Coal of Africa has stopped certain construction activities at its new Vele coal mine in Limpopo after receiving a compliance notice from the department of environmental affairs, the company said on Wednesday. Company CEO John Wallington said in a statement the company "ceased certain activities at Vele". The Green Scorpions had served the company with a compliance notice to stop all construction work on roads at the mine. It also ordered the mine not to use the existing roads, including access roads, for any reason.
Departmental spokesman Albi Modise said on Tuesday the company was also ordered to stop construction on a storage facility and tank for dangerous goods within 24 hours and to empty the facility of fuel within 48 hours. It had to stop any activities within the 1:10 flood line or 32m from any perennial, non-perennial and drainage lines of the Limpopo river. It was also instructed to stop any further installation of water pipelines and to stop using existing pipelines on the mine. The compliance notice further forced it to halt construction on a sludge dam until all authorisation had been obtained from the departments of environmental affairs and water affairs.
Modise said the mine had to appoint an independent environmental consultant within five days to assess the mine's compliance with environmental legislation. Modise said the company was issued with the mining rights for the Vele mine, which was located near the Mapungubwe World Heritage Site and the Kruger National Park, in March, but had never got the go-ahead from the department of environmental affairs to proceed with construction. "They needed to go through an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process and we think they haven't done all they were supposed to do in this process," he said.
Wallington said all the mine's activities were within its mining rights, issued by the department of mineral resources. "The company is nonetheless complying with that Notice as required and confirms it has ceased certain activities at Vele," he said.
He said the company was working with the department of environmental affairs to sort out the problems.
Source: Times Live
Showing posts with label Mapungubwe National Park. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mapungubwe National Park. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Mapungubwe Action Group take aim at mining firm
Environmentalists served an application to controversial mining house Coal of Africa, as well as the minister of mineral resources, Susan Shabangu, to stop activities at a proposed coalmine near Mapungubwe immediately. The application served on Limpopo Coal, the subsidiary of Coal of Africa, is an attempt by the environmentalists to limit what has already been described an irreversible environmental damage.
The Australian-owned company received a permit earlier this year for its Vele Colliery project next to the Mapungubwe National Park, where the world-famous 800-year-old gold rhino statuette was unearthed in 1933, raising concerns about the threat to a prime heritage spot and environmentally sensitive area. The Mapungubwe Action Group, an umbrella group consisting out of the Endangered Wildlife Trust, the Association of Southern African Professional Archaeologists, Peace Parks Foundation, WWF, Birdlife of South Africa and the Wilderness Foundation of South Africa, is driving the court action.
Coal of Africa chairperson Riaan van der Merwe was unavailable for comment while Shabangu's spokesperson did not return the M&G's calls. The action group has brought out the heavy batters in their fight against the mine. It has appointed legal advisors were from the Centre for Applied Legal Studies at Wits and has also secured top-notch advocate Wim Trengove's services. The action group has lodged internal appeals against both the decision to grant the mining right and the decision to approve the environmental management programme, "These appeals are pending and the applicants have at this stage not yet received any answering papers," said Nick Hilterman, Mapungubwe Action Group chairperson. "In the meantime, construction on the mine site is proceeding at pace and we are worried about the environmental damage. We have launched the interdict application in an attempt to prevent further destruction of the area while the legal disputes are pending,' he said. "The interdict application is thus an interim measure that seeks to prevent the mine from carrying on any mining or related operations at Vele." He said the interdict application also seeks to question the commencement of mining or related operations in the absence of a water use license and on private nature reserves. It is due to be heard in the next month in the North Gauteng High Court.
The interdict comes amid comments environment minister Buyelwa Sonjica made to Reuters this week. "We are concerned about the illegal activities that the company embarked on when this matter was still under discussion,” she said. In addition, the Department of Environmental Affairs has cracked the whip at the mine in the past month and is preparing for a major operation in law enforcement compliance. Sonjica has rallied behind the environmental department, while her other department, Department of Water Affairs, is also resisting the mine's application for a water licence.
In reaction to Sonjica's comments, Coal of Africa issued a statement that all its activities undertaken at the Vele Colliery have been carried out lawfully. "We have not undertaken any activities for which authorisation has not been given," said Simon Farrell, Coal's executive deputy chairperson from Australia. He said the company would oppose the application vigorously. The mining order rate, executed in March this year together with the approved environmental management, permit Coal to start development activities on site, Farrell argued. "The company is unaware of the alleged 'illegal activities' referred to and is therefore seeking an immediate meeting with the minister to identify and address any issues and concerns," said Farrell. He said Coal had been served with two pre-compliance notices from the environmental department alleging various matters, including that the Vele Colliery has proceeded with the construction of the access road and storage facilities. "But we have not undertaken any activities for which authority has not been granted," he said.
