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$39 billion loss for Australian uranium miner Paladin

Uranium mine lost K39 billion in 2011 , The Maravi Post, 10 Aug 12 BLANTYRE–The Kayekelera uranium mine in Karonga, which is operated by Paladin Energy Limited of Australia, lost K39 billion in nine months of operation ending March 2012 due to fluctuating prices of the commodity on the international market, the company’s top official has said.

Greg Walker, general manager for international affairs, told the Daily Times Business that the loss was a result of the historic earthquake in Japan that produced a Tsunami in March last year. Spot price for uranium oxide dropped from $75 (some K21, 000) to $47.50 (K13, 000) after the closure of Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan.

Walker said now the price is at $49.50 -K14,000 – saying this was below the direct cost of production at Kayelekera, the country’s biggest investment. Walket told the daily that Paladin have bankrolled $145 million–K41 billion- to keep the mine afloat… http://www.maravipost.com/malawi-news/society/1486-uranium-mine-lost-k39-billion-in-2011.html#.UCbaJ6FlT4Y

August 11, 2012 Posted by | AFRICA, AUSTRALIA, business and costs | Leave a comment

Call to protect Selous Game Reserve from uranium mining

  The radioactive wastes pose a serious threat to Selous Game Reserve which is home to the world’s largest elephant population and other wildlife. No proven methods exist to keep the radioactive and toxic slush and liquids from seeping into surface waters, aquifers or spreading with the dry season wind into the Reserve.

The environmental groups urge the World Heritage Committee to reconsider its decision on the Selous Game Reserve Boundary Change and call upon the Government of Tanzania to refrain from licensing a uranium mine in Selous Game Reserve or on lands cut out from it.

World Heritage Comittee Decision on Selous Game Reserve Boundary Changes  uranium-network.org, Freiburg, Germany Gunter Wippel , Elephants, Rhinos and the environment under threat from 60 million tons of radioactive waste as World Heritage Committee agrees boundary change that will allow uranium mining at the Tanzania Selous Game Reserve – a World Heritage site. Freiburg, Germany, July 30, 2012

A foreign uranium mining conglomerate will be allowed to exploit the precious Selous Game Reserve in Tanzania after the World Heritage Committee (WHC) decided, at its July 2012 session in Russia, to accept what was described as a “minor boundary change” of the site. The change had been requested by the Government of Tanzania, in order to make way for the development of a major uranium mine, Mkuju River Uranium Project, owned by Russian ARMZ and Canadian Uranium One.

The decision to allow the boundary change would allow the Mkuju River uranium project, situated in the South of the Selous Game Reserve at its transition to the Selous Niassa Wildlife Corridor, to go forward. The Tanzanian Government lobbied heavily for the boundary change, after declaring its intent to ” win the battle” against the UNESCO WHC.

Dozens of environmental groups around the world, many of them members of the German-based Uranium Network, decried the WHC decision which could lead to the creation of 60 million tons of radioactive and poisonous waste by the mine during its 10-year lifespan (139 million tons if a projected extension of the mine should be implemented) Continue reading →

August 10, 2012 Posted by | AFRICA, environment, Uranium | Leave a comment

Environment sacrificed as UNESCO caves in to pressure on Tanzania uranium mining

Uranium Mining Project Posed to Destroy One of World’s Last Remaining Wildlife Heritage in Tanzania http://hamsayeh.net/articles/2110-uranium-mining-project-posed-to-destroy-one-of-worlds-last-remaining-wildlife-heritage-in-tanzania.html , 06 August 2012  UNESCO Fails to Protect World Heritage at Cradle of Mankind by uranium-network.org    August 02, 2012
Elephants, Rhinos and the environment under threat from 60 million tons of radioactive waste as World Heritage Committee agrees boundary change that will allow uranium mining at the Tanzania Selous Game Reserve – a World Heritage site. – A foreign uranium mining conglomerate will be allowed to exploit the precious Selous Game Reserve in Tanzania after the World Heritage Committee (WHC) decided, at its July 2012 session in Russia, to accept what was described as a “minor boundary change” of the site. The change had been requested by the Government of Tanzania, in order to make way for the development of a major uranium mine, Mkuju River Uranium Project, owned by Russian ARMZ and Canadian Uranium One.

