Mkuju Project |
Mantra Tanzania has received an Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA) certificate from the National Environment Management
Council (NEMC) for its Mkuju River Uranium Project in Namtumbo District,
Ruvuma Region, marking a significant milestone towards commencement of
the project.
NEMC Principal Environment Management Officer, Mr Kamugenyi
Ruteganya, said NEMC has already completed a technical review of Mantra
Tanzania’s EIA by a Tanzanian consultancy firm, MTL Mining and is now
satisfied by the work done and the document that had been submitted.
“The documents submitted by Mantra Tanzania meets our environmental
standards. We have already issued an EIA certificate for the company’s
Mkuju River Uranium Project and our challenge now is to ensure that
whatever is in the certificate is implemented.
“Our role is to ensure that mining companies operating in Tanzania
including Mantra comply in full to all general and specific conditions
of the EIA in order to ensure best practices and sound environmental
management”.
He said NEMC will ensure that safety of the surrounding communities
is given first priority before and after commencement of the project in a
bid to minimise risks, added.
Mantra Tanzania Managing Director Asa
Mwaipopo when contacted said, “The EIA certificate is a crucial step in
the mine’s permitting process and a pre-requisite in obtaining of a
special mining licence”.
“This really demonstrates the support the project has received from
both the Government and surrounding local communities.
Mantra together
with its investors Uranium One are responsible operators and will
operate with strict emphasis on compliance and best environmental
practices,” Mr Mwaipopo said.
He said the Mkuju River Project had an updated resource of 119.4
million pounds (54 159 tons) of uranium adding that it will take up to
two years to complete construction work for the project.
The development of the Mkuju River Project will apart from attracting
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) worth over 1 billion dollars in
Tanzania during the life span of the mine but also generate direct and
indirect cash flows to Tanzania worth 640 million dollars.
Source: The Daily News,http://www.dailynews.co.tz , in Dar es Salaam
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