The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism conducted stakeholder engagements in the Omaheke Region about the possible effects of uranium mining in the Leonardsville and Stampriet areas.

Headspring Investment, a subsidiary of Rosatom – one of the world's largest uranium mining companies – has been exploring uranium there since 2010, with significant discoveries made between 2019 and 2021.

However, concerns have been raised about the possible environmental impact on the Stampriet Aquifer.

Environmental Commissioner Timoteus Mufeti explained that "we have an application on the table to determine whether we can permit Headsprings, which has been prospecting in the Omaheke Region near Leonardville and Stampriet since 2012, after receiving an exploration licence along with our environmental clearance certificate."

Since 2012, Mufeti said, the company "has been searching, prospecting, and exploring to see what the resources are there, and they made a discovery two years ago, and after that discovery, they are now in the process of applying for a mining licence." 

Mufeti said the proposed uranium project has raised significant interest and concern, as it involves a new type of mining that has not been carried out in Namibia before – namely, in-situ leaching. 

This is a mining technique that extracts minerals like uranium and copper by dissolving them directly from underground ore bodies without large-scale excavation.

"We contracted the International Atomic Energy Agency to provide independent expertise for this project, and they have been reviewing all the documentation provided to them since August of last year. We requested them to come to Namibia to meet with the stakeholders to hear their concerns and their worries."

Mufeti wants to thoroughly study all aspects of the project before making any decisions.

We want everybody to understand that. And this is science, and this examination, this investigation, this consultation will help us to make sure that whatever we are going to decide on is the best for our country, for our people."