With the department's action, the interdict and the looming court battle of the Mapungubwe Action Group, the Australian mine group's argument will most certainly be tested in court. "Coal of Africa interprets the new mining order right as overriding national environmental management legislation and regulations," said Johan Verhoef, Peace Parks Foundation chief. "Therefore they believe that Department of Water Affairs cannot refuse them a water licence. This will all be tested in court and the Vele court case could very well be a watershed case for mining rights in sensitive areas."
Source: Mail & Guardian
The Australian-owned company received a permit earlier this year for its Vele Colliery project next to the Mapungubwe National Park, where the world-famous 800-year-old gold rhino statuette was unearthed in 1933, raising concerns about the threat to a prime heritage spot and environmentally sensitive area. The Mapungubwe Action Group, an umbrella group consisting out of the Endangered Wildlife Trust, the Association of Southern African Professional Archaeologists, Peace Parks Foundation, WWF, Birdlife of South Africa and the Wilderness Foundation of South Africa, is driving the court action.
Coal of Africa chairperson Riaan van der Merwe was unavailable for comment while Shabangu's spokesperson did not return the M&G's calls. The action group has brought out the heavy batters in their fight against the mine. It has appointed legal advisors were from the Centre for Applied Legal Studies at Wits and has also secured top-notch advocate Wim Trengove's services. The action group has lodged internal appeals against both the decision to grant the mining right and the decision to approve the environmental management programme, "These appeals are pending and the applicants have at this stage not yet received any answering papers," said Nick Hilterman, Mapungubwe Action Group chairperson. "In the meantime, construction on the mine site is proceeding at pace and we are worried about the environmental damage. We have launched the interdict application in an attempt to prevent further destruction of the area while the legal disputes are pending,' he said. "The interdict application is thus an interim measure that seeks to prevent the mine from carrying on any mining or related operations at Vele." He said the interdict application also seeks to question the commencement of mining or related operations in the absence of a water use license and on private nature reserves. It is due to be heard in the next month in the North Gauteng High Court.
The interdict comes amid comments environment minister Buyelwa Sonjica made to Reuters this week. "We are concerned about the illegal activities that the company embarked on when this matter was still under discussion,” she said. In addition, the Department of Environmental Affairs has cracked the whip at the mine in the past month and is preparing for a major operation in law enforcement compliance. Sonjica has rallied behind the environmental department, while her other department, Department of Water Affairs, is also resisting the mine's application for a water licence.
In reaction to Sonjica's comments, Coal of Africa issued a statement that all its activities undertaken at the Vele Colliery have been carried out lawfully. "We have not undertaken any activities for which authorisation has not been given," said Simon Farrell, Coal's executive deputy chairperson from Australia. He said the company would oppose the application vigorously. The mining order rate, executed in March this year together with the approved environmental management, permit Coal to start development activities on site, Farrell argued. "The company is unaware of the alleged 'illegal activities' referred to and is therefore seeking an immediate meeting with the minister to identify and address any issues and concerns," said Farrell. He said Coal had been served with two pre-compliance notices from the environmental department alleging various matters, including that the Vele Colliery has proceeded with the construction of the access road and storage facilities. "But we have not undertaken any activities for which authority has not been granted," he said.
With the department's action, the interdict and the looming court battle of the Mapungubwe Action Group, the Australian mine group's argument will most certainly be tested in court. "Coal of Africa interprets the new mining order right as overriding national environmental management legislation and regulations," said Johan Verhoef, Peace Parks Foundation chief. "Therefore they believe that Department of Water Affairs cannot refuse them a water licence. This will all be tested in court and the Vele court case could very well be a watershed case for mining rights in sensitive areas."
Source: Mail & Guardian
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Environmental probe for dodgy mining rights
A special environmental government task team is to investigate mining in sensitive areas. This follows a swarm of controversial green lights given by the mining department for mining and prospecting rights in sensitive areas in the past couple of years.
The task team is the result of the long-anticipated meeting last week between Environmental Mminister Buyelwa Sonjica and Mining Minister Susan Shabangu. The two had met to discuss Sonjica’s concern over the controversial Vele colliery next to World Heritage Site Mapungubwe. "The minister is still deeply concerned about what is going at the mine," Sonjica’s spokesperson Sputnik Ratau said. But he said the minister believed the task team was a step in the right direction to resolve the environmental concerns. He described the meeting with Shabangu as fruitful.
