ARMZ and the Man - Tanzanians against uranium
Published by MAC on 2011-08-23Source: The Citizen Reporter, World Nuclear Association
MP takes up cudgels for community
Tanzanian member of parliament Tindu Lissu, a renowned environmental activist and lawyer, is trying to block uranium mining in his country.
The move follows a submission by 3,000 of his constiuents against a project proposed by Mantra Resources, which will be operated by the Toronto- and Johannesburg-listed company, Uranium One.
The significance of this development should not be under-estimated.
Uranium One is the world's sixth biggest uranium producer, while its 51% shareholder - Russian state-owned nuclear giant ARMZ (part of JSC Atomredmetzoloto) - ranks as global number five (see Tables below).
In June 2011, Uranium One announced that, following ARMZ's completion of its acquisition of Mantra Resources, it would run Mantra's Mkuju River project in Tanzania.
Under an agreement between Uranium One and Mantra, signed on 6 June 2011, Uranium One will provide a loan to fund the development of Mkuju River and other Mantra exploration activities, for which the credit facility will be guaranteed by ARMZ.
Global uranium summary
According to the World Nuclear Association:
In 2010 the top uranium producing countries were
Production from mines (tonnes U)
|
Country |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
|
Kazakhstan |
3300 |
3719 |
4357 |
5279 |
6637 |
8521 |
14020 |
17803 |
|
Canada |
10457 |
11597 |
11628 |
9862 |
9476 |
9000 |
10173 |
9783 |
|
Australia |
7572 |
8982 |
9516 |
7593 |
8611 |
8430 |
7982 |
5900 |
|
Namibia |
2036 |
3038 |
3147 |
3067 |
2879 |
4366 |
4626 |
4496 |
|
Niger |
3143 |
3282 |
3093 |
3434 |
3153 |
3032 |
3243 |
4198 |
|
Russia |
3150 |
3200 |
3431 |
3262 |
3413 |
3521 |
3564 |
3562 |
|
Uzbekistan |
1598 |
2016 |
2300 |
2260 |
2320 |
2338 |
2429 |
2400 |
|
USA |
779 |
878 |
1039 |
1672 |
1654 |
1430 |
1453 |
1660 |
|
Ukraine(est) |
800 |
800 |
800 |
800 |
846 |
800 |
840 |
850 |
|
China(est) |
750 |
750 |
750 |
750 |
712 |
769 |
750 |
827 |
|
Malawi |
|
|
|
|
|
|
104 |
670 |
|
South Africa |
758 |
755 |
674 |
534 |
539 |
655 |
563 |
583 |
|
India(est) |
230 |
230 |
230 |
177 |
270 |
271 |
290 |
400 |
|
Czech Repub. |
452 |
412 |
408 |
359 |
306 |
263 |
258 |
254 |
|
Brazil |
310 |
300 |
110 |
190 |
299 |
330 |
345 |
148 |
|
Romania(est) |
90 |
90 |
90 |
90 |
77 |
77 |
75 |
77 |
|
Pakistan(est) |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
50 |
45 |
|
France |
0 |
7 |
7 |
5 |
4 |
5 |
8 |
7 |
|
Germany |
104 |
77 |
94 |
65 |
41 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
total world |
35 574 |
40 178 |
41 719 |
39 444 |
41 282 |
43 853 |
50 772 |
53 663 |
|
tonnes U3O8 |
41 944 |
47 382 |
49 199 |
46 516 |
48 683 |
51 716 |
59 875 |
63 285 |
|
percentage of world demand |
|
|
65% |
63% |
64% |
68% |
78% |
78% |
The top global uranium mining companies were (in tonnages and percentage of total production):
|
Cameco |
8758 te |
16% |
|
Areva |
8319 |
16 |
|
KazAtomProm |
8116 |
15 |
|
Rio Tinto |
6293 |
12 |
|
ARMZ |
4311 |
8 |
|
Uranium One |
2855 |
5 |
|
Navoi |
2400 |
4 |
|
BHP Billiton |
2330 |
4 |
|
Paladin |
2089 |
4 |
|
Sopamin |
1450 |
3 |
|
AngloGold |
563 |
1 |
|
Denison |
555 |
1 |
|
Heathgate |
354 |
1 |
|
Mestena |
288 |
1 |
|
Other |
4982 |
9 |
|
Total |
53,663 |
100% |
The largest-producing uranium mines in 2010 were
|
Mine |
Country |
Main owner |
Type |
Production (tU) |
% of world |
|
McArthurRiver |
Canada |
Cameco |
underground |
7654 |
14 |
|
Ranger |
Australia |
ERA (Rio Tinto 68%) |
open pit |
3216 |
6 |
|
Rossing |
Namibia |
Rio Tinto (69%) |
open pit |
3077 |
6 |
|
Kraznokamensk |
Russia |
ARMZ |
Lissu intends to block uranium extraction in parliament
By Frank Kimboy
The Citizen Reporter
20 July 2011
Dodoma - An MP expects to table a private motion in the October Bunge session to block extraction of uranium in the country. Mr Tindu Lissu, the Singida East MP (Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo, Chadema), said his decision follows a petition signed by over 3,000 wananchi from Bahi District in Dodoma and Manyoni in Singida which he had received.
He said they decided to write the petition, which he expects to table as a private motion, after learning that the government has granted a license for uranium extraction in their area to Mantra Resources Limited.
He said the petition was signed last Saturday in Bahi after launching of the economic and social effects of uranium report. He said a team of activists conducted a research to find out the effect of uranium extraction.
According to him, parliamentary rules and regulations allow wananchi to seek the parliament's intervention in anything that affects their lives through writing and signing a petition.
He said after signing a petition wananchi are allowed to present it to the parliament through an MP who has no personal interest in the issue.Due to the limited time in the current budget session, Mr Lissu said, he will table the motion in October. He said for the past five years wananchi from Bahi and Manyoni have been opposing the mining of uranium in their area, but to no avail.
"Despite the danger that uranium extraction poses to wananchi and environment, wananchi from Bahi, Namtumbo and Manyoni fear for their lives after learning that the government has granted a uranium extraction license to Mantra Resources Limited," he said.
In his motion, Mr Lissu said, he will be questioning the government's commitment to its people by allowing uranium extraction, knowing the danger it poses to the life of human beings, animals and the environment.
"We, as a country, neither have the financial capacity, technology nor expertise on, uranium. Germany one of the super powers in the world, is shunning from using uranium as a source of energy, who are we (Tanzania) to try? Look at what happened in Japan!" he exclaimed.