Uranium One opens office at Leonardville

Uranium One Group, the Russian mining company exploring for uranium in the Leonardville area, recently opened an office at the village.

The company says the office will be open to the public on Wednesdays and Thursdays until the operation has grown to such an extent that an office administrator is employed on a full-time basis.

“We are convinced about the success of our project, hence we have decided to open the office at Leonardville.

We are excited to take our place in the Namibian economy and to assist in the development and upliftment of the communities we operate in,” says Kirill Egorov-Kirillov, the director of mines at the group.

“We are not here to loot the resources of this beautiful country, but we want to work together to improve the future for the local community,” he says.

In his speech, Omaheke governor Pio Nganate stressed the importance of dialogue to reach common understanding.

“The Omaheke region is the third poorest in Namibia, and if the mine is a success, the situation could be changed drastically,” he says.

The mining group has renewed its commitment to the Noasanabis Primary School’s feeding scheme from July to June 2024 to the value of N$405 000.

The mining group has also illustrated its commitment to local farmers by buying their fresh produce.

Guests to the office’s opening event visited the construction site of a kitchen being built at Noasanabis Primary School to the value of N$1,8 million.

Workers at the site are from the local community, and the bricks being used are bought from a local manufacturer.

Uranium One spokesperson Riaan van Rooyen said one of the conditions of the contract was that locals should be employed, and that as much of the material as possible should be sourced locally.

“It is not only to create an income for the local people at Leonardville, but even more important is the transfer of skills, which will stand them in good stead in the future,” he said.