The Namibian Uranium Association

The Namibian Uranium Association (NUA) is the representative body of the Namibian uranium industry. Through research and provision of factual information, the NUA supports policies that let uranium compete as an energy source appropriate for our modern society, taking into consideration the need for a low carbon footprint as provided for in the Paris Agreement. Members of NUA include all Namibian uranium mining operations, most of Namibia’s leading uranium exploration companies, and associated service providers. The affairs of NUA are managed and controlled by a Board of Directors. During 2024, the Board was chaired by Johan Coetzee, Rössing’s Managing Director. Hilifa Mbako, Managing Director of Orano Mining Namibia served as Vice Chair.

NUA is the leading point of contact for government, media, stakeholders, the general public and anybody interested in the position and policies of the Namibian uranium industry. NUA promotes industry’s adherence to strong sustainable development performance, product stewardship and compliance with the Namibian legislative framework.

Uranium Stewardship

Stewardship is an ethic that represents the careful and responsible management of things entrusted into one’s care, and in the case of a mineral resource it means the responsible planning, and sustainable development and utilization of resources, while safeguarding the interests of all stakeholders. NUA members accept the responsibilities of uranium stewardship by building partnerships throughout the life cycle of the product to ensure that production, use and disposal are consistent with the global sustainable development goals. Uranium exploration and mining projects in Namibia take place in a cluster, and there are therefore cumulative impacts rather than individual impacts of isolated operations. The area is characterized by aridity, vast desert landscapes, scenic beauty, extraordinary biodiversity and endemism, and heritage resources. Many activities occur in two National Parks, and an integrated approach is required to ensure co-existence of industrial activities and conservation, as well as tourism, hence exploration for and mining of uranium needs to be balanced with environmental protection values. In practice, accepting uranium stewardship therefore includes

• the cooperation of all exploration and mining companies in Namibia, as their cumulative impacts cannot be addressed in isolation
• the avoidance of unsustainable practices by individual companies, which could have a negative impact on the entire industry
• the development and implementation of best practice guidelines for health, the environment, radiation, safety and security, and community issues
• ensuring the sustainability of production, use, and disposal as a social licence to operate
• ensuring that projects are technically appropriate, environmentally sound, and socially responsible
• the integration of environmental, economic and social aspects from exploration through construction, operation to mine closure, and
• the commitment to the responsible management of chemicals, ores, ore concentrates, and final product.

As part of its stewardship mission, NUA has established the Namibian Uranium Institute (NUI). NUI is guided by respected independent scientists who serve on NUA’s Scientific Committee. The main purpose of the NUI is to provide a platform for NUA members to work together to improve safety and health performance through the identification of world-class leading best practices and their implementation; to act as a communication hub for the uranium industry in Namibia; and to promote knowledge and capacity building in specialised skills in the fields of environmental management, radiation safety and health. NUI is therefore working closely with the Namibian government and its agencies, and also has close ties with the Namibian University of Science and Technology.

From the start, exploration and mining companies involved in the Namibian uranium sector have fully recognized that managing environmental issues, radiation, health and safety, and waste is of paramount importance in order to protect staff, the general public and the receiving environment. Responsible management of uranium mining and processing applies at all stages from planning, exploration, development and construction to operations, sale, transport and finally decommissioning. This can best be achieved in a coordinated way with interaction of all players involved, and NUA is the vehicle of choice to accomplish this.

Environmental Responsibility

NUA works towards a balance of environmental protection values and exploration for and mining of uranium. The Association also addresses the social and cultural needs of communities in the area, people employed by the uranium industry, as well as business and economic imperatives of the respective shareholders. NUA promotes the principle of zero harm and universal adherence to the World Nuclear Association’s policy document on uranium mining standards. It also ensures adherence to strong sustainable development performance through compliance and indeed active participation in the Strategic Environmental Management Plan implemented by the Namibian Ministry of Mines and Energy. NUA strongly supports a coordinated and joint strategic approach by industry and government to ensure sustainable economic development in the Erongo Region and beyond. NUA is also guided by Namibia’s Vision 2030, the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, the African Consolidated Position on the UN Agenda, and the African Union Agenda 2063.

