project plan gains
Transcription
project plan gains
JULY 2014 • NEWS FOR THE FRIENDS AND PEOPLE OF SWAKOP URANIUM PROJECT PLAN GAINS MOMENTUM His Excellency Hifikepunye Pohamba (left) and Mr He Yu, Chairman of Swakop Uranium’s shareholder, China General Nuclear Power Company, with the plaque which commemorates the official commencement of mining activities at the Husab mine. There can be no doubt that mining operations have started in all earnest at Swakop Uranium’s Husab Project. Both the new road and bridge to the mine site have been opened for traffic and progress on site is increasingly visible as work on above-ground installations ramps up. ON 8 May 2014, the start of mining operations was declared officially open by the President of the Republic of Namibia, His Excellency Hifikepunye Pohamba. In his address he recognised the Husab mine as “a significant project creating a win-win partnership, making Namibia one of the biggest uranium-producing countries in the world and generating another catalyst to Namibia’s national strength” (see page 5). On the previous day, the permanent road from the B2 transport route to the Husab mine was officially opened by the Founding President, HE Dr Sam Nujoma (see page 3). See how our project grows Since the groundbreaking ceremony on 18 April 2013, Swakop Uranium has made significant progress on the Husab Project: • Construction of the 37 hectare Husab village is complete. The village is a showcase in Namibia, comparing well with the standards of mining companies around the world. By the end of June 2014, the on-site project workforce stood at 3 254 (153 females), of whom 87% were Namibian citizens. Just over 1 500 of these workers are currently being accommodated in the construction village. • Infrastructure is being developed to provide the critical utilities for construction and operation. Power lines and reservoirs are in place, and the permanent water pipeline construction is progressing well. • Eleven of the giant haul trucks have already been assembled and handed over to the operations team for training and commissioning following manufacture of the various components all over the globe and their shipment to Namibia. Two hydraulic face shovels, which are used to load the haul trucks, have also been handed over to the operations team for pre-mining. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 During his visit to China, the Right Hon Prime Minister Geingob met with his Chinese counterpart, Mr Li Keqiang. He also visited the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Base, which is owned by Swakop Uranium’s shareholder, China General Nuclear Power Company. • The remainder of the initial mining fleet, including rope shovels, drill rigs and other ancillary mining equipment, has also been delivered to site. • The mining training programmes are progressing well. Six simulators were delivered to site and are in full operation. • Bulk earthworks for the processing plant are almost completed, and structural civil construction has begun. Equipment installation will begin in the second half of 2014. A NEW ERA, A NEW VOICE With the Husab Project officially under way, and a new management team to lead this mega-project, it was time for a new voice. The result is Husab Voice, the new name for Swakop Uranium’s newsletter. ADD YOUR VOICE TO OURS If you have any news or views on the Husab Project, or the contents of this newsletter, please email your comments to: [email protected] • Construction of the most impressive structure – the primary crusher – remains on track, while each day progress can be seen on offices and workshops, the thickener base, and SAG and Ball mill foundations. • The first significant concrete pour took place on 10 April when the SAG mill foundation was poured. • The 120 ton low-bed truck has arrived on site, and delivery of materials for the thickeners has started. • Continuous recruitment for operations is focused on a diverse Namibian workforce. Special attention is given to the recruitment of females in a male-dominated mining world (see pages 10 and 11). Ready to compete with the best Swakop Uranium CEO Zheng Keping points out that all of this has been achieved with an enviable safety record. He stresses that these milestones would not have been possible without the continuous support of the Namibian Government, including the enabling investment environment it has created since the country’s independence. “The Namibian Government is regarded internationally as responsible, stable and consistent with a sound infrastructure, where clear and unambiguous guidelines are in place for the regulation of mining activities in the country,” he says. Swakop Uranium has in the meantime acquired the former Areva Plaza in Swakopmund, which will henceforth be referred to as the Husab Tower. By the end of June 2014, all Windhoek-based personnel had relocated to the Swakopmund office (see page 12). 