Israeli company’s plan to mine phospate off Namibian coast

Swakopmund Matters 3 – 2014 –

News articles on Israeli company (Leviev Group) to mine phosphate off the coast at Luderitz through its Namibian subsidiary LL NP.
On 27 March 2014 Israeli newspapers and Die Republikein carried articles to the effect that the Leviev Group (LGC) is to launch a phosphate mining plant off the Namibian coast. In the articles it is also mentioned that the LGC hopes a demonstration processing plant it plans to launch this year at Luderitz will address such concerns and allow full-scale construction work to proceed so production can start in 2017 or 2018.

Letters for publication has been sent to the editors of the relevant newspapers.

The thrust of the letters is the following:

Several aspects need clarification.

The article may bring its readers under the impression that the mining of phosphate off the Namibia coast is a fait accompli. On the contrary, it is not and will not be for a considerable time.

In recent days local and international media reports referred to the Namibian Moratorium on Marine Phosphate Mining as being for 18 months.
This is not factually correct. It is imperative that attention is again drawn to the fact that the period of the Moratorium will indeed be THREE years with an extension not excluded.

On 17 September 2013 the Namibian Cabinet decided to impose a moratorium for 18 months on marine phosphate mining. However, on 16 December 2013 the Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources made the following announcements relating to the Moratorium when he gave an interview to NAMPA (Namibia Press Agency):
• In September 2013 his Ministry had made a submission to Cabinet to place an 18-month moratorium on deep-sea phosphate mining and that was endorsed by Cabinet. He then went on to explain that the “submission included an addendum which stipulated a moratorium of three years”.
• Furthermore, he added that “the scoping period will determine the end date of the moratorium”.
• The Norwegian-based Foundation for Scientific and Industrial Research (SINTEF) and the Institute of Marine Research (IMR) have been asked to study the impact of marine phosphate mining on the ocean environment.
• He also stressed that “environmental clearances can only be granted after adequate research had been conducted and therefore, a moratorium period is required to carry out these studies”.

It is especially important that due note is taken of the above comments by the Minister.

On one point the Minister was very emphatic: Only once the Moratorium has ended will environmental clearances be granted.

The Leviev Group (LGC) does not have any clearance yet for any activity or construction. Only when the moratorium has ended and the Namibian Government in its own right and on its own terms may have concluded that such mining would be allowed and under what conditions, would LGC be able to present an application for such clearance.

Consequently, all matters relating to marine phosphate are on hold. For LGC to convey the impression that a demonstration processing plant will be in operation in Luderitz later this year is totally incorrect. It is in conflict with the clear injunction of the Namibian Government. No development in the field of marine phosphate mining shall take place before it has decided what is in the best interest of Namibia. The Namibian Government will not be forced into any decision by anyone. Nor will it allow anyone to circumvent its decisions. It will enforce its decisions vigorously. And it is for international investors, such as LGC, to abide by those decisions.

The Namibian Government is only interested in working with and receiving the conclusions from the Norwegian-based Foundation for Scientific and Industrial Research (SINTEF) and the Institute of Marine Research (IMR). The current views of potential phosphate miners are immaterial and of no consequence. The Namibian Government will neither be influenced nor swayed by self-interested comments. It has engaged SINTEF and IMR with a specific mandate. It is not for others to address what they may regards as concerns, especially not when those with a material interest want to do so.

Thank you for publishing this letter.

Swakopmund Matters
27 March 2014
(For Swakopmund Matters the environment of the Namibian coastline and its ocean matters)
Swakopmund Matters 25 March 2014