The Director of NUI works closely with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and chairs the IAEA Technical Working Group on Decommissioning and Environmental Remediation. She is a member of a number of working groups of the World Nuclear Association, which also deal with environmental issues such as radiation safety and decommissioning of nuclear facilities. At the local level, the NUI director is a member of the Exploration and ESG Sub-Committees of the Chamber of Mines of Namibia, as well as of the Chamber’s Environmental and Social Committee, which works towards expanding the industry’s contribution to socio-economic development in Namibia, while preserving the natural environment and ecosystems that are impacted by mining operations. In 2024, work on a Namibian Geopark continued with the NUI Director serving as chair of Namibia’s Geopark Interim Task Force. In addition, the NUI director is a member of the National Commission for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention, both positions provide an opportunity to highlight the environmentally responsible way in which the industry operates within a proposed future Namibian Geopark, and on the doorsteps of a World Heritage site. NUA is also a member of the Recycle Namibia Forum.

Commitment to the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Framework

The concept of sustainable development is one of the cornerstones on which Namibia’s Constitution is built. More recently, the ESG management and analysis framework has been developed, which helps stakeholders to understand how an industry manages risks and opportunities related to environmental, social and governance criteria, and therefore how sustainably the industry is operating. ESG takes the holistic view that sustainability extends beyond just environmental issues. It is therefore essential to integrate environmental, economic, and social aspects through all phases of mineral production from exploration through construction, operation, and mine site closure, in order to ensure that investments are technically appropriate, environmentally sound, financially profitable, and socially responsible.

NUA therefore maintains an ESG Committee under the auspices of the NUI, in order to assist the organisation in promoting best practices with regard to health, environment, and radiation safety and security; and investigate any issue which could potentially have a negative impact. The ESG Committee is a standing committee, and has appointed four Working Groups to assist with specific topics. A thorough risk assessment for all issues associated with the uranium industry resulted in the establishment of a risk matrix, which is regularly reviewed by the ESG Committee and informs the work plans of the Working Groups.

Information, Dialogue and Transparency

Sustained, factual and effective communication is essential in today’s world. Given the situation that issues relating to the uranium industry are often evoking strong opinions which are frequently based on perceptions rather than on facts, NUA has an important role to play in the dissemination of accurate, verifiable and objective information. This is done in a number of ways.

The NUA website contains a wealth of information about the NUA, the NUI, the industry, leading practice, and our stakeholders. Information displays exist in the foyer of the Ministry of Mines and Energy in Windhoek, at the Swakopmund Museum alongside a geology display developed by NUA in cooperation with the Swakopmund Scientific Society, and at the NUI in Swakopmund. The Isaac Newton Forum serves as a platform for information sharing at the NUI, the following talks were given in 2025:

• In-Situ Recovery (ISR) uranium mining overview and the case of Wings Project:

The Headspring experience

(Aldo Hengari, Director of Operations, Headspring Investments)

• EIAs - the process, the passion and the purpose

(Werner Petrick & Pierre Smit, Namisun Environmental Projects and Development)

• Screening and Discussion of the film: Anthropocene - The Undeniable Truth

(Dr. Gabi Schneider, Director of the Namibian Uranium Institute)

NUA participated once again in the Chamber of Mines Mining Expo in Windhoek, which was held in August 2025, and which attracted a record number of exhibitors and visitors. As usual, the uranium booths drew a lot of interest, and during the opening ceremony, the NUA booth was visited by the then Minister of Industries, Mines and Energy, Hon Natangwe Ithete.

