Image credit: Andrey Serebryakov
In 2016 there has been substantial media coverage on the proposed nuclear build in South Africa. This included: the cost, the outdated energy planning documents, the international agreements, a court case involving the President and the Minister of Energy, problematic environmental impact assessments, a strained nuclear regulator and the potential for corruption. However, nuclear power stations, in their current form, require uranium. While the role of the Guptas, Oakbay and Shiva Uranium have made a few headlines, the nasty underbelly of uranium mining itself has seen less of the spotlight.
Dr Stefan Cramer gave an insightful presentation at the Alternative Information and Development Centre on 11 July 2016.
Radioactive dust gets blown far from the mine
The Karoo has a “world class uranium deposit”. In this context, the ore is at shallow depths, so it can be accessed with open-pit mining. This makes it easier for mining companies, but what does it mean for everyone else? For starters the blasting removes precious topsoil, so the agricultural potential of the region decreases. The blasting also results in a lot of dust. Radioactive dust. In other words the dust particles contain minerals that emit alpha- and gamma radiation. Wind can then disperse this to a much wider area than the mine itself. Breathing this in can potentially result in lung cancer. In addition to dust from blasting, the waste from uranium mines is kept in tailing dams, which resemble large pools of toxic sludge. With high rates of evaporation in the Karoo, this quickly exposes the remaining toxic material, which can then be blown away. Now, I am not a gambler, but I am willing to bet that those pushing hard for nuclear in South Africa will not have homes next to the uranium mines.
Contamination of essential water sources
Then there is the issue of ground water contamination, either from the tailing dams or other aspects of the mining operation. Radioactive compounds released by mining operations can affect borehole supplies and river systems. Since the region receives very little rainfall, underground aquifers are relied on for water supply. Once these are contaminated with radioactive waste, they are incredibly difficult and expensive to treat, as the recovery process at Fukushima has shown. Drainage patterns also mean that mining near Beaufort West could affect water quality in Port Elizabeth, over 350 km away.
Extensive water use in a dry region
Over and above potential water contamination, is water use. The Australian mining company, Peninsula Energy, proposed a uranium processing plant near Beaufort West that would use 700 million litres of water a year. That is equivalent to half of the current annual water use of the entire Central Karoo municipality. As you are probably aware, the Karroo is not exactly drowning in excess water.
Mining waste becomes more hazardous over time
Unlike other forms of waste, that from uranium mining actually gets worse over time. Basically, the process of radioactive decay results in daughter isotopes. In the case of uranium, these include radium, radon (a gas) and polonium. The latter is about 250 000 times more toxic than hydrogen cyanide, which was used in Nazi death camps. Five grams, if appropriately distributed and ingested, could kill every single person in South Africa! Suffice to say, it is nasty stuff. Although it is very rare, it is not the kind of thing you want to have in your water supply.
Abandoned mines are not safe
Back in the late 1970’s, there was a trial uranium mine at Ryst Kuil, which is less than 50km from Beaufort West. This site is still strewn with rusted barrels that once contained radioactive waste or uranium ore. Over 35 years later, radiation levels are still over 40 times higher than acceptable by international standards. At another site, Reitkuil (which borders on the Karoo National Park), goats were found grazing amongst the high-grade uranium ore heaps. Long term exposure like this can lead to cancers. There are no warning signs at the site about these hazards. The lesson here is that when the money dries up, mining companies just pull out, leaving future generations to deal with the mess. In the case of uranium mining, the mess is dangerous.
There are better alternatives in the Karoo
While the Karoo has precious little water, it does have lots of sun. With all the issues surrounding nuclear power and the additional dangers of uranium mining, solar is the obvious energy alternative. Currently, renewable energy already provides ten times more jobs than nuclear in South Africa, and that ratio could increase to 20 times by 2030. On the other hand, the effects of uranium mining could actually lead to job losses in the agricultural sector due to water contamination and livestock disease.
In South Africa we have plenty of energy options to choose from. We just need to put pressure on our leaders to make sensible choices that benefit all citizens and the environment.
To find out more about Dr Cramer’s work, please visit his Facebook page.
Education is key. Spread the word.
Richard Halsey is a member of Project 90 by 2030’s Policy & Research team