2 According to Mr Keping, Swakop Uranium is committed to building a competent workforce and leadership pipeline at all levels within the organisation. This will ensure that in parallel with the construction of the Husab mine, the Swakop Uranium management team in Namibia will assemble and train all staff to ensure that the company is ready to compete with the best in the global village. To this end, Swakop Uranium has initiated a scholarship programme to reduce the skills shortage in various fields in the longer term. Graduates will be afforded the opportunity to develop their skills and gain experience with Swakop Uranium through a structured graduate training programme, thus providing the base to develop the future leaders. To ensure development to a postgraduate level, the company will sponsor highly motivated and talented Namibians to study abroad and obtain postgraduate Master’s degrees at a university in China. Junior level employees will have specific training programmes to ensure upward mobility in the organisation. Another Sino-Namibian highlight Another recent highlight was the visit in April by the Right Honourable Hage Geingob, Prime Minister of Namibia, to China General Nuclear Power Company’s (CGN) Daya Bay Nuclear Power Base located in Shenzhen, China. Prime Minister Geingob, who met with Mr Zhang Shanming, President of CGN, expressed his appreciation for CGN’s cordial invitation. He reviewed the long-lasting friendship between China and Namibia and described Husab as an excellent project that will benefit the peoples of China and Namibia and serves as testimony of the excellent SinoNamibian friendship. Engineering masterpiece. The 160 m-long bridge over the Khan River is the longest built in Namibia since the country’s independence in 1990. Founding President opens new road Rock solid. The Founding President, HE Dr Sam Nujoma, unveils the solid granite road marker at the B2 turn-off to the Husab mine. The marker weighs a massive 34 tonnes. Take five. His Excellency President Hifikepunye Pohamba and Hon Isak Katali, Minister of Mines and Energy, shake hands in front of the granite road marker at the turn-off to the Husab mine. With them are HE Mr Xin Skunkang, Chinese Ambassador to Namibia (left) and Mr Zheng Keping, Swakop Uranium’s CEO. A cut above. HE Dr Sam Nujoma triumphantly holds up the ribbon after the ceremonial cut to officially open the road to Husab. On the left is Mr He Yu, Chairman of Swakop Uranium’s shareholder, China General Nuclear Power Company. IT was a proud moment when the Founding President, HE Dr Sam Nujoma officially opened the permanent road from the B2 transport route to Husab on 7 May. The 22 km road project, which includes a bridge over the Khan River, took 16 months to complete at a capital cost of N$180-million. HE Dr Nujoma said he was filled with pride given that the road was built with an investment from a company owned by the Chinese government, which government and people he holds dear to his heart. “China has been – and continues to be – a true friend of Namibia. Not only has China supported the liberation struggle of our motherland, but it continues to significantly contribute to the growth of our economy.” He said the investment in the Husab mine – the single largest of its kind in Namibia – was a clear testimony of the strong bond of 3 friendship and solidarity between China and Namibia. The new road, which travels through part of the well-known moon landscapes, is said to be one of the most beautiful drives in Namibia. It now takes about 30 minutes to travel the 34 km from Arandis to the Husab site, about an hour to travel the 65 km from Swakopmund and about 90 minutes to travel the 96 km from Walvis Bay. We are building a nation’s dream HUSAB is a good project that Namibia desperately needs. The country needs export earnings, it needs the revenue … and, above all, it needs job creation to alleviate poverty and stimulate the economy. This was the message from the Hon Isak Katali, Minister of Mines and Energy, at a gala dinner on 7 May, hosted by Swakop Uranium. The dinner preceded the Commencement of Mining Activities ceremony, which took place the following day. Hon Katali cited several reasons why Swakop Uranium and the Husab Project were close to his heart. “When I started in my new portfolio in March 2010, Husab was by far the largest of the potential projects on my desk. The sheer size of the Husab orebody was reason enough to pay special attention to this