FAQ

False

The uranium has been deposited in the sandstone within the aquifer and has been there for millennia.  The uranium cannot be disturbed by drilling only, but can be dissolved and extracted using the ISR method. If it would be true that the exploration boreholes “loosened/dissolved” the uranium (just over 500 bore holes) why is it that the over 8 000 boreholes in the SWB did not loosen the uranium?

False

There is a big difference between In-Situ Recovery and fracking.  Fracking uses explosives or high air pressure water to break open rock formations deep underground and collect deposits of natural gas and oil, while with In-Situ Recovery boreholes are drilled into the aquafer where the ore body is situated in order to extract the uranium, without any altering of the aquifer.

False

The weak concentration sulphuric acid solution is only up to 5%, which is equal to acid in wine. Although the scientific formula for sulphuric acid and battery acid is the same, the concentrations cannot be compared.  Thus, to say it is battery acid is misleading, because battery acid is 30% — 40%.

False

In the mining method a “spill” is impossible and could only be called a seepage.  But even seepage is a highly unlikely occurance. However, during that time the water would not be poisonous. Also, the acid will react with the Calcium, which will form gypsum, a solid  membrane layer, hence this will not contaminate the water.

As explained, the concentration acid solution is only 5% and therefore not dangerous. In the highly unlikely event of a “acid spill”, nature will self rehabilitate in about 9 years time. 

True

1. Nuclear protects air quality
   According to the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), the United States avoided more than 471 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions in 2020. That’s the equivalent of removing 100 million cars from the road and more than all other clean energy sources combined.
   
   
2. Nuclear energy’s land footprint is small
   A typical 1,000-megawatt nuclear facility in the United States needs a little more than 1 square mile to operate. NEI says wind farms require 360 times more land area to produce the same amount of electricity and solar photovoltaic plants require 75 times more space.
   
   

3. Nuclear energy produces minimal waste

   • All of the used nuclear fuel produced by the U.S. nuclear energy industry over the last 60 years could fit on a football fieldat a depth of less than 10 yards!

   That waste can also be reprocessed and recycled, as is currently best practice in Russia

True

Currently Kazakhstan is first and of all the uranium mined in the world,

about 60% is extracted using ISR

False

The Stampriet Water Basin is a collective name for a network of aquafers and the 5 main ones are:

Kalahari – 40-60 meters

Auob3 – 100-130 m (The ore body is in Auab3)

Auob2 – 140-150 m

Auob1- 160-170 m

Nossob – over 200m deep

True

False

As there are no blasting, excavations or any heavy machinery on the mine, the mining operation is very quiet.

False

Since In-Situ Recovery makes use of boreholes only, there is no dust.  The upper layer of ground is not disturbed at all and there are minimal rehabilitation that need to be done once the mining of an area is stopped.

ADVANTAGES OF ISR COMPARED TO CONVENTIONAL MINING METHODS

False

Soda-water or oxygen can be used as well,  in fact, Uranium One is keen to rather start testing the oxygen method first than the weak concentration sulphuric acid solution method. It is therefore of utmost importance that Uranium One be allowed to do test mining in order to prove that oxygen can work.  Oxygen is already used in Uzbekistan and the USA.

True

False

Although a nuclear reactor and a nuclear bomb uses the same technology, the speed of release of energy is vastly different. Whereas the energy release in a bomb is quick (snap reaction) the release in a nuclear reactor is controlled and slower.  This prevents any NPP to “explode”.

False

Each injection well as well as each extraction well is fitted with a digital  flowmeter monitor that informs the control room of the following:

Flow rate, acid content and in the case of an extraction well, flow rate and uranium content.  The flow rate will immediately inform the control room of any fault.  Operations on that line is stopped and repairs are done immediately.

False

Radioactivity cannot be seen, smelled or tasted.  Although there is little danger of radiation, the danger of radiation lies in the fact that it cannot be detected through the human senses.  That is why it is a good idea for farmers to have their water tested for radionuclides.

False

Exploration drilling is done by core drilling.  The diameter of the drill bit is a mere 75mm, and the core itself is 46mm in diameter.  No water loss and no pump can fit into this borehole.  The hole is temporarily “walled” using a mixture of bio-degradable solution and Bentonite, whereafter it is permanently sealed using a mixture cement and Bentonite. Water borehole diameter are on average 165mm.

False

It is impossible for this to happen.  The water in the aquafer flows at about 3m per year, but the flow of water between the injection wells and the extraction well might be as fast as 18 mᵌ per month.  This creates a negative gradient and the water will definitely flow from the injection wells to the extraction well. In addition, construction of boreholes are developed in such a way that no contamination can take place.  The annulus space (space between borehole wall and PVC casing) is sealed with a mixture of cement and bentonite to act as a buffer between the borehole wall and the PVC casing.

False

No, the exploration stage has not been completed, but only 50%-60%.  The company need to drill at least 400 more exploration bore holes in order to  gather complete data, together with test mining. All the data collected through exploration drilling and test mining need to be submitted in order to obtain a mining license.  Only then can the design of mine be started.  Once the construction of the mine is completed, then production can start.  It must be borne in mind that should the data show that a mining operation would not be viable the project will be stopped.