GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NAMIBIA

1. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NAMIBIA GSN A member of the Organisation of African Geological Surveys EXPLORATION OF NEW MINERAL RESOURCES – THE ROLE OF GEOLOGICAL MAPPING, GEOCHEMISTRY, GEOPHYSICS AND NATIONAL GEOLOGICAL SURVEYS by G SCHNEIDER Earth Sciences for Namibia’s Sustainable Development

2. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NAMIBIA GSN A member of the Organisation of African Geological Surveys THE NAMIBIAN COMMODITIES • Diamonds and • semi-precious stones • Uranium and fossil fuels • Base metals • Rare metals • Precious metals • Industrial minerals • Dimension stone • Industrial rocks Earth Sciences for Namibia’s Sustainable Development

3. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NAMIBIA GSN A member of the Organisation of African Geological Surveys THE IMPORTANCE OF MINING FOR THE NAMIBIAN ECONOMY 17 % GDP 11 % Taxes 50 % Export-earnings Royalties: 5% on unprocessed dimension stone 10% on rough diamonds 1% - 5% on all other commodities Diamonds: 6 % of world production (value) 95-98% Gemstone quality But: 2009 uranium > diamonds Earth Sciences for Namibia’s Sustainable Development

4. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NAMIBIA GSN A member of the Organisation of African Geological Surveys CURRENT NAMIBIAN LICENSES Earth Sciences for Namibia’s Sustainable Development

5. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NAMIBIA GSN A member of the Organisation of African Geological Surveys PROMOTION OF MINERAL POTENTIAL The Ministry of Mines and Energy promotes exploration and mining through the services of a vibrant Geological Survey and the Directorate of Mining’s efficient administration of modern mining legislation. Centrally located in Windhoek, it houses information about some 100 years of exploration in Namibia, as well as modern geological, geophysical and geochemical data; and provides licensing services. Earth Sciences for Namibia’s Sustainable Development

6. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NAMIBIA GSN A member of the Organisation of African Geological Surveys 20 countries Core Source: OAGS survey. Earth Sciences for Namibia’s Sustainable Development

7. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NAMIBIA GSN A member of the Organisation of African Geological Surveys • Investors and decision makers need access to geo-scientific data • Comprehensive • Easy to use • Logically represented, well structured • Digital • The Geological Survey of Namibia has embarked on • several initiatives: • Digital geological mapping • Development of laboratories • Regional geochemical sampling programme • Historical data archive • Airborne geophysical survey programme Earth Sciences for Namibia’s Sustainable Development

8. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NAMIBIA GSN A member of the Organisation of African Geological Surveys DIAMONDS Earth Sciences for Namibia’s Sustainable Development

9. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NAMIBIA GSN A member of the Organisation of African Geological Surveys BENGUELA CURRENT COMMISSION • MANAGEMENT OF MINING AND DRILLING ACTIVITIES • Regional Consultation Framework • Policy Harmonization • Cumulative Impact Assessment • MANAGEMENT OF POLLUTION • Harmonizing environmental quality objectives • Oil pollution contingency plans and regional policy • MAINTAINANCE OF ECOSYSTEM HEALTH + • PROTECTION OF BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY • Vulnerable species and habitats • Ballast water policy • Marine biological diversity conservation Earth Sciences for Namibia’s Sustainable Development

10. 1994 Millions 6 600 5 500 4 400 3 300 2 200 1 100 0 0 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Line km flown Data Sales [N$] Exploration Expenditure [Mio $] Licenses active GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NAMIBIA GSN A member of the Organisation of African Geological Surveys HIGH-RESOLUTION AIRBORNE GEOPHYSICS before 1985 Earth Sciences for Namibia’s Sustainable Development

11. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NAMIBIA GSN A member of the Organisation of African Geological Surveys HIGH RESOLUTION AIRBORNE GEOPHYSICAL SURVEY PROGRAMME IMPACT Earth Sciences for Namibia’s Sustainable Development

12. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NAMIBIA GSN A member of the Organisation of African Geological Surveys URANIUM AND GEOPHYSICS • Rössing South – one of the most significant • discoveries in decades • Highest grade uranium deposit in the World • Resources of 267 million lbs @ 488 ppm U3O8 • Planned commissioning 2013 • 15 million lbs/a U3O8 Earth Sciences for Namibia’s Sustainable Development

13. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NAMIBIA GSN A member of the Organisation of African Geological Surveys URANIUM AND GEOPHYSICS Earth Sciences for Namibia’s Sustainable Development

14. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NAMIBIA GSN A member of the Organisation of African Geological Surveys STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESS- MENT OF THE NAMIB URANIUM RUSH • There was a clear need to establish comprehensive Environmental Baseline data to underpin environmental assessments (EIAs), contribute to EMPs and to the over-all process of progressing with exploration and potential mining license applications in a National Park. • There was also an urgent need for a a process of systematic analysis of environmental impacts which extends the aims and principles of EIA upstream in the decision making process, beyond the project level and when major alternatives are still open (SEA definition according to UNDP, 2002) and a Land use Strategy of all areas affected by uranium mining, and in particular in the Namib Naukluft Park. Cumulative impacts Earth Sciences for Namibia’s Sustainable Development

15. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NAMIBIA GSN A member of the Organisation of African Geological Surveys • Key objectives of the Stragtegic Environmental Assessment • Analyse environmental, economic and social impacts of uranium • exploration and mining, and assess cumulative, synergistic and • antagonistic aspects • Formulate development options to avoid or minimize negative • impacts and to enhance positive impacts • Provide recommendations in the form of Strategic Management • Plans (which indicate actions, responsible actors + timeframes) for • sustainable development and trigger their implementation. • Assessment of cumulative, synergistic + antagonistic aspects • Practical issues • Public concerns • Opportunities + threats • Constraints • The way forward Earth Sciences for Namibia’s Sustainable Development

16. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NAMIBIA GSN A member of the Organisation of African Geological Surveys Rare Earth Elements • Mapping • Geochemical analysis • Hyper-spectral survey • Research into the genesis • of carbonatites Earth Sciences for Namibia’s Sustainable Development

17. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NAMIBIA GSN A member of the Organisation of African Geological Surveys SMALL SCALE MINING • Taylor-made assistance • Interpretation of geological data • Alternative resources • Training • Value-adding • Marketing Earth Sciences for Namibia’s Sustainable Development

18. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NAMIBIA GSN A member of the Organisation of African Geological Surveys RECOMMENDATIONS • Geology underlies everything • Developed countries have a good geological data base • The first geological map was published in England in 17.. and • triggered the industrial revolution • Developing countries need strong Geological Surveys • Geo-scientists need better recognition and must be involved in • decision making processes • Good investment (funding) for Geological Surveys will be • returned manyfold in the form of mineral investment, reduction • of opportunity costs and improved environmental economics • Quality high-resolution airborne geophysical data are essential • Environmental; research is a pre-requisite for sustainability • Support to Small Scale Mining is an ideal tool to broaden the • benefit derifed from a country‘s mineral endowment • Geo-data must be accessable and available at resonable prices • We only have one planet, use Geo-scientists to manage it to the • best advantage of mankind Earth Sciences for Namibia’s Sustainable Development

19. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NAMIBIA GSN A member of the Organisation of African Geological Surveys THANK YOU! www.mme.gov.na Earth Sciences for Namibia’s Sustainable Development