project.” He also recalled how he detonated the first blast on the Husab site on 24 June 2010, only three months after he took over his current portfolio. “I took great pleasure in detonating the blast, which was one of many firsts for me since taking over as Minister of Mines and Energy. I also officiated at the Husab ground-breaking ceremony on 18 April 2013.” Hon Katali said it was fair to say that the Namibian Government and Swakop Uranium are building more than a mine. “We’re building a community, a future, and a nation’s dream. Let’s continue on that path.” Renowned Namibian solo singer Blossom entertained guests with her mesmerising voice. The venue for the Commencement of Mining Activities ceremony was an air-conditioned transparent glass tent, nestled between two Komatsu haul trucks. Friendly relations. Mr He Yu, CGN Group Chairman, HE Xin Shunkang, Chinese Ambassador to Namibia, and Wang Yiren, Deputy Chairman of China Atomic Energy Authority, greet Dr Sam Nujoma, Founding President of the Republic of Namibia. With him are the Hon Richard Kamwi, Minister of Health and Social Services, and the Hon Isak Katali, Minister of Mines and Energy, in the background. Ganbei! Dr Peng Xinjian, He Zuyuan, Swakop Uranium board director, Zeng Xiaogang, General Manager of Xinjiang Geological Bureau, and Wang Zhicheng, Chairman of Baodi Investment Corporation, raise their glasses to the health of Swakop Uranium. Sheer delight. From left are Bisey /Uirab, Namport CEO, Swakop Uranium’s Percy McCallum, VP: Human Resources, Business Support and Jerry Muadinohamba, Chairman of Namport. 4 A loud bang, confetti like raindrops, guests with wraparound smiles. These were the ingredients of Swakop Uranium’s Commencement of Mining Activities ceremony. The blast, set off by His Excellency President Hifikepunye Pohamba, Founding President Dr Sam Nujoma and other high-ranking dignitaries, signalled the official start of mining operations on the Husab Project site. The venue for the ceremony was an airconditioned transparent glass tent, nestled between two Komatsu haul trucks. As guests found their way into the tent, they were entertained by the classical and African inspired music of the Swakopmund-based Fusion Trio. During the programme, renowned Namibian solo singer Blossom entertained guests with her mesmerising voice to great applause. Speakers included the Deputy Minister of the China Atomic Energy Authority, Wang Yiren, Namibia’s Minister of Mines and Energy, Hon Isak Katali and Swakop Uranium Director Eliphas Hawala. President Pohamba delivered the keynote address before handing over a plaque to CGN Group Chairman, Mr He Yu. The President revisited the long-lasting To signal the start of mining operations, HE Hifikepunye Pohamba, President of the Republic of Namibia, and other high-ranking dignitaries set off a virtual blast accompanied by a loud bang. With the President are (from left) Mr Zheng Keping, Swakop Uranium’s CEO; Mr Cleophas Mutjavikua, Governor of the Erongo Region; HE Dr Sam Nujoma, the Founding President of the Republic of Namibia; Hon Isak Katali, Minister of Mines of Energy; HE President Pohamba, Mr Wang Yiren, Deputy Minister of China Atomic Energy Authority; Mr He Yu, Chairman of China General Nuclear Power Company (CGN), and Mr Zheng Dongshang, Senior Vice-President of CGN. relationship with the People’s Republic of China, especially the assistance offered by China since before the independence of Namibia, and sang high praise for this relationship which is conducted on an equal basis. He expressed his enthusiasm 5 and eagerness to see the yellow cake coming out of the Husab mine. “The Namibian Government will continue to improve the investment climate in the country and continue to support this project as one of the major investments in our country,” he said. A section of the 22 km road that runs from the B2 highway to the Husab Mine. The road offers one of the most beautiful drives in Namibia. These updated aerial photographs show how close the Husab Project is getting to its target of creating the world’s second-largest uranium mine. A bird's-eye view of the site. The construction camp is in the foreground, the ponds in the middle and the crusher in the background. There's a hole in the ground. Thousands of tonnes of overburden have been removed since the first blast and start of mining activities in March 2014. 6 The bridge over the river Khan was officially opened on 7 May 2014. The 160 m-long bridge is the longest built in Namibia since the country's independence in 1990. The Counter Current Decantation (CCD) is taking shape. After the leaching process, the dissolved uranium is in the liquid phase and this is separated out from the solids in the CCD. From high up in the air, the haul trucks in the assembly yard are tiny specks on the ground. Swakop Uranium will order 43 haul trucks with a capacity of 327 tonnes for the mining operations. 