Following investigations of the area, the Tanzania Atomic Energy Commission (TAEC) has determined that the Mkuju River, Namtumbo is safe for uranium mining.
A research team from the TAEC investigated the soil of the Mkuju River located in the Namtumbo District of the Ruvuma Region, South Tanzania, about 470 km southwest of Dar es Salaam.
Their investigations revealed that the area contains no animals, agriculture and a manageable level of metal ensuring that it is safe for mining.
The Mkuju River Project is owned by Mantra Tanzania Limited who first started operating in Tanzania in 2010 and are a wholly owned subsidiary of Mantra Resources Pty Ltd., an Australian registered corporation in which Uranium One has a minority interest.
Tanzania’s former commissioner for minerals Dr Dalaly Peter Kafumu suggested that the Mkuju River mine could enable Tanzania to become the second largest uranium producer in the world.
Moreover, the project could attract foreign direct investment of USD1 billion.
A number of companies are continuing to explore the possibilities of Uranium mining in Tanzania such as Australia’s Uranex NL, Canadian mining company Uranium One and Perth based East Africa Resources Ltd.
It is estimated that Tanzania is capable of producing 14,000 tonnes of uranium per annum, an amount that would generate royalties of USD249 million.