Shabangu’s department issued mining rights to Coal of Africa at the beginning of this year, but Sonjica came out strongly against the Vele mine. She requested a formal meeting with Shabangu on the matter in February, but last week’s meeting was the first to result in significant reported progress between the two departments.
Last week the Mail & Guardian reported that the Green Scorpions had swooped down on Coal of Africa’s Vele mine in May. Two weeks ago the department of environmental affairs issued an order against the mine for environmental transgressions. Coal of Africa must now make representations to the environmental department on why it should not be prosecuted.
The M&G understands that the department is now conducting regular surveys to determine what exactly Vele had done. This week officials from both departments flew over the mining area as part of the ongoing investigation. "We need to determine whether the work Vele had done is within the scopes of permission it had been granted, and just how far they had gone beyond the legal framework," Ratau said.
Coal of Africa has maintained that all the work it has done so far, including the clearing of bush and building of new structures, falls in within the mining rights order it obtained. Last week Coal of Africa’s CEO Riaan van der Merwe insisted that the mine had acted within the law at all times.
Vele will not be the only mine investigated by the task team, though it is understood that much of its focus will be on Mapungubwe. "The task team is to look at the bigger picture, the ultimate impact of mining on sensitive areas," Ratau said. "And of course Vele will be one of the new focus areas, as it has been a contentious issue." The task team, which will have high-ranking officials from both the mining and environmental department on board, is also aimed at relieving tensions between the two departments and improving dialogue on environmental issues.
Other sensitive spots that have been in the news for mining activities include areas near Dullstroom, Chrissiesmeer and Wakkerstroom in Mpumalanga, Verlorenvlei near Piketberg in the Western Cape, as well as the Winelands. In many of these areas only strong environmental activism served as a warning to the impacts of mining on the local environment. But environmental activists say their job is getting more difficult with the avalanche of mining licenses the mining department has been awarding.
The two ministers will now draft a definition of what they see as sensitive areas, and the locations of these areas. On Thursday, Gareth Morgan, the DA’s spokesperson on water and environmental affairs, welcomed the task team but called for the two departments to extend this project by establishing a mining advisory forum with a specific focus on the effects of mining on the environment. "The discussion on what is a sensitive area should not be contained only in government," he said. "It should be thrown open to stakeholders from civil society, including farming and environmental organisations," Morgan said.
Source: Mail & Guardian
The task team is the result of the long-anticipated meeting last week between Environmental Mminister Buyelwa Sonjica and Mining Minister Susan Shabangu. The two had met to discuss Sonjica’s concern over the controversial Vele colliery next to World Heritage Site Mapungubwe. "The minister is still deeply concerned about what is going at the mine," Sonjica’s spokesperson Sputnik Ratau said. But he said the minister believed the task team was a step in the right direction to resolve the environmental concerns. He described the meeting with Shabangu as fruitful.
Shabangu’s department issued mining rights to Coal of Africa at the beginning of this year, but Sonjica came out strongly against the Vele mine. She requested a formal meeting with Shabangu on the matter in February, but last week’s meeting was the first to result in significant reported progress between the two departments.
Last week the Mail & Guardian reported that the Green Scorpions had swooped down on Coal of Africa’s Vele mine in May. Two weeks ago the department of environmental affairs issued an order against the mine for environmental transgressions. Coal of Africa must now make representations to the environmental department on why it should not be prosecuted.
The M&G understands that the department is now conducting regular surveys to determine what exactly Vele had done. This week officials from both departments flew over the mining area as part of the ongoing investigation. "We need to determine whether the work Vele had done is within the scopes of permission it had been granted, and just how far they had gone beyond the legal framework," Ratau said.
Coal of Africa has maintained that all the work it has done so far, including the clearing of bush and building of new structures, falls in within the mining rights order it obtained. Last week Coal of Africa’s CEO Riaan van der Merwe insisted that the mine had acted within the law at all times.
Vele will not be the only mine investigated by the task team, though it is understood that much of its focus will be on Mapungubwe. "The task team is to look at the bigger picture, the ultimate impact of mining on sensitive areas," Ratau said. "And of course Vele will be one of the new focus areas, as it has been a contentious issue." The task team, which will have high-ranking officials from both the mining and environmental department on board, is also aimed at relieving tensions between the two departments and improving dialogue on environmental issues.
