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ORANJEMUND DISCUSSIONS! => Oranjemund Bush Telegraph! => Topic started by: Michael Alexander on June 05, 2008, 07:18:43 AM

Title: Uranium in the Sperrgebiedt?
Post by: Michael Alexander on June 05, 2008, 07:18:43 AM
Does anyone know if any exploration was ever done on the viability of mining Uranium in the SPerrgebiedt? Anyone know of any old timer who knew of any deposits in the area?

Title: Re: Uranium in the Sperrgebiedt?
Post by: Chris Macpherson on June 06, 2008, 03:33:31 PM
the only uranium mining i knew about was at rossing uranium mine.
Title: Re: Uranium in the Sperrgebiedt?
Post by: Bertie Horak on June 06, 2008, 04:27:51 PM
Phoned dad quickly, he doesn't know either, but suggested we look for "Rio Tinto" on the web.  He's sure there's quite a lot of Uranium being taken from close to Swakopmund.
Title: Re: Uranium in the Sperrgebiedt?
Post by: Chris Macpherson on June 06, 2008, 04:33:47 PM
@bertie............thats rossing uranium!!!
Title: Re: Uranium in the Sperrgebiedt?
Post by: bobbysmith on June 06, 2008, 04:50:32 PM
my ex brother in law worked at rossing uranium,johann skrypzeck,how far is sperrgebied from oranjemund mike?
Title: Re: Uranium in the Sperrgebiedt?
Post by: Chris Macpherson on June 06, 2008, 04:54:51 PM
hi bobby. thanx for your kind thoughts for caitlin.shes alright now thank g-d.
sperregebied ends at luderitz i think boet.
Title: Re: Uranium in the Sperrgebiedt?
Post by: bobbysmith on June 06, 2008, 04:56:47 PM
you are welcome bud,glad caitlin is well,hope you are spoiling her rotten,thanks for the info,take care
Title: Re: Uranium in the Sperrgebiedt?
Post by: Bertie Horak on June 07, 2008, 03:47:33 AM
@ Chris - is there 2 Rössings then?  I know I was small when I left, but I was under the impression Rössing was next to Orange river?  Just asking, never been to Rössing, and they wouldn't let a 10-year-old work with uranium.
Title: Re: Uranium in the Sperrgebiedt?
Post by: Michael Alexander on June 07, 2008, 08:28:23 AM
Bertie, you are thinking of Rosh Pinah.... Rossing Uranium mine is up at Swakopmund... the Sperrgebiedt used to stretch all the way fro Omund up to just South of Walvis bay..... but a good few years back the northern section, north of Luderitz was incorperated into the Namib Naukluft Park........ Rossing, I think is part of the massive Rio TInto group..... anyhow if you follow the Namibian Newspapers, Uranium mining in Namibia is in a boom face.... with 4 new mines being earmarked...and two new ones opened in the last 2 years...... Australians, Canadians ....
Title: Re: Uranium in the Sperrgebiedt?
Post by: Bertie Horak on June 07, 2008, 09:47:42 AM
@ Michael - Thanx, I was confused.  I was indeed thinking of Rosh Pinah, clever you!  Thanx for clearing that up, have to dust the sand out of the folds of the aging gray matter!
Can anybody tell me what they used to mine in the Uis area?  I know it was something you don't hear about often. If memory serves me correctly, apart from some ordinary metals, it was something weird like Wolfram?
Title: Re: Uranium in the Sperrgebiedt?
Post by: Cherry (Alcock) on June 07, 2008, 09:51:21 AM
They mined tin at Uis but also Cassiterite, Columbite and Tantalite.  I rememberd the tn bit but confession - googled the others
Title: Re: Uranium in the Sperrgebiedt?
Post by: Bertie Horak on June 07, 2008, 10:04:32 AM
Thanx Cherry, what would we have done without the net? 
Title: Re: Uranium in the Sperrgebiedt?
Post by: Carl Wrbka on June 07, 2008, 10:13:05 AM
Quote from: Bertie Horak on June 07, 2008, 09:47:42 AM
it was something weird like Wolfram?

