Namibian President Hage Geingob said that the Rossing Uranium Mine — operated and managed by the China National Nuclear Corporation, or CNNC — is one of the important projects in China-Namibia cooperation.
The President, speaking during a recent meeting with Chinese officials, said Namibia welcomes more investment from Chinese companies in infrastructure, mining and more industries.
CNNC now runs the Rossing Uranium Mine. That’s after it was handed over by international mining giant Rio Tinto to the Chinese company in July this year, in the wake of Rio Tinto’s sale of its 68.62 percent stake in the mine.
Local officials said that over the past four months, the mine has been operated smoothly, with improving technologies, decreasing costs and increasing efficiency. Its safety management continues to be a leader in Namibian mining industry, they said.
They added that in addition, the mine sets a foundation for Namibian education, poverty reduction, the development of small and medium-sized companies, environmental protection and other social undertakings — improving the lives of locals and winning a good reputation.
The Rossing Uranium Mine is the fourth largest capacity uranium mine in the world, with a mining history of more than 43 years. The mine employs around 1,000 locals.
Officials said the mine was of great significance to the economic growth of Namibia, especially the Erongo region, where the mine is located.
They added that it was expected that current mining would last until 2026. Meanwhile CNNC is trying to promote sustainable development of the mine, making its contribution to the Belt and Road Initiative.
Source: CNNC