THE NAMIBIAN - NEWS - NATIONAL | 2014-04-30 Moratorium frustrates Lüderitz phosphate prospector Adam Hartman THE moratorium on marine phosphate mining is hindering Lev Leviev Namibia Phosphates (LLNP) in Lüderitz from becoming the first marine phosphate processor in Namibia by 2018. LLNP has worked on this project since 2006. Deep sea phosphate mining has become an international concern, and although it has attracted growing interest as technology has opened up new resources that could replace depleted terrestrial mines, there is a concern how this relatively new type of mining could impact on the crucial ocean landscape. Phosphate is one of three major crop nutrients, alongside potash and nitrogen. About six months ago, LLNP got the environmental clearance to continue with a N$200 million demo-plant with specially designed technology to process Namibian phosphate. The demonstration will only take 10 days - hence making it a very expensive exercise, but crucial for paving the way of eventually establishing a N$8 billion facility at Lüderitz. LLNP believes it can mine two million tonnes of phosphate rock a year in a deposit it evaluates at two billion tonnes. The deposits are about 170km northwest offshore Lüderitz. The problem, however, according to Grant Rau, chief geologist at LLNP, is that a condition in the environmental clearance is contrary to a condition in a valid clearance from the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME). While the MME clearance allows marine exploration, the MET clearance does not - and this is blamed on the moratorium instituted by the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) last year. Rau said the condition on the clearance does not allow for further exploration, which hampers the progress of the demo-plant. “The moratorium was on bulk seabed mining, and not on exploration but MFMR are trying to bring exploration into the moratorium. Our board sits in Israel and does not want to send the expensive technology built in Norway and MFMR says no,” he said. Israeli businessman Lev Leviev of the Leviev Group of Companies (LGC), regarded as the largest private diamond manufacturer in the world, has a major hand in LLNP. LGC owns 76% of BEE company” Sakawe Mining Corporation (Samicor), which wholly owns LLNP. Besides the issue of the environmental clearance, LLNP (and other marine phosphate supporters) are questioning the validity of the moratorium. It is believed that a moratorium proposal first needed to go to the Attorney-General to see under what law it should be enacted, and then gazetted and made public as an official moratorium. It is argued that FMR has no law to enact the moratorium with - only if supported by the mines and environment ministries (who are line ministries) - for which fisheries allegedly did not receive support. Spearheading the motivation for a moratorium is fisheries minister Bernhard Esau, who is demanding “solid proof” that deep sea mining will not impact the environment negatively. The moratorium put on the brakes for Namibia Marine Phosphates Sandpiper Project south-west of the coast from Walvis Bay and and LLNP. Esau is adamant that phosphate mining could not continue as long as there is uncertainty about the envisioned impact on the marine environment and particularly on the fishing stocks. In an interview, Esau warned that if any of the affected companies wanted to challenge government in court, they (the companies) will pull on the short end of the stick. An environmental lobby group, which stands squarely behind the minister, Swakopmund Matters, is also of the opinion that if the minister was not 100% sure of his case (that there was indeed a Cabinet decision and thus a moratorium) he would not be so confident to challenge any opposition. In fact, last week, Esau told the National Assembly that his ministry has not changed its position regarding the moratorium and that his ministry remains resolute in its commitment to ensure that proper scientific investigations are carried out, which will allow the government to make an informed decision about the future of marine phosphate mining. The moratorium has resulted in the appointment of the Norwegian-based Foundation for Scientific and Industrial Research (SINTEF), and Institute of Marine Research (IMR), by the government to study the impact of marine phosphate mining on the ocean environment - specifically in the context of Namibias fishing grounds within the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem. The findings hope to neutralise skepticism that the facts to date presented by keen phosphate miners have been mere desktop studies void of proper on the ground research. Rau said that the moratorium has not been officially declared and that LLNPs legal advisor, Peter Koep, had suggested that the moratorium had no legal standing; that government had not followed the right procedures to put the moratorium on the books. He also said that since the moratorium was declared, phosphate companies - the ones spending the money - have never been approached. “At this stage MFMR believe there is a moratorium because cabinet approved. We asked for it and still have nothing. We are waiting for an official clear wording on the moratorium,” Rau said.
Posted on: Mon, 06 Oct 2014 10:21:10 +0000
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