Rosatom entered Namibia through Uranium One Group, which operates locally as Headspring Investments (Pty) Ltd.
The company first established a presence in the Leonardville–Stampriet area around 2011 under several Exclusive Prospecting Licences (EPLs).
After the lifting of a temporary uranium exploration moratorium in 2013, exploration continued and was later formalised as the Wings Project.
A renewed exploration phase began in 2019 after Headspring obtained fresh EPL renewals and drilling permits.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform issued two key drilling authorisations on 30 March 2021: Permit 11561 for 19 exploration boreholes and Permit 11562 for 18 hydrogeological boreholes.
An inspection by ministry officials in October 2021 identified several breaches.
Officials found that some boreholes were not properly cased or grouted, others had been left open for extended periods, and an additional 70 exploration and seven hydrogeological boreholes had been drilled without valid permits.
These findings led to the withdrawal of both drilling permits. A subsequent reply by Minister Calle Schlettwein indicated that, over the life of the project, roughly 600 exploration boreholes and 36 hydro/monitoring boreholes were drilled on 39 farms.
Once drilling was halted, all exploration activities at Farm Tripoli stopped.
The workforce, which had reached about 300 people—including 150 on-site and 11 foreign specialists- was reduced to 12 employees.
During their engagement with MPs, Headspring stated that it had not been provided with the ministry’s full written inspection report. No public documents confirm or reject this claim.
Despite the halt, the company continues to hold Environmental Clearance Certificates (ECCs) issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism.
EPL 6782 received an ECC in 2019, which has since been renewed; its updated Environmental Management Plans (EMPs) were filed in 2022 and again in April 2025.
A separate ECC was granted on 10 October 2023 for a field laboratory on Farm Tripoli, valid until October 2026.
The EMPs identify surface and groundwater protection as a significant risk.
The licence area includes a pan, and the EMP lists potential contamination sources such as fuel and oil leaks from vehicles and drilling equipment.
Because drilling activities may interact with the water table, the EMP requires the installation of hydrogeological monitoring wells and water sampling before and after drilling activities.
Results must be shared with affected landowners. Only treated mains water, clean surface water or groundwater of acceptable quality may be used for drilling.
Additives must be non-hazardous, non-toxic and biodegradable. The EMP also requires proper fuel storage, drip trays, safe disposal of contaminated materials, and the prevention of aquifer ingress in fractured bedrock.
Post-exploration obligations include sealing and backfilling all holes, removing temporary structures, rehabilitating disturbed areas, and conducting water-quality testing to confirm whether groundwater was affected.
Landowners must agree that rehabilitation has been completed satisfactorily before work proceeds to new sites.
Headspring maintains that it intends to use the in-situ recovery (ISR) method if mining is approved. The company argues that ISR avoids open pits, tailings and significant surface disturbance, stating that groundwater can be restored to its original condition after extraction. Regulators and community groups continue to scrutinise this claim due to the project’s location above the Stampriet Artesian Basin.
Water quality
Documents seen by The Extractor Magazine state that the recommended screening limits for radioactivity in drinking water are 0.5 Bq/L for gross alpha and 1 Bq/L for gross beta.
According to the documents, if water samples fall below these values, no further action is required; if they exceed them, more detailed testing is needed to identify specific radionuclides and assess health risks.
Furthermore, NamWater has never carried out an official groundwater radionuclide survey in the Namibian part of the Stampriet Artesian Basin.
The documents add that the only known testing has been done by Headspring Investments, which sent samples to a laboratory in Germany.
Additionally, independent analysis—ideally by NamWater—is urgently needed to identify safe drinking-water points.
The documents further say the World Health Organisation notes that naturally occurring radionuclides in groundwater often pose a greater risk than artificially produced ones, especially in aquifers that contain uranium ore bodies, where radioactive decay (NORM) is expected.
Such groundwater can exceed drinking-water standards, making it unsuitable for human consumption, livestock, and irrigation.
The document recommends that the government undertake a comprehensive underground water survey to map radionuclide distribution, despite the cost.
This would allow Namibia to identify safe wells and boreholes as part of its Integrated Water Resource Management Plan, and to implement continuous monitoring and strict controls on water intake—an approach consistent with global best practice.
Investments
Investment figures come from the company and its parent group. Rosatom project updates state that more than US$50 million has already been spent in Namibia. Public comments by Russian officials indicate that full project development could require up to US$500 million. These are company- and diplomatic-projections, not independently verified by Namibian authorities.
In terms of socio-economic contributions, company statements confirm several commitments: more than N$400 000 per year for a school feeding programme at Noasanabis Primary School; a modern kitchen facility for the same school valued at about N$3 million; and N$700 000 to support 20 Leonardville youths in a six-month artisan training programme at NIMT.
During briefings to Parliament, Headspring said the project could support the production of 3,000 tonnes of uranium per year for at least 25 years, potentially generating N$6.6 billion in annual revenue and contributing 1–2% to national GDP.
These figures reflect the company’s modelling. Russian diplomatic statements have suggested similar projections, estimating a GDP impact of 1.5–2% once the mine is operational.
At present, all drilling remains suspended. The continuation of exploration or transition to a pilot ISR phase depends on regulatory outcomes, further consultation, ECC renewals, and a national assessment of whether ISR mining is appropriate for the Stampriet Artesian Basin.