Other sensitive spots that have been in the news for mining activities include areas near Dullstroom, Chrissiesmeer and Wakkerstroom in Mpumalanga, Verlorenvlei near Piketberg in the Western Cape, as well as the Winelands. In many of these areas only strong environmental activism served as a warning to the impacts of mining on the local environment. But environmental activists say their job is getting more difficult with the avalanche of mining licenses the mining department has been awarding.
The two ministers will now draft a definition of what they see as sensitive areas, and the locations of these areas. On Thursday, Gareth Morgan, the DA’s spokesperson on water and environmental affairs, welcomed the task team but called for the two departments to extend this project by establishing a mining advisory forum with a specific focus on the effects of mining on the environment. "The discussion on what is a sensitive area should not be contained only in government," he said. "It should be thrown open to stakeholders from civil society, including farming and environmental organisations," Morgan said.
Source: Mail & Guardian
Friday, June 25, 2010
Scorpions sting colliery
Senior sources in the Department of Environmental Affairs have revealed that the department cracked down on controversial coal mining near the world heritage site of Mapungubwe last week, ordering the mining company, Coal of Africa, to stop all "illegal" building activities immediately. But Coal of Africa denied receiving an order, saying that the company instead "received regular visits from a number of government departments", including environmental affairs and mineral resources. "Characterising such a visit by the Department of Environmental Affairs as a raid is unjustified," said Riaan van der Merwe, Coal of Africa's chief operating officer. But environmental department spokesperson Roopah Singh confirmed on Thursday a "pre-compliance notice" was issued on June 18. She said Coal of Africa now has to make representations to the department about the mine's transgressions.
The development has again highlighted tensions between environmental affairs and the mineral resources department over mining in this sensitive area of Limpopo. The mining department issued mining rights to Coal of Africa at the beginning of this year. The Mail & Guardian understands that the directive, relating to building at the Vele mine that the department has not approved, followed a raid by the environmental police unit, the Green Scorpions, at the mine earlier this month.
The unit moved in to check whether Coal of Africa had built roads and other structures without the necessary environmental impact assessments. Sources in the department said that the Green Scorpions found several instances where Coal of Africa had ignored departmental regulations. They were also concerned about the clearing of bush on colliery property. In a statement on Thursday Van der Merwe said the company had the necessary authorisation for bush clearing in the area covered by the mining rights. In addition, the necessary permits had been obtained from the national departments of agriculture and forestry and the Limpopo environmental affairs department. He also said that, although the company had not received permission from environmental affairs to build access roads, it was using the existing main road.
The Australian-owned company received a permit earlier this year for its Vele Colliery project next to the Mapungubwe National Park, where the world-famous 800-year-old gold rhino statuette was unearthed in 1933. Though it has not yet started mining, it is constructing the infrastructure required to begin operations later this year.
In May the M&G reported that Coal of Africa had been clearing bush that contained baobab trees. The colliery is 7km from the park's boundaries. The coal-processing plant would be 27km from the world heritage site, Mapungubwe Hill.
Buyelwa Sonjica, the minister of environmental affairs, has openly declared her opposition to the mine and her department has refused to approve the environmental impact assessments for roads and fuel storage sites associated with the mine. The company has signed a letter of intent to supply up to 5-million tonnes of coal annually from Vele and its sister project, Makhado, to steel giant ArcelorMittal. Opponents of the mining claim that the coal will be used to drive a coal-fired power station, Mulilo, that is planned for the region.
The department of mining did not respond to questions.
Source: Mail & Guardian
Also see the Save Mapungubwe website
The development has again highlighted tensions between environmental affairs and the mineral resources department over mining in this sensitive area of Limpopo. The mining department issued mining rights to Coal of Africa at the beginning of this year. The Mail & Guardian understands that the directive, relating to building at the Vele mine that the department has not approved, followed a raid by the environmental police unit, the Green Scorpions, at the mine earlier this month.
The unit moved in to check whether Coal of Africa had built roads and other structures without the necessary environmental impact assessments. Sources in the department said that the Green Scorpions found several instances where Coal of Africa had ignored departmental regulations. They were also concerned about the clearing of bush on colliery property. In a statement on Thursday Van der Merwe said the company had the necessary authorisation for bush clearing in the area covered by the mining rights. In addition, the necessary permits had been obtained from the national departments of agriculture and forestry and the Limpopo environmental affairs department. He also said that, although the company had not received permission from environmental affairs to build access roads, it was using the existing main road.
The Australian-owned company received a permit earlier this year for its Vele Colliery project next to the Mapungubwe National Park, where the world-famous 800-year-old gold rhino statuette was unearthed in 1933. Though it has not yet started mining, it is constructing the infrastructure required to begin operations later this year.