The Director of NUI gave a number of presentations, namely on ‘Sustainable Development in the Namibian Uranium Sector: The Namibian Uranium Association and Uranium Stewardship’ to visiting members of the Board of Directors of Orano; on ‘Uranium Exploration, Mining and Processing: Namibia’s Current and Future Prospects’ to visiting students of the Private School Swakopmund, as well as to a training course for tour guides; she gave a Namibia country update to the meeting of the Technical Working Group on Decommissioning and Environmental Remediation of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which she chairs, as well as feedback on the meeting outcomes to the Deputy Director General of the IAEA; a presentation on ‘Namibia’s Geology and Mining Industry with an Emphasis on Uranium’ was given to visiting students from Dartmouth College, USA; on ‘The General and Economic Geology and Geography of the Selected Area for the International Field Exercise’ to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organisation’s (CTBTO) Preparatory Team for the International Field Exercise; on ‘Enhancing Regional Capabilities For Sustainable Uranium Exploration and Mining’ to the IAEA -RAF2014 - Coordination Meeting; and on ‘Grounded in Heritage, Geared for Growth: Building a United Future for Woman in Mining’ to the Woman in Mining Summit. Contributions were made to the Chamber of Mines of Namibia’s newsletter, and the NUA newsletter was published twice.

Strategic Partnerships

NUA fosters a number of strategic partnerships in order to promote the Namibian uranium brand. On the international front regular contact is maintained with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), where the NUI director serves as the chair of the Technical Working Group on Decommissioning and Environmental Remediation of the IAEA, as well as the Project Scientific Consultant of the project on Enhancing Regional Capabilities For Sustainable Uranium Exploration and Mining (IAEA-RAF2014). NUA is also a member of the World Nuclear Association (WNA), where the Director of NUI participates in a number of working groups, namely the Working Groups on Radiological Protection, on Waste Management and Decommissioning, on Transport, on the Nuclear Fuel Report and on ESG. The Director of NUI is furthermore chairing UNESCO’s Task Force for the establishment of a Namibian Geopark, which is an important partnership taking into consideration that NUA members are operating on the doorstep of UNESCO’s Namib Sand Sea World Heritage Site.

On the local platform, interaction with the Namibian Government is essential, and includes regulators such as the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy (MIME); the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT); the National Radiation Protection Authority (NRPA) and the Atomic Energy Board (AEB), both within the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS); as well as the Ministry of International Relations and Trade (MIRT), with the Director of NUI serving as a member of the National Technical Working Group on Namibia’s Application for membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group. The Government Mining Company Epangelo Mining is a member of NUA. A close relationship with the relevant municipalities, and the Erongo Regional Governor guarantees that NUA keeps abreast with local developments and Corporate Social Responsibility requirements. Interaction with the parastatals NamWater, NamPower, TransNamib and NamPort ensures up-to-date knowledge about the provision of essential services.

NUA was furthermore privileged to be invited to Her Excellency the President’s Namibia Public-Private Forum, where the NUI director chaired the Sector WG on Mining & Adjacent Industries, and which gave the industry a unique opportunity to raise issues with Her Excellency herself.

The quality of training and research is addressed through interaction with the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), with two members of NUA’s Scientific Committee coming from this institution. There is of course regular contact with the Namibian Chamber of Mines, and the NUI director is a member of the Chamber’s Exploration, Environmental and Social, and ESG Committees. NUA holds membership of the Namibia Scientific Society, the Swakopmund Scientific Society, where the NUI director chairs the board, and the Recycle Namibia Forum.

Corporate Social Responsibility

The Namibian uranium industry accepts Corporate Social Responsibility as a core issue. It is the NUA’s mission to support the industry in its efforts to embracing social and ecological best practices.

Corporate Social Responsibility plays a crucial role in communities, particularly those faced with unemployment and food insecurity. Mining operations often occur in remote and underdeveloped areas, where local economies are fragile, and basic needs like employment and nutrition are not always met. This is not different in the Erongo Region. By investing in targeted initiatives, mining companies can foster social stability, economic resilience, and environmental stewardship, ultimately contributing to the long-term viability of such communities. Members of the NUA have carried out corporate social responsibility projects for more than four decades, as they strongly believe in making positive contributions to the society in which they operate, and demonstrating an unwavering commitment to the upliftment and improvement of living standards for all Namibians. Consequently, the Namibian uranium sector contributed N$ 65.7 million to Corporate Social Responsibility Projects in 2025. Taken into consideration that Namibian uranium companies are involved in many activities that do not make any profit, such as mine development and expansion, as well as exploration, this is a noteworthy figure.

