Orano in Namibia

Trekkopje mine

Extending over an area of 14 km in length and 3 km wide, Trekkopje, located 70 km to the north of the coastal city of Swakopmund, is a shallow, high-tonnage surficial calcrete deposit.

It specific feature is the low grade of its ore.  This deposit posed a technical challenge for both mining and processing of the ore.

A pilot phase conducted from 2008 to 2012 produced nearly 435 tons of uranate concentrate, confirming the technical parameters for the operation of a large-scale alkaline leaching facility.

Since 2024, due to the rise in uranium prices, the Trekkopje mine is currently being examined to determine whether the conditions necessary to put the mine into production are met or not.

The study in progress includes a detailed examination of resources, ore processing tests, as well as the assessment of works to be carried out on infrastructure and optimization of processes.

Preserve water reserves

Any mining activity requires the use of water. To preserve the country’s water reserves and avoid pumping water from underground aquifers, Orano Mining Namibia has built a desalination plant. First of its kind in southern Africa, it aims to provide all the mine’s water needs.
Inaugurated in 2010, the plant operates during the project’s monitoring and maintenance program. Operating at 65% capacity, it sells its production to the Namibian water distributor Namwater which supplies existing mines and meets the needs of local communities. Part of the produced water supplies local industries in the Erongo region in the Swakopmund region.