7 One of the most impressive structures on the Husab Mine site is the primary crusher. Once the mine is in operation, the haul trucks will tip their load into a bin above the crusher where the rock is crushed into smaller rocks. The crushed rock goes via conveyor belt to the stockpile. President praises on-site facilities BEFORE officiating at the Commencement of Mining Operations on 8 May, the President of Namibia, His Excellency Hifikepunye Pohamba, visited the Husab Project accommodation facilities. He inspected the accommodation units, the dining room, the kitchens, the ablution facilities and recreational areas. He also spoke to several of the residents in the village. During his speech later in the day, he praised Swakop Uranium for the excellent quality of the accommodation facilities in the village, where up to 4 000 workers will be housed during the life of the project. “The facilities are even better than that of some Windhoek hotels,” he said. He further encouraged workers to cherish the 1 2 WE HE President Hifikepunye Pohamba speaks to Stefan Grobbelaar (left), a Foreman at Concor, and Pieter van den Heever, Safety Officer at QE Construction, during his visit to the construction village. Also in the picture are from left Hofni Shikongo, Employee Relations Manager for Swakop Uranium, HE Xin Shunkang, Chinese ambassador to Namibia, Percy McCallum, Swakop Uranium’s Vice-President: Human Resources and Business Support, and Hon Isak Katali, Minister of Mines and Energy. employment opportunities at the Husab Project: “As a national workforce, Namibians should all focus on improving their productivity,” he concluded. What do I have to do to get a hat like that? Hon Isak Katali, Minister of Mines and Energy, admires the hat of Nikodemus Tjakekua, a Mason from Concor. Also in the picture are Hofni Shikongo, Employee Relations Manager for Swakop Uranium and HE Xin Shunkang, Chinese ambassador to Namibia. 3 1. Food preparation in one of the Husab village kitchens: Residents in the Husab Project accommodation village receive three nutritious meals per day. 2. Clean overalls: A laundry service is one of the many benefits of being a resident in the Husab village. 3. After a hard day’s work, there is the opportunity to relax with fellow construction workers. There is also a soccer field next to the village where many serious matches have taken place. 8 HE President Hifikepunye Pohamba asks about the quality of life in the Husab village. want to establish and maintain a sound and harmonious employee relationship on the Husab construction site. This is what both Hofni Shikongo, Employee Relations Manager for Swakop Uranium and Eddie Fourie, Project Employee Relations Manager for the Husab Project Joint Venture (HPJV), are working towards. In striving for continuous employee relations improvement, they are interacting with all stakeholders. These include the Metal And Allied Namibian Workers Union (MANWU), the construction contractors and their sub-contractors, the Ministry of Labour, and the Construction Industry Federation of Namibia. Significant work was done with the new Project Labour Agreement (PLA) whereby an agreement was signed between Swakop Uranium and MANWU. Hofni and Eddie have established and maintain several communication structure forums on the project. These are the Contractors Management Forum and the Contractors Consultative Forum. The most recently established communication structure is the Village Residents Committee, which has its own constitution. These committee representatives are helping to turn the Husab Project’s construction village into a comfortable residence. The committee supports general rules and regulations, addresses dining hall practices with various menus, recreation, environment as well as social welfare affairs. According to Percy McCallum, Swakop Uranium’s Vice-President Human Resources and Business Support, Hofni and Eddie are instrumental in maintaining sound industrial peace at the Husab site, given the labour relations challenges. “They are proactive, well respected by their clients and customers and act in the best interest of all stakeholders. They have also briefed the contractors’ employees about Swakop Uranium’s values and philosophies and ensured that these are covered in the site induction sessions,” says Percy. Hofni, Eddie, Percy and Dr Peng Xinjian, Swakop Uranium’s Vice-President Corporate Services, have concluded a Special Recognition and Procedural Agreement, which was signed