Good read P1 From Hot Copper Post7 May 2009 10:34
NAMIBIA has overtaken Russia as the fourth biggest uranium supplier in the world, on track to meet its target of becoming the world’s third largest supplier by 2015.
According to a report by Cameco, the world’s top uranium producer, Namibia accounted for ten per cent of global uranium supply last year.
Russia supplied eight per cent, while Kazakhstan and Australia each supplied 19 per cent. The biggest supplier in the world was Canada, with 21 per cent.
The news comes as the sparkle in the local diamond industry continues to dull and Namibia increasingly counts on uranium mining to put some lustre back into its gloomy economy.
“Given the addition of new mines that are expected to come on board in the next couple of years, the Namibian uranium industry has considerable potential to perform much better,” Luise Nakatana, market analyst at Investment House Namibia (IHN), says in a new report on the sector.
Uranium means huge sums of money for investments.
Trying to ease fears of a prolonged economic meltdown, Old Mutual Namibia Group Economist Robin Sherbourne recently highlighted multibillion-dollar projects that are expected to drive Namibia’s growth over the next five years. Of these, some N$17,2 billion stem directly from the uranium industry.
Mega-investments in uranium projects also means lots of job opportunities.
According to IHN’s estimates, the uranium sector should employ nearly 4 310 workers within the next five years.