The Ministry of Mines and Energy has called on small-scale miners in the Erongo region to stop illegal mining activities.
Mines deputy executive director Erasmus Shivolo, speaking during the handover of protective equipment to small-scale miners at Xoboxobos last week, said mining claim holders should report illegal mining activities to the police.
Shivolo noted that the ministry has received complaints of illegal mining at Xoboxobos and called on those engaged in these practices to stop.
He said the ministry, with technical and financial support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has strengthened efforts to improve environmental compliance in small-scale mining.
He noted that the Ministry Policy Framework Assessment, conducted by the Intergovernmental Forum on Metals, Mining and Sustainable Development, evaluated the ministry’s laws relative to six themes, including environmental management.
The assessment found that there is limited understanding of existing mining legislation, especially on environmental management and occupational health and safety, he said.
Moreover, the African Mining Vision framework urges the ministry to recognise that the health of the environment is critical to health and livelihoods, thus mining operations should be conducted in a sustainable manner for current and future generations.
Shivolo noted that the handover of protective equipment to small-scale miners responded to the findings of the assessment and the African Mining Vision framework.
To date, the ministry’s records show approximately 1 078 registered mining claims countrywide. Records further estimate that between 5 000 and 8 000 people are engaged in small-scale mining, usually working in groups of five to eight people per claim.
“This is a significant number for a country with a small population like ours. That is why the Namibian government is committed to the development of the small-scale mining sector,” said Shivolo.
He further said the ministry routinely offers geotechnical support to small-scale miners in the form of assistance with geological information, geochemical analysis, mineral rights applications and handling of disputes arising from access to farmland.
He called on small-scale miners to do their part by working hard to create a sustainable industry that can be taken seriously.
The UNDP, through its collaborative project, ‘Strengthening Environmental Governance and Improving Health and Safety in Critical Small-Scale Mining Hotspots in Namibia’, supports small-scale miners through the mines ministry, in an effort to formalise the sector.
The handover of protective equipment falls under UNDP’s Sustainable Environmental Management for Enhanced Resilience portfolio, with a focus on climate change adaptation, environment and waste management, climate change mitigation, natural resources management and sustainable livelihoods.
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