The decision to allow the boundary change would allow the Mkuju River uranium project, situated in the South of the Selous Game Reserve at its transition to the Selous Niassa Wildlife Corridor, to go forward.
The Tanzanian Government lobbied heavily for the boundary change, after declaring its intent to ” win the battle” against the UNESCO WHC. Continue reading →

August 6, 2012 Posted by | AFRICA, environment | Leave a comment

Russia ahead in the race to sell off nuclear technology to South Africa

Russian nuclear group opens office in South Africa Engineering News, By: Keith Campbell 18th July 2012 South Africa has become only the third country to host a marketing office of Russia’s State-owned nuclear energy group Rosatom. The registration of the office was announced by the group on Wednesday….. Rusatom (spelt with a u) Overseas is a subsidiary of Rosatom (spelt with an o).

 

Another Rosatom subsidiary, Tenex, already supplies enriched uranium products for the production of nuclear fuel for South Africa. The country currently has one two-reactor NPP, at Koeberg near Cape Town, which has a capacity of 1 800 MWe. This started operation in 1984… http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/russian-nuclear-group-opens-office-in-south-africa-2012-07-18

July 19, 2012 Posted by | marketing, South Africa | Leave a comment

Morocco’s ambitious renewable energy plan

Morocco plans to become 40% renewable by 2020 http://www.evwind.es/noticias.php?id_not=19690 July 16, 2012 The 160-megawatt project is part of the larger, 500 megawatt Concentrating Solar Power Ouarzazate site. Morocco starts an ambitious plan to build out 6 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2020, along with a variety of technologies, including wind power, solar energy, biomass, hydro and other technologies as the country currently imports
90 percent of its energy. Continue reading →

July 16, 2012 Posted by | AFRICA, renewable | Leave a comment

Tunisia joins in call to investigate possible polonium poisoning of Arafat

Palestinian call for Arafat death probe backed by Tunisia http://www.brecorder.com/world/middle-east/65869-palestinian-call-for-arafat-death-probe-backed-by-tunis-.html , 05 JULY 2012 RAMALLAH: A Palestinian call for an international probe into Yasser
Arafat’s death won official backing from Tunisia on Thursday, after a report showed the leader may have been poisoned.

Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Malki told the official Voice of Palestine radio on Thursday that such an enquiry could finally “close the file” on Arafat’s mysterious death.

And Tunisia called for the Arab League to convene.

“We call for an urgent meeting of Arab League foreign ministers and the creation of an international committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death” of Arafat, Foreign Minister Rafik Abdessalem told private radio station Mosaique FM. Continue reading →

July 12, 2012 Posted by | AFRICA, secrets,lies and civil liberties | Leave a comment

South Africa’s Pelindaba facility remains a nuclear security danger

SA lags in nuclear security http://www.timeslive.co.za/thetimes/2012/07/12/sa-lags-in-nuclear-security Graeme Hosken | 12 July, 2012 A new report co-authored by a senior
Harvard academic has shed light on some of the security vulnerabilities of South Africa’s nuclear facilities.

Co-written by Harvard University associate professor and nuclear security specialist Matthew Bunn, Progress on Securing Nuclear Weapons and Materials: The Four-Year Effort and Beyond, examines nuclear-material security globally.

It reveals that, though South Africa has completed substantial security upgrades at its Pelindaba nuclear facility, and implemented regulations requiring the protection of nuclear sites against threats, these have yet to be formally enforced.

The report states that South Africa has not committed itself to eliminating hundreds of kilograms of weapons-grade highly enriched uranium.

It has yet to ratify an amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material. The amendment is aimed at improving the physical protection of nuclear material and facilities, and reducing the vulnerability of states to the theft of nuclear material and to nuclear terrorism.

July 12, 2012 Posted by | safety, South Africa | Leave a comment

Production stops at AREVA’s Niger uranium mine, as workers strike

Niger Areva uranium workers begin 72-hour strike, NIAMEY,  Jul 9,  (Reuters) – About 1,200 workers at Niger’s Akouta uranium mine owned by COMINAK, a subsidiary of France’s Areva, have began a 72-hour strike to demand higher wages, a union official said on Monday. Inoua Neino, secretary general of the SYNTRAMIN union, said production had stopped at the over 1,600 tonnes a year mine in the north of the west African nation after the workers downed tools.

“We embarked on a strike after our demand for a 3 percent raise in salaries, even though insignificant, was not met with satisfaction by management,” Neino told journalists.

“Workers did not go down into the mine today and if they are not down there, it means that there was no extraction, and if there was no extraction, there is no production,” he said.

The company was not immediately available for comment….. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/09/niger-areva-strike-idUSL6E8I9CEF20120709

July 10, 2012 Posted by | employment, Niger, Uranium | Leave a comment

Uranium mine danger to world heritage park in Tanzania

Tanzania gets U.N. nod for uranium mine in game park DAR ES SALAAM, July 5 (Reuters) – Tanzania has received U.N. approval for Australia-based miner Mantra Resources to build a $400 million uranium mine in a world heritage game reserve despite pressure from environmental groups opposed to the project, it said on Thursday.

