason they are seeking UN approval if they are getting lots of UN aid...

Do they need anyone to help provide the workers with meat?

quote:

Originally posted by TwoZero:
While I agree that mining in the Selous will not end well for hunting.

No country should have to get "permission" from an international body to mine within it's own broders, That's BS.

Of course there is probably a good reason they are seeking UN approval if they are getting lots of UN aid...

Hey, it is called ecological colonialism...

Nothing quite like glow in the dark dangerous game.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201207050180.html


Tanzania Daily News (Dar es Salaam)



Tanzania: Uranium Mining Will Be Safe - Govt
By Bilham Kimati, 5 July 2012



THE government has guaranteed compliance to safety measures at all stages of uranium mining activities following approval by the UN World Heritage Committee to change the borders of Selous Game Reserve where uranium is found.

Addressing journalists in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday, the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Amb. Khamis Kagasheki, said the country has nothing to worry about in connection with the acclaimed hazards of uranium as application of modern technology would assure safety to the environment and lives at large.

"The area set aside for the project is hardly 0.8 per cent of the total area (about 200 square kilometres). The Selous Game Reserves covers a total area of 54,600 sq. km (21,100 sq mi) and has additional buffer zones," Amb. Kagasheki said.

He cited several countries like Japan and Germany where more than 80 per cent of energy is generated from nuclear reactors. "Tanzania needs energy for development. Experts will help us realize our goals. The project is economically viable and will benefit the nation significantly," he insisted.

Business companies to operate in the area, he added, would be required to meet the compulsory corporate social responsibilities as well as support to conservation efforts of the game reserve.

Clarifying on the consent by the World Heritage Committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on excavation of uranium, the minister said Tanzania presented its request for the first time to UNESCO in January, last year.

The matter was determined three days ago, he added, at the ongoing 36th Session of the World Heritage Committee in Saint Petersburg in Russia. The approval allows completion of the Environmental Impact Assessment exercise for business companies to move in," Kagasheki explained.

The Selous Game Reserve is one of the largest faunal reserves of the world, located in the south of Tanzania. It was named after Englishman Sir Frederick Selous, a famous big game hunter and early conservationist, who died at Beho Beho in this territory in 1917 while fighting against the Germans during World War I.

The Selous was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982 due to the diversity of its wildlife and undisturbed nature. Within the reserve no permanent human habitation or permanent structures are permitted. All entries and exits are carefully controlled by the Wildlife Division of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism.

Some of the typical animals found in the area include elephants, hippopotami, wild dog, cape buffalo, crocodiles, among others. These are found here in larger numbers than in any other African game reserve or national park.

Those concession holders are going to get some big $$ to move aside

Progress? It's sad to see the loss of any wild place, but what are we going to do? A lot of people want electric power, even here in the USA. More people means more needs.

quote:

Originally posted by SG Olds:
Progress? It's sad to see the loss of any wild place, but what are we going to do? A lot of people want electric power, even here in the USA. More people means more needs.

Is electricity the real reason seeing Tanzania probably has the largest natural gas deposits in Africa? One wonders why these deposits are not being fully exploited to meet primary domestic and industrial demands

One word: China

quote:

Originally posted by Wink:
One word: China

Nope, not this time - Aussies take the cake on this one!

quote:

Originally posted by fujotupu:
Tanzania probably has the largest natural gas deposits in Africa? One wonders why these deposits are not being fully exploited to meet primary domestic and industrial demands

It's always amazed me that Africa has soooooo much gas, RSA esp has soooo much experience & expertise in alternative fuels and distances are soooo very long between places that they don't even try to develop LPG as an alternative fuel for vehicles.

Just think how much they could improve their economies if they used the cheap fuel they have in their own back yards instead of being reliant on oil.

Time to make lemonade from lemons...

Is there any way to have a covenent created in the permits that allow uranium mining to include a royalty to be paid that would be used solely for wildlife conservation and especially with regard to anti-poaching work? If there was a way to generate significant funds directed toward anti-poaching efforts in Tanzania and specifically the Selous through some sort of funding mechanism tied to uranium mining, I think it may be a win-win situation.

Sorta like their own version of Pittman Robertson funding in the USA.

quote:

Originally posted by L. David Keith:
Who is the ultimate owner of the Uranium? This is the road to selling UR to no telling who, and for the purpose of enrichment? No doubt, those countries who should never be allowed to posses enriched UR will wind up with it. Then what.....

No one would be allowed to ship yellow cake or enriched uranium (in quantity) without the appropriate safegaurds, persmission etc.


I hunt near the Uranium mine in Aussie and the actual mine doesn't take up that much space but the amount of water and crap they use and have to store (as it gets contaminated) and then release only when the water levels in the rivers are high enough to dilute it.

New roads, tracks etc will of course bring in more people with the resulting pressure on game.


Their isn't a shortage of yellow cake, but of course everyone wants to jump on the band wagon of supply as demand will increase looking at how many reactors are being built.

