WALVIS BAY - Mines and Energy Minister Tom Alweendo has said The Long Fire Investments’ mining claims awarded in the Daures constituency were awarded and registered procedurally and in compliance with the Mining Act.
Alweendo responded to allegations of illegal lithium mining against Long Fire Investments and its joint venture company Xinfeng Investment in the Uis area that has been a bone of contention since last year.
Uis activist Jimmy Areseb had during a meeting held last month with the minister and residents accused the lithium miners of looting resources, and demanded that a proper investigation be conducted.
He stated that Xinfeng only has a pending exclusive exploration licence (EPL) application for claim 8843, which is in the Uis area, an active mining licence on EPL 243, as well as a pending renewal EPL for 7228 in the Okombahe/Omaruru area.
Areseb added that Orange River Investment was granted consent on two mining claims (70515 and 70516), which he asserted belong to Townland Investment, but are in EPL 7248 that belong to Mount Brandberg Mining. Long Fire Investment has 10 mining claims for semi-precious stones.
“These claims have been pegged for semi-precious stones only. However, the owner wrote a letter on 21 July to remove lithium and rare earth metals from his commodities. Yet, the ECC they received after the request allows them access to mine lithium,” he continued.
A follow-up meeting was then held in Windhoek with the committee of Uis to discuss and investigate the allegations.
Minister satisfied with Long Fire
However, Alweendo, in a letter to Areseb on Friday stated that they are satisfied with the Long Fire mining claims as they were awarded and registered procedurally, and in compliance with the Act.
A letter shared by the ministry states that records show that Long Fire Investments on 27 June last year applied for the registration of 10 mining claims for base and rare metals (BRM), industrial minerals (IM) and semi-precious stones (SPS).
“The applicant paid the necessary fees, and the application was duly captured on the system the same day. On 22 July 2022, Long Fire handed in an amended application for SPS only, and an unsigned letter requesting the removal of BRM and IM from the application. Given the fact that the letter requesting the removal of some minerals was not signed, the ministry did not act on that request. It is, however, the case that the amended application was uploaded onto the system, and this should not have happened,” Alweendo explained in the letter.
According to the minister, Long Fire’s application for an environmental clearance certificate (ECC) at the environment ministry (MEFT) was for lithium, and they conducted a full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for lithium mining operations.
Aweendo elucidated that he received the ECC issued on 16 September 2022 from MEFT, and thereafter registered the mining claims in respect of BRM, IM and SPS on 23 September 2022.
“The ECC was specifically issued for lithium mining operations on the 10 mining claims as per the application received on 27 June 2022. Given the above facts, specifically, the fact that the ECC was issued for lithium as per the 27 June 2022 application and not the 22 July 2022 application, we are satisfied that the Long Fire mining claims were awarded and registered procedurally and in compliance with the Act,” the minister continued.
Meanwhile, Xinfeng last week in a letter requested to be allowed to resume lithium mining activities at Omaruru.
Xinfeng said its lithium plant can only materialise on the condition that mining operations there commence to get the needed capital.
The company claims to have so far invested N$200 million, and that it has been overshadowed by “external events that are not being well-guided by both parties, giving rise to a non-conducive environment for engagement to pursue closer relationships’’.