NUA has also cooperated with the Erongo Development Foundation (EDF) in this respect. The EDF’s aim is to promote and facilitate programmes that foster equitable and sustainable development in the Erongo Region. The primary goal of the EDF is to advance funding to projects that have quantifiable social, cultural and economic benefits to residents and communities in the Erongo Region. The key characteristic of EDF is the nurturing of a caring society by facilitating investments in socio-economic projects with a focus on education, training and enterprise development. NUA has supported EDF for many years and continued to provide secretarial services to EDF in 2025.

In support of the HPP pillars of Economic Advancement and Social Progression, NUA is fully recognising the importance of career guidance to effect economic transformation. The NUA therefore supported the 2025 Erongo Career Fair, and continued to distribute the NUA career guidance booklet which informs about careers in the mining industry, and assists learners in making their choice for the most suitable career path. Getting learners interested in a mining career will supply the mining sector with specialised skills in the long term and contributes to the development of Namibia.

Compliance and Enforcement

The Namibian uranium industry is subject to the provision of a number of legal instruments, in particular the Minerals Act, 1992 (Act 33 of 1992) the Atomic Energy and Radiation Protection Act, 2005 (Act No 5 of 2005) and its Regulations, the Environmental Management Act, 2007 (Act 7 of 2007), as well as international agreements such as the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material, the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, and the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Other commitments are the result of Namibia’s membership of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

NUA members are operating according to international best practice, as enshrined in the NUA’s Constitution, the NUA’s Charter, and the Chamber of Mines of Namibia Code of Ethics, to which NUA subscribes. They are setting a high standard through their commitment to product stewardship, and have at all times been in compliance with the instruments listed above. In addition, NUA’s contribution to the implementation of the Ministry of Mines and Energy’s Strategic Environmental Management Plan for the Uranium Province further ensures that the industry’s performance is in the best interest of Namibia and her people.

Nuclear energy today provides about 9% of the world's electricity from 436 power reactors, as 31 countries generate electricity from nuclear energy. Nuclear also provides over 20% of the world’s low-carbon electricity, and is the world's second largest source of low-carbon power after hydropower.  In addition, over 50 countries utilize nuclear energy in about 220 research reactors. Over and above the research, these reactors are used for the production of medical and industrial isotopes, as well as for training.

Civil nuclear power can now boast around 20 000 reactor years of operating experience. In fact, through regional transmission grids, many more countries depend in part on nuclear-generated power, particularly in Europe, but also in southern Africa. But the uses of nuclear technology also extend well beyond the provision of low-carbon energy. It helps control the spread of disease, assists doctors in their diagnosis and treatment of patients, and powers our most ambitious missions to explore space. The low-carbon nature of nuclear generated electricity has put nuclear energy in a pivotal position to achieve the energy transition away from fossil fuels, and combined with the varied other uses of nuclear technologies positions uranium as a raw material for the various applications at the heart of the world's efforts to achieve sustainable development.

With three operating mines, a number of developing mines, and many advanced and grass route projects, Namibia is well positioned to supply the required raw material. In addition, Namibia is shifting its own energy strategy to consider harnessing some of its uranium for domestic power. Namibian uranium exploration and mining companies adhere to international best practise with reference to management of the environment and radiation safety, and make valuable contributions to the welfare of communities in the country. This adherence to the highest ESG standards makes Namibia a supplier of choice, locally and internationally. The Namibian Uranium Association supports this position through its stewardship principles, which are ensuring the highest standards of performance and promote the Namibian uranium brand.