Mantra Tanzania receives EIA certificate for Mkuju River Project

The NEMC Acting Director, Environmental Planning and Research Dr. Fadhila Hemed (left) hands over an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) certificate to the Mantra Tanzania Limited Managing Director Asa Mwaipopo (right) for the Mkuju River Uranium Project in Namtumbo District, Ruvuma Region.Photo by Staff Photographer.

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Mantra Tanzania receives EIA certificate for Mkuju River Project

By Staff Reporter

MANTRA Tanzania Limited 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 full permitting of the Project.

The company had already submitted an application for a special mining license to Ministry of Energy and Minerals which is now made complete by the issued Certificate.  According to the NEMC Principal Environment Management Officer Kamugenyi Ruteganya, NEMC has already completed a technical review of Mantra Tanzania’s EIA done by a Tanzanian consultant 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 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 minimize risks,” added.  The Mantra Tanzania Managing Director Asa Mwaipopo when contacted said, “The received EIA certificate is a crucial step in the mine’s permitting process and a pre-requisite in obtaining of a special mining license”.

“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,”Asa 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 completing construction work for the project.The development of the Mkuju River Project will apart from attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) worth $1 billion in Tanzania during the life span of the mine but also generating direct and indirect cash flows to Tanzania worth $640 million.