Green groups have warned that toxic mining activities at the plant would harm the ecologically sensitive Selous Game Reserve in the east African country… http://af.reuters.com/article/tanzaniaNews/idAFL6E8I57YN20120705

July 6, 2012 Posted by | AFRICA, environment, Uranium | Leave a comment

Conflicting reports about French nationals held by rebels in Central African Republic

Bakouma lawmaker Alima Diarra said the rebels seized five French nationals and two locals. But there are conflicting reports over whether the seven were hostages……French authorities are talking with local authorities and Areva about what to do next.

Foreigners not held in Central African Republic, The Telegraph June 26, 2012  By HIPPOLYTE MARBOUA — Associated Press BANGUI, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC — Authorities in the Central African Republic said that rebels had released the foreigners they were holding after attacking a French uranium exploration site, even though officials with the company in France denied that the expatriates had ever been kidnapped.

A military official in Bakouma, where the site is, said that a plane was sent to pick up five French nationals and two locals to take them to the capital, Bangui. Rebels on Sunday attacked the exploration site in Bakouma, operated by French company Areva. Continue reading →

June 27, 2012 Posted by | AFRICA, incidents | Leave a comment

AREVA uranium site in Central Africa attacked by gunmen

Gunmen attack French uranium plant, Times Live, Sapa-AFP | 25 June, 2012 Gunmen have attacked a uranium plant operated by French nuclear power giant Areva at Bakouma in the southeast of the Central African Republic, army and French diplomatic sources said yesterday.

“A violent clash on Sunday afternoon pitted” Central African troops against “an unidentified group of armed men attempting to launch an assault on the site of mining company Areva,” a military statementsaid…. http://www.timeslive.co.za/thetimes/2012/06/25/gunmen-attack-french-uranium-plant

June 27, 2012 Posted by | AFRICA, incidents | Leave a comment

Australian rare earths company Lynas – pulling out of its Malawi project?

Lynas Likely To Give Up Rare Earths Project in Africa International Business Times,  By Esther Tanquintic-Misa | June 14, 2012  With its highly-controversial Malaysian rare earths processing plant an already ample source of headache, Lynas Corp. has been reported to be likely backing out from another rare earths project, this time in Africa.

Citing unidentified industry sources, The West Australian reported that Lynas Corp. is thinking of shunning the Kangankunde rare earths project in Malawi after a Malawi High Court questioned the authenticity of the Australian miner’s ownership over the project…..
With the recent development, the Australian rare earths miner deemed it might be better to give up the African project altogether, than suffer again the same fate as with its highly controversial rare earths processing plant in Malaysia, The West Australian reported…. Lynas Corp. “is reassessing the project’s risks in the context of Malawi’s present governance and institutional frameworks,” sources told The West Australian. … http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/351984/20120614/lynas-corp-rare-earths-malawi-africa-malaysia.htm

June 16, 2012 Posted by | business and costs, Malawi | Leave a comment

All Africa Renewable Energy Conference for October

Africa: First African Renewable Energy Confab in Accra All Africa, BY AYUUREYISIYA KAPINI ATAFORI, 8 JUNE 2012 The first conference in Africa solely focused on off-grid renewable energy technologies will be held in Accra in October this year with a special look at applications in rural communities of developing countries….. Continue reading →

June 9, 2012 Posted by | AFRICA, renewable | Leave a comment

South Africa’s renewable energy becoming cheaper

Renewable energy ‘getting cheaper’ Business Report, By Londiwe Buthelezi.  May 22 2012 The cost of renewable energy for South African businesses and homes is coming down. Projects chosen in the second bidding window of the renewable energy independent power producers (IPP) programme would offer power at lower prices, the Department of Energy announced yesterday. Continue reading →

May 23, 2012 Posted by | renewable, South Africa | Leave a comment

Uranium mining in Tanzania’s World Heritage Site?

The Selous cannot remain a World Heritage Site if the Tanzanian government gives the go-ahead for mining to start within the property,” 

Unesco to decide on uranium mining at Selous next month   18 May 2012 By Lucas Liganga The Citizen Dar es Salaam. The Unesco World Heritage Committee (UWHC) will break the deadlock next month when it will decide whether or not to allow
mining of uranium in Selous Game Reserve, one of the largest remaining wilderness areas in Africa, harbouring the largest elephant population on the continent. Continue reading →

May 19, 2012 Posted by | AFRICA, environment | Leave a comment

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