between Swakop Uranium and MANWU on 12 May 2014. This agreement stipulates that Swakop Uranium recognises MANWU as the contractors’ bargaining agent. Similarly, the agreement entrenches the contractors’ rights as employers to manage their affairs with full regard to their legal 9 Hofni Shikongo, Employee Relations Manager for Swakop Uranium and Eddie Fourie, Employee Relations Manager for the Husab Project Joint Venture, are aiming for peace on their site by ensuring everyone is informed and the proper communication channels are available to everyone. obligations and operational requirements. Contractors’ supervisory staff are also trained in all industry agreements, the Labour Act and various other agreements between all stakeholders. “Swakop Uranium and HPJV are grateful for Hofni and Eddie’s invaluable work during the Husab construction phase,” concludes Percy. From lipstick to dipstick. Even though Renate initially didn’t know her dipstick from her lipstick, she accepted a job as an earthmoving equipment operator. Today she is the only female instructor at Swakop Uranium. A serious team doing serious work. Renate and her colleagues from the mining training and operations teams. Nothing gets in her way Renate Benn’s first love was almost six times her height and weighed 500 times more than she did. But she couldn’t get enough … RENATE Benn was born with a drive to overcome obstacles that rival the biggest machines in Namibia. Even though she didn’t know her dipstick from her lipstick, she accepted a job as an earthmoving equipment operator. When she wanted more than a job and couldn’t get support for her ambitions, she self-funded further studies to become Namibia’s first Earthmoving Equipment Operator Trainer. Today she is the only female instructor at Swakop Uranium, having joined the company in October 2013 as Earthmoving Vehicle (EMV) Training Officer. She currently specialises in the Komatsu haul trucks, cable reelers, wheel dozers and the largest front-end loader in Namibia, the LeTourneau L-1850. She speaks passionately about her baby “Oggies”. Like any baby, Oggies likes to dig 10 in the ground. Deeply. What she omits to mention is that her baby weighs 220 500 kg and is 18.3 metres long. “Oggies” is the Komatsu WA 1200, a brute of a loader with a bucket capacity of 35 m³. Love at first sight, on site “I fell in love with earthmoving equipment the first time I set foot on a mine and saw a female operating the wheeldozer. Today, I cannot envisage doing anything else; this is my passion and getting paid for it is a bonus. The feeling I get when I operate my baby ‘Oggies’, is indescribable.” The first machine Renate operated was at Namdeb: the Caterpillar 740 Articulated Dump Truck, which she manned for about a year. “I then started operating the Caterpillar 824 G Tyre Dozer and promptly fell in love with it! I operated this machine so well, that I was awarded employee of the month,” she smiles. While still at Namdeb, she soon progressed to even larger machines and ended up doing supervisory work. As with all good employees, Renate was then promoted to mining control clerk. “With the recession in 2009 my position became redundant and I took the voluntary separation package.” She moved to Karibib, where she was once more placed in the position she loves best: behind the wheel of a monstrous machine. “At Navachab Gold Mine, I operated the Caterpillar 769 and 772 Rigid Body Dump Trucks. Here, my new love became the 988 Front-end Loader.” Driving her career She also developed another love: training. “This is when I realised that I wanted a career and not just a job.” Her Head of Department did not share her dream of becoming an Earthmoving Equipment Operator Trainer and recommended that she rather build a career in Safety. Renate would not let someone bulldoze her dreams and decided to self-fund her studies, even to the extent of flying to South Africa to attend training sessions. “It was tough, but I knew it would pay off in the future,” she adds. It did …. sooner than she thought. She landed a training job at Barloworld even though she didn’t have any experience as a trainer. “I thus became the first Namibian female EMV Trainer,” she says proudly. The fact that there was no training department, with no systems or processes in place, didn’t deter her. “With my new-found knowledge I was able to make a very positive impact on the company. I trained the whole range of Caterpillar equipment, from the smallest (Skid Steer Loaders) to the largest (994 Front End Loaders). I even got to travel all over Namibia to deliver quality training.” Proper training = efficient operators Proper training has a direct impact on a company’s bottom line