Namibia’s uranium sector: integrating closure innovation into a new era of growth

Introduction

Namibia has firmly established itself as one of the world’s leading uranium producers, contributing approximately 10% of global annual output and ranking third internationally. With nearly a century of history since uranium was first discovered in 1928, and more than 50 years of continuous production, the uranium industry is deeply embedded in both Namibia’s national economy and global nuclear fuel supply chains.

Flagship operations such as Rössing Uranium, Husab, and Langer Heinrich remain central to this legacy, while major new developments, including Bannerman Energy’s Etango Project and Deep Yellow’s Tumas Project, underscore the depth of Namibia’s uranium resource base and its long‑term production potential.

Against this backdrop, SLR recently presented at the Namibia Uranium Conference, delivering a presentation titled Uranium Mine Closure and Rehabilitation Innovations in Southern Africa. The presentation explored how the integration of engineering design, geochemistry, and biological systems is reshaping closure approaches for uranium operations in hyper‑arid environments such as Namibia, South Africa, and the broader Southern African region. Drawing on site experience, case studies, and emerging research, SLR highlighted how closure strategies can be designed to deliver stable, defensible outcomes over century‑scale timeframes.

Global Context and Market Signals

Conference discussions also reflected broader global trends, particularly the anticipated long‑term growth of nuclear energy markets. Presentations addressing uranium price cycles, forecast supply deficits, and future nuclear fuel demand reinforced a critical message: stable production and credible closure planning are both essential to maintaining investor confidence, regulatory credibility, and community trust.

In this context, mine closure is increasingly recognised as a material risk factor, not only for individual projects, but for the uranium sector as a whole.

SLR’s Role in Namibia’s Uranium Industry

SLR maintains a strong and growing footprint within Namibia’s uranium sector, supported by multidisciplinary teams spanning hydrology, environmental science, geochemistry, engineering, and closure planning.

SLR’s ongoing involvement at Langer Heinrich includes:

• Groundwater development and hydrogeological advisory
• Engineering design support
• Water supply and infrastructure inputs
• Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) support

This integrated approach directly informs long term closure decision making, particularly in relation to groundwater flow paths, contaminant transport mechanisms, and flood response behaviour under extreme climatic events.

SLR’s uranium experience extends well beyond Namibia and includes work on projects such as the Husab Uranium Project, Cebolleta Uranium Advisory, Cooke Uranium Project, and the delivery of detailed engineering design for the Rum Jungle Uranium Mine rehabilitation, one of Australia’s most complex legacy uranium sites.

Forward Look: Embedding Closure from the Start

The conference highlighted that Namibia’s uranium sector is entering a new phase of renewed growth, with several projects advancing toward development, others preparing to restart, and ongoing exploration, including activities by CGN Swakop Uranium (Pty) Ltd, continuing to expand the national resource base. This momentum presents a valuable opportunity to embed closure planning from the earliest design stages, aligning projects with international best practice and significantly reducing long‑term liabilities. Early consideration of:

• Source–pathway–receptor relationships
• Contaminated infrastructure inventories
• Tailings geochemistry and weathering behaviour
• Long‑term monitoring and relinquishment objectives

This ensures closure strategies that are both cost‑effective and technically defensible.

Looking ahead, Namibia is well-positioned to emerge as a global leader in climate‑specific closure design, geochemical immobilisation strategies, and nature‑based remediation solutions. Continued research partnerships, cross‑industry collaboration, and the strengthening of national and company‑level ESG frameworks will further support this trajectory.

Building Trust Through Engagement and Transparency

Stakeholder engagement and transparent communication, particularly around radiological safety and long-term environmental stewardship, will play an increasingly important role, especially for operations approaching closure or entering care and maintenance.
Opportunities exist to develop collaborative industry frameworks addressing:

• Monitoring expectations and performance indicators
• Cover system performance criteria
• Closure certification and relinquishment pathways

SLR’s technical depth and regional experience place it in a strong position to support the development of consistent, nationally aligned guidance in these areas.