A joint venture between the Namibian and Chinese governments, Swakop Uranium was established to mine uranium for the clean energy sector, growing to become the world’s second-largest uranium producer. Founded on the principles of “Safety First, Quality Foremost, Pursuing Excellence”, the mining company has made a name for itself by prioritising place safety and sound environmental management above all else.
It has also always been a company that embraces a long-term perspective in its business operations, guided by the 20-year life-of-mine forecast that allows it to look beyond the immediate future and invest meaningfully in its assets, initiatives, and people for the benefit of its host communities.
“Our vision of growth is real, our intentions clear and actions aligned to the long life of the mine ahead of us,” pointed out Qiu Bin, CEO of Swakop Uranium, during our interview two years ago. “Given the uniqueness of mining and processing operations, we offer differentiating technical and managerial experience which prepares professionals to be globally competitive. “
That long-term perspective has fuelled world-class infrastructure, as well as Swakop’s commitment to making the company the best teaching ground for experts and the best learning ground for novices. In everything it does, Swakop values sound stakeholder relationships and strives to maintain a healthy two-way communication line with its people.
The company’s slogan “More than mining” reflects its commitment to building an elite workforce that can contribute to Namibia’s socio-economic development, guided by the best practice standards of corporate governance.
Making Aspiration Reality
Swakop Uranium represents the single largest investment in Namibia’s recent economic history, and with that position comes a unique obligation to achieve, in the shortest possible time, the aspirations of Swakop’s shareholders and stakeholders. Since we last spoke with Qiu Bin, the company has put in a lot of work towards attaining those aspirations.
“The year 2023 has been incredibly transformative for Swakop Uranium. We have successfully navigated various operational challenges while continuing to drive forward our mission of mining excellence,” Qiu tells us when we catch up with him. “Our operations have remained robust, and we have made significant strides in sustainability, community engagement, and technological innovation. The dedication and resilience of our team have been pivotal in maintaining our momentum and achieving our goals.”
Over the last year, the most significant goals the mining company has achieved include a raft of sustainability Initiatives.
“We launched several key projects aimed at long-term improvement and sustainability, including a heap leach project, truck scanner project, and trolley line project,” Qiu says. “Our collaboration with NamWater is also ongoing on a desalination plant to address water scarcity in the Erongo region.”
Those sustainability measures are being executed hand-in-hand with Swakop’s community engagement, including substantial contributions to local communities, particularly in terms of local employment, local procurement, gender diversity, & talent development programs.
At the same time, Swakop Uranium has continued to maintain its stringent compliance with safety and environmental standards to ensure the well-being of Swakop’s workforce while minimising its ecological footprint.
“We were certified by ISO standards (ISO 14001:2015, ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 45001:2018) and acquired a four-star NOSA rating,” Qiu informs us.
Those certifications reflect Swakop’s standards of operation excellence across the board.
“We have seen continued high performance at the Husab Mine, one of the largest uranium mines globally, reflecting our commitment to efficiency and productivity,” Qiu concludes.
People Powered
Qiu credits these achievements to the supportive, inclusive, & growth-oriented work environment Swakop creates for its staff. In cultivating a high-performance culture, the key elements of those policies are recruitment, retention, and investment in staff.
“We prioritise hiring locally, ensuring that we contribute to the Namibian economy and provide opportunities for local talent. Our recruitment process is transparent and merit-based,” Qiu explains. “We offer competitive compensation, benefits, & career development opportunities. Our commitment to employee well-being includes health programs, work-life balance initiatives, and a supportive workplace culture.”
That culture is one of continuous learning and development, which remains at the core of Swakop’s HR strategy.
“We provide training and self-study programs, mentorship, and opportunities for advancement to ensure our employees can grow and succeed with us,” Qiu says.
Moving with the Times
While Swakop Uranium has undeniably achieved a lot over the last year, it has also faced numerous challenges.
“One of the biggest challenges we faced was the increasing operational costs due to global inflationary pressures,” Qiu says.
Growing costs affected Swakop’s supply chain and overall costs, but the mining company adapted to overcome these challenges through several key measures. One of the factors that was most instrumental in protecting Swakop Uranium’s fortunes was its access to a reliable water supply.
“Water availability continues to be the highest risk to the sustainability of Husab Mine,” Qiu tells us. “Historically, Husab has lost the equivalent of a month on account of water unavailability due to various and known reasons external to our business.”
It is against this background that Swakop Uranium’s Husab mine has opted to partner with Namwater to mitigate this risk into the future. It is only one of a number of cost management measures deployed by the company. It has implemented strategic cost-saving measures while optimising its supply chain to reduce expenses without compromising on quality. Technological advancements have been a key part of that, as are Swakop’s continuing relationships.
“We have been investing in advanced technologies to enhance efficiency and productivity, thereby mitigating the impact of rising costs,” Qiu says. “We are also strengthening partnerships with local suppliers to ensure a more stable and cost-effective supply chain.”
Looking ahead, Swakop Uranium continues to focus on sustainability, innovation, community development and global leadership.
“We are expanding our environmental initiatives, including further development of the desalination plant and other green projects,” Qiu says. “We will continue investing in advanced technologies to enhance operational efficiency and safety.”
As usual, community development remains at the centre of Swakop Uranium’s plans.
“We are strengthening our engagement with local communities through education, health, & economic development programs, while solidifying our position as a leader in the uranium mining industry, contributing to clean energy solutions worldwide,” Qiu tells us.
To achieve that, Swakop Uranium continues to be guided by the core values which drive every aspect of its operations.
“At Swakop Uranium, our work approach is centred on strict compliance, prudent decision-making, detail orientation and a fact-based approach,” says Qiu. “Our commitment to transparency, respect, inclusiveness, and value orientation ensures that we operate with integrity and accountability. These values are the foundation of our success and will continue to guide us in the future.”