And now for the POP quiz. Anybody know what Wolfram is better known as?
Title: Re: Uranium in the Sperrgebiedt?
Post by: Carl Wrbka on June 07, 2008, 10:16:58 AM
I believe s.k.i.n.n.y. could shed some light on the mining question.  :emot19_2: Hello...skinny come in...over...
Title: Re: Uranium in the Sperrgebiedt?
Post by: Michael Alexander on June 07, 2008, 03:02:52 PM
Mining at UIS stopped about 10 years ago, a tin mine if I remember..... they sold the houses and the place now has no economy, but I believe there are a few pensioners living there....
Title: Re: Uranium in the Sperrgebiedt?
Post by: Cherry (Alcock) on June 07, 2008, 03:12:41 PM
Yay google : wolfram = tungsten
Title: Re: Uranium in the Sperrgebiedt?
Post by: Carl Wrbka on June 08, 2008, 06:01:38 AM
Yay Cherry, u'r right.  Number 74 on the periodic table. Incidently, the name Wolfram is still used extensively in Europe instead of tungsten. It's named after Wolframite, the ore in which it is found.
Title: Re: Uranium in the Sperrgebiedt?
Post by: Skinny on June 09, 2008, 08:04:59 AM
 :emot19_2:
@ Carl, returning your missed call, in ROsh Pinah they mine Zinc, and a little Gold )in the old mine which the smelt once a year and then sell it. Quite a celebration. Oh and along the river there are Diamonds. But sorry no Uranium, tungstun, but lots of sand, beautiful crystals and  faceinfood BierSuip
Title: Re: Uranium in the Sperrgebiedt?
Post by: Carl Wrbka on June 09, 2008, 10:24:34 AM
Quote from: Bertie Horak on June 07, 2008, 09:47:42 AM
@ Michael - Thanx, I was confused.  I was indeed thinking of Rosh Pinah, clever you!  Thanx for clearing that up, have to dust the sand out of the folds of the aging gray matter!
Can anybody tell me what they used to mine in the Uis area?  I know it was something you don't hear about often. If memory serves me correctly, apart from some ordinary metals, it was something weird like Wolfram?


Thanks for the info K. The question was actually about the Uis area. cheers
Title: Re: Uranium in the Sperrgebiedt?
Post by: Skinny on June 09, 2008, 01:22:29 PM
 :wow1:
Eesh have no idea about Uis, never been there. WIll try and find out. But sure they have
image11  and lots of it!!!!
Title: Re: Uranium in the Sperrgebiedt?
Post by: Bertie Horak on June 09, 2008, 01:58:02 PM
I hiked up to Swakopmund when I was a student, and spent a week in Uis.  Three of those days I spent hiking in the Erongo mountains north of Uis.  Wonderful experience.  Lot of plant & animal life as well as rock formations and bushmen paintings.  First morning there were leopard tracks 10 metres from my sleeping bag!  Needless to say, the next evening the fire burnt the whole night and I slept very little.

Regarding  image11,  I don't know if it still exists, but there was a single hotel - The Bahnhoff (German for "station"? -help me here Georg/Carl, before I make a fool of myself again!) - yes, lots of beer there, the locals all drank "Hansa Tafel" while the whole town was in the pool room.  Fun!
Title: Re: Uranium in the Sperrgebiedt?
Post by: Carl Wrbka on June 09, 2008, 02:40:51 PM
Quote from: Bertie Horak on June 09, 2008, 01:58:02 PM
The Bahnhoff (German for "station"? -help me here Georg/Carl, before I make a fool of myself again!)all drank "Hansa

Correct this time round Bertie. image11
Title: Re: Uranium in the Sperrgebiedt?
Post by: Clint Ebstein on June 09, 2008, 02:55:54 PM
Aus which is between Luderitz and Keetmanshoop is also full of Uranium