Paladin Energy: Uranium Spill outside Kayelekera

This report is part of our former „Harmful Cases“ documentation, where we continuously and concisely recorded human rights violations, violations of international law or environmental destruction caused by companies.

On February 17, 2014, Paladin announced what they called a minor spill of uranium oxide concentrate (UOC) just 8 km outside its Kayelekera Uranium Mine in Malawi. According to the press release, a truck operated by a contractor which was on its way to the Port in Walvis Bay in Namibia fell over in a curve and lost the only container it was carrying. The container was punctured by a tree stump and released some of the UOC.

According to the company, a Spill Response Team was immediately sent out to recover the container, the UOC, and soil that had been in contact with it. Paladin continued that radiation was measured afterwards to ensure no contamination was left. This was later confirmed by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority of Malawi.

Although this incident appears minor and response by the company adequate, it also shows the high risk of transporting UOC in containers of what seems low quality across Malawi, Zambia and Namibia where a Spill Response Team would not have such easy access to the site.

 

See also article in the Sydney Morning Herald: Paladin Energy spills radioactive material at African mine, 17 February 2014