.

http://www.ippmedia.com/


Hunting firm illegally leased block to uranium miners`


By Patrick Kisembo

12th July 2012


The Opposition camp yesterday told the National Assembly about an alleged scam involving two uranium exploring companies and a hunting firm. They are said to have entered into a fraudulent contract apparently facilitating the subletting of the blocks contrary to the law and regulations.

This surfaced when the opposition tabled its “alternative budget estimates” Game Frontiers of Tanzania Limited, was alleged to have sub-leased Mbarang’andu village in Namtumbo benefiting some of USD6m payable in two phases.

An additional 250,000 US dollars was set to be paid upon commencement of actual mining activities. Meanwhile, the local villagers are estimate to at best have had a mere s living in the surrounding villages 10,000 USD go into their meager financial capital circulation.

Shadow minister for Lands, Housing and Human Settlement Development, Halima Mdee named the exploration companies as, Uranium Resources PLC and Western Metals Limited. She also unveiled that the contract was done by a Tanzanian law firm, Rex Attorneys and signed on March, 23, 2007.

As a result of its presumed illegality, the confidential document is out for all to see and it names, Mohsin M. Abdallah and Nargis M. Abdallah as the owners of Game Frontiers of Tanzania Limited, the leasing party. “…another 55, 000 USD is to be paid annual, on every first of March to compensate the opportunity cost…” Mdee went on to unravel the scandal.

“I have gone through the Wildlife Conversation Act of 1974 and The Wildlife Conservation Act Number 5 of 2009. These acts allow a person with a hunting permit to only carry hunting activities and not otherwise…” she further explained.

She added that in accordance to the land laws of 1999 should a piece of land allocated for other purposes and then later be found to contain minerals then ownership returns to the government or the individual.



SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

so I was right 7 posts up.

Anyone wants to see what uranium mining does to the environment? Just look at a few of the American Indian reservations where this took place from the early 70s. Even just exploratory drilling can contaminate an entire watershed. Several incidents all well documented over the last couple decades. Usually kept fairly quiet. Can anyone figure out why?

All African governments are as crooked as a dog's hind leg. Why are we surprised at any of this?

http://www.ippmedia.com/


Game Frontiers responds to minister Kagasheki

By Florian Kaijage
9th September 2012


Game Frontiers Tanzania Limited has replied to a letter written to the firm by Tourism and Natural Resources minister Khamis Kagasheki to clarify on allegations of subletting part of its hunting bloc to a mining firm.

The hunting company was reported to have sublet part of its hunting bloc to Uranium Resources PLC and Western Metal Ltd, risking revocation of its hunting license for violation of regulations.

Game Frontiers submitted their response to the minister, who had explained the move as meant to accord the hunting firm the right to be heard following strong accusations against it for presumed contravention of the law governing hunting blocs.

Ambassador Kagasheki told The Guardian on Sunday that his office has received the letter from Game Frontiers and a team of lawyers is analysing it before determining the next step.

“I am told the document reached us on Tuesday and that it is voluminous. I don’t know yet how big it is or the contents. The lawyers are looking into it keenly and they will advise what to do thereafter,” he stated.

Issuing the order for explanation, minister Kagasheki had instructed that Game Frontiers had 30 days to respond to the letter from the minister, requiring clarifications from the firm.

“They had a month to respond to my letter, but they have done it early, which is better. They are to be heard before a decision is taken on the matter,” he said.

On August 11 the minister told MPs that his office would take action against Game Frontiers on the matter as it was contrary to the law for the hunting firm to sublet its hunting area to another firm.

The minister’s intervention followed claims made by legislator Halima Mdee (Kawe-Chadema) on July 30 that Game Frontiers Tanzania Ltd (holder of a hunting licence) had sublet its hunting bloc to Uranium Resources PLC and Western Metal Ltd for uranium exploration activities.

The minister told MPs he would act on the claims, at which point the company said to be subletting its hunting bloc issued a statement denying the claims.

“We would like to inform the general public that the accusations leveled by the MP and others are totally unfounded,” the company stated in an advertisement published in a number of newspapers.

The company said that in 2007 Uranium Resources Plc and Western Metals Limited were granted a uranium prospecting license over an area which overlaps part of Game Frontiers hunting bloc.

“Obviously mineral prospecting cannot be conducted simultaneously with wildlife conservation and tourist hunting because exploration activities have a tendency of disturbing the animals, and partially also degrading their habitats. It may also harm individuals conducting exploration activities,” the statement read in part.

Licensing uranium prospecting companies over part of the hunting block had the effect of disturbing and disrupting tourist hunting activities as the company had to give access to prospecting companies so that they conduct their work, it said.

The game company could not conduct tourist hunting activities with prospecting operations continuing, the statement intoned.

In that event it could not achieve the maximum utilisation of its allocated quota for tourist hunting meanwhile as it had to meet other obligations related to taxes for that hunting block.

These include payment of 40 per cent of anticipated earnings in its entire allocated hunting area to the government, payment of block fees, TALA fees and professional hunters’ fees. “Contractual commitment with staff and clients remained the same,” it had pointed out.

Ambassador Kagasheki told the House then that the Wildlife Act No. 5, 2009 prohibits holders of hunting blocs licences to lease the blocs to other parties.



SOURCE: GUARDIAN ON SUNDAY