Rössing desalination plant delayed
Despite concerted efforts to engage the government on its plans to construct a desalination plant, Rössing has noted little or no effort from the Ministry of Water, Agriculture and Forestry.
The Rio Tinto-backed miner first announced plans to construct a desalination plant six kilometres north of Swakopmund and alleges there has been no intent on the part of the water ministry to get the ball rolling.
Rössing has in the past complained that the price it pays for water is unaffordable. “The current cost of water is high and the mine remains open to implementing alternative measures to reduce the cost of desalinated water,” said its managing director, Werner Duvenhage.
While a clearance certificate has been issued by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Rössing still does not meet the prerequisites for certification, Duvenhage explained.
“To meet the prerequisite for the receipt of the certificate, Rössing Uranium applied for the water permits required by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry in September 2016, but no reply from the department had been received by the end of December 2016,” Duvenhage said. Rössing signalled plans for its own desalination as far back as 2014 and said the rationale behind the planned development was the costly water procured from Areva's Erongo desalination plant.
Providing clarity, Rössing Uranium spokesperson Botha Ellis was quoted in the past as saying: “As I have said to the government and NamWater, Rössing has no burning ambition to own a desalination plant, we are a mining company. The only reason why we are pursuing this is because hundreds of millions of dollars are going into water at the moment. We would just like to make it more affordable.” Rössing has also in the past offered its full bankable feasibility study to government. “We have offered NamWater the full bankable feasibility study. We said to NamWater, if they would like to use it, we would be quite happy to give it to them. We just want cheap affordable water,” Ellis said.
Meanwhile, the government has also in the past announced desalination plans. Under the ambitious four-year Harambee Prosperity Plan, the government listed its intent to construct a 25-million-cubic-metre desalination plant to be co-funded by a private investor.
Signalling government's intent to investors, finance minister Calle Schlettwein said: “In this scenario, it will be useful to have a project arrangement where the design, construction and operation risks are allocated to a competent private firm and NamWater.
The agriculture ministry did not respond to questions on the statements made by Rössing.
The Rio Tinto-backed miner first announced plans to construct a desalination plant six kilometres north of Swakopmund and alleges there has been no intent on the part of the water ministry to get the ball rolling.
Rössing has in the past complained that the price it pays for water is unaffordable. “The current cost of water is high and the mine remains open to implementing alternative measures to reduce the cost of desalinated water,” said its managing director, Werner Duvenhage.
While a clearance certificate has been issued by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Rössing still does not meet the prerequisites for certification, Duvenhage explained.
“To meet the prerequisite for the receipt of the certificate, Rössing Uranium applied for the water permits required by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry in September 2016, but no reply from the department had been received by the end of December 2016,” Duvenhage said. Rössing signalled plans for its own desalination as far back as 2014 and said the rationale behind the planned development was the costly water procured from Areva's Erongo desalination plant.
Providing clarity, Rössing Uranium spokesperson Botha Ellis was quoted in the past as saying: “As I have said to the government and NamWater, Rössing has no burning ambition to own a desalination plant, we are a mining company. The only reason why we are pursuing this is because hundreds of millions of dollars are going into water at the moment. We would just like to make it more affordable.” Rössing has also in the past offered its full bankable feasibility study to government. “We have offered NamWater the full bankable feasibility study. We said to NamWater, if they would like to use it, we would be quite happy to give it to them. We just want cheap affordable water,” Ellis said.
Meanwhile, the government has also in the past announced desalination plans. Under the ambitious four-year Harambee Prosperity Plan, the government listed its intent to construct a 25-million-cubic-metre desalination plant to be co-funded by a private investor.
Signalling government's intent to investors, finance minister Calle Schlettwein said: “In this scenario, it will be useful to have a project arrangement where the design, construction and operation risks are allocated to a competent private firm and NamWater.
The agriculture ministry did not respond to questions on the statements made by Rössing.
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