according to Renate. “Most operators are offended if you call them drivers: a driver can get the job done, but an operator does so much more. With proper training operators are safe, careful, highly productive and appreciate and care for the machines they operate. Proper training helps operators understand their value in the bigger picture and allows them to take pride in their work.” Well-trained operators also understand their machines and the consequences of incorrect operating procedures. Her most important advice to them? “With great power comes great responsibility. Always be aware of your surroundings. Large machines have a lot of blind spots. Always communicate your actions when around other equipment and personnel.” Gearing up for the next tread Renate has achieved much in her chosen field, but feels that there is a lot of tread left in her tyres. “My next step is to get to know the machines that I am not familiar with, such as 11 the Rope Shovel and Drills, finish my Diploma in Occupationally Directed ETDP, and start with my degree. My long-term goal is to be a training consultant for the mines and large construction companies in Namibia and open an Operator Academy.” Even without her seated at the wheel of a front-end loader, you just know not to stand in her way. Women can drive mining success Women drivers get cheaper insurance rates and research at various global mining companies has shown that female operators take greater care of company equipment. Their productivity levels are also higher. Percy McCallum, Vice-President: Human Resources, Business Support at Swakop Uranium, says the company is making a concerted effort to employ more women. “We currently have 153 females working on the Husab Project construction site. “Women are also filling management, supervisory and technical positions within Swakop Uranium, and the numbers will increase as we continue with the rampup recruitment process.” Nurturing young talent to find real solutions SWAKOP Uranium and the Polytechnic of Namibia have entered into a partnership to collaborate on a range of skills development areas. The Memorandum of Understanding, signed on 27 May, formalises and strengthens the relationship in an attempt to build capacity by placing students in Swakop Uranium’s graduate and bursary schemes. In 2013, Swakop Uranium entered into a similar agreement with the University of Namibia. At the signing ceremony, Mr Zheng Keping, Swakop Uranium’s CEO, said the agreement supports the development and expansion of the country’s human resources skills. “Swakop Uranium recognises the skills shortages in Namibia. Through our strategic human resources development drivers, we focus on the sustainable development of our human resources skills,” he said. “We offer self-study assistance to our permanent employees, invest in leadership and first line supervisory development programmes, offer bursaries, graduate programmes, and technical and non-technical training programmes annually.” At the same event, Polytechnic Vice-Rector for Administration and Finance, Dr Gert Günzel, said partnering with an established organisation such as Swakop Uranium would help grow Polytechnic. “Given the Polytechnic’s intellectual capacity and the considerable experience that Swakop Uranium has garnered in the mining industry over the years, I have no doubt that this collaboration will not only help build capacity in our respective organisations, but will also lead to cutting edge research that will provide real solutions for industry,” Dr Günzel said. Mr Zheng Keping confirmed that “with Vision 2030 in mind, Swakop Uranium will create opportunities, where operationally possible, for young people in Namibia who are the key agents for social change and economic development.” Since the inception of Swakop Uranium’s bursary scheme in 2011, 16 students have been offered bursaries in various fields such as Mining, Electrical, Mechanical, Metallurgy Engineering and Chemistry. The company is also sponsoring a Namibian to obtain a Master’s degree at a reputable university in China. A NEW GIANT TOWERS IN SWAKOPMUND 12 Swakop Uranium moved its corporate head office from Windhoek to Swakopmund at the end of June 2014. The new offices (pictured), previously owned by Areva, will be referred to as the Husab Tower. All the corporate functions – Human Resources, Finance, Business Support, Information Technology, Communications and Stakeholder Involvement, and Internal Audit and Risk – have moved to Swakopmund. According to Dr Peng Xinjian, Swakop Uranium’s Vice-President Corporate Services, the move enables Swakop Uranium staff to be closer to the Husab Project site and operations. words’worth +27 11 646-0956