In May the M&G reported that Coal of Africa had been clearing bush that contained baobab trees. The colliery is 7km from the park's boundaries. The coal-processing plant would be 27km from the world heritage site, Mapungubwe Hill.
Buyelwa Sonjica, the minister of environmental affairs, has openly declared her opposition to the mine and her department has refused to approve the environmental impact assessments for roads and fuel storage sites associated with the mine. The company has signed a letter of intent to supply up to 5-million tonnes of coal annually from Vele and its sister project, Makhado, to steel giant ArcelorMittal. Opponents of the mining claim that the coal will be used to drive a coal-fired power station, Mulilo, that is planned for the region.
The department of mining did not respond to questions.
Source: Mail & Guardian
Also see the Save Mapungubwe website
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Coal mine threat to world heritage site
Prized world heritage site Mapungubwe, where the famous gold rhino statuette was unearthed, could soon have the scar of an open-cast coal mine on its doorstep. The Vele Colliery project has sparked a row between the department of minerals and energy, which is driving it with single-minded determination, and the department of environmental affairs.
Mapungubwe is a protected site that forms part of the broader Limpopo Shashe transfrontier conservation area. Management of the park is also worried about the mine. Answering a DA question on Friday, Environment Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk told Parliament that, with the information available to him, he could not support the awarding of mining rights. The project would have "detrimental environmental considerations" and "could further impact negatively on the 'sense of place' and tourism potential" of Mapungubwe, the Mapungubwe National Park and Greater Limpopo Shashe conservation area.
Vele Colliery is an initiative of Australian-owned Coal of Africa, which has signed a letter of intent to supply up to five million tons of coal annually from Vele and its sister project Makhado to steel giant Arcelor Mittal. The company wants to start operations at the end of this year, but the minerals department must first give the go-ahead, including an environmental green light. So far only a scoping report, which outlines the potential impact of the mine to be investigated, has been released. A full environmental impact assessment has to be conducted still.
Planned legislation will shift the responsibility for the environmental assessment of mining projects from minerals and energy to the environmental affairs department. The law, however, is still in its infancy. Van Schalkwyk told Parliament that he had communicated his concerns about the mine to the Minerals and Energy Department. Apart from aesthetic and pollution considerations, he was worried about its possible impact on floodplains and wetlands. He said his department "became aware of the proposed Vele Colliery at a very late stage in the process, when the Peace Parks Foundation brought it to our attention".
DA environment spokesperson Gareth Morgan said the expected opening of the mine at the end of the year implied that the scoping report "is merely a cynical attempt to ensure procedural compliance". Morgan called on Minerals and Energy Minister Buyelwa Sonjica to reject applications by companies wanting to mine in, or adjacent to, sensitive environmental areas.
Source: Mail & Guardian
Mapungubwe is a protected site that forms part of the broader Limpopo Shashe transfrontier conservation area. Management of the park is also worried about the mine. Answering a DA question on Friday, Environment Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk told Parliament that, with the information available to him, he could not support the awarding of mining rights. The project would have "detrimental environmental considerations" and "could further impact negatively on the 'sense of place' and tourism potential" of Mapungubwe, the Mapungubwe National Park and Greater Limpopo Shashe conservation area.
Vele Colliery is an initiative of Australian-owned Coal of Africa, which has signed a letter of intent to supply up to five million tons of coal annually from Vele and its sister project Makhado to steel giant Arcelor Mittal. The company wants to start operations at the end of this year, but the minerals department must first give the go-ahead, including an environmental green light. So far only a scoping report, which outlines the potential impact of the mine to be investigated, has been released. A full environmental impact assessment has to be conducted still.
Planned legislation will shift the responsibility for the environmental assessment of mining projects from minerals and energy to the environmental affairs department. The law, however, is still in its infancy. Van Schalkwyk told Parliament that he had communicated his concerns about the mine to the Minerals and Energy Department. Apart from aesthetic and pollution considerations, he was worried about its possible impact on floodplains and wetlands. He said his department "became aware of the proposed Vele Colliery at a very late stage in the process, when the Peace Parks Foundation brought it to our attention".
DA environment spokesperson Gareth Morgan said the expected opening of the mine at the end of the year implied that the scoping report "is merely a cynical attempt to ensure procedural compliance". Morgan called on Minerals and Energy Minister Buyelwa Sonjica to reject applications by companies wanting to mine in, or adjacent to, sensitive environmental areas.
Source: Mail & Guardian
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