MOVING TOWARDS BETTER CLOSURE OF OPEN PIT MINES IN SA
Edited by Sharyn Macnamara
EXCURSION •
The closure of open pit mines poses a significant challenge to the mining industry in South Africa, writes Tal Makahamadze, University of the Witwatersrand MSc Student intern in SRK ' s Geotechnical department, South Africa at the time of writing – now a certified mining engineer.
Supplied by Kutorman( 2012)
Mining and beyond – Tal Makahamadze presented his paper, Towards better closure of open pit mines in South Africa, at the SAIMM Mine Closure Conference which took place on 19 and 20 February 2025.
South Africa is currently battling a historic debt of R30-billion because of mine abandonment. However, the monetary value is meagre compared to the actual damage experienced by the communities around the operations. This paper presents a study on improving open pit mine closure in South Africa. The paper unfolds with an overview of mine closure, highlighting the reasons and effects of these closures. Thereafter, the distinct factors that underpin successful open-mine closures are discussed in the South African context. Upon closer examination of the integrated closure plan ' s framework, it becomes apparent that this approach demands a substantial amount of capital investment. Despite this financial demand, the approach offers significant advantages, primarily by generating increased value through operational savings. However, it is important to note that implementing this approach necessitates dedicating additional time and resources to this specific aspect of the project. As a result, this approach is better suited for well-established mines that possess the resources to leverage and amplify future value creation. The outcome of the paper aims to contribute to a solutions-driven improvement of the open pit mine closure process in South Africa. This is depicted by the framework developed as a dynamic tracking tool that can be used by mining companies to focus on their long-term closure goals, with the end result in mind of leaving a positive legacy for generations to come.
The transition of the mining industry to sustainable development has necessitated policies that reflect the intent of the industry to leave this positive legacy. One of these policies is the integration of mine closure planning into the framework of the mine plan. 1 Although, in the past, mine closure plans have not been as important as the other stages of the mining life cycle which are exploration, development, and production 8 to some; recently the industry has been driving the importance of sustainable mine closure strategies from inception of mine plans through collaborative events that discuss solutions for essential sustainable outcomes for posterity. Effectively, mine closure is the stage of the mining cycle that involves the cessation of operations, reclamation of mine sites, and rehabilitation of environmental and social damages 9. This concept remains complex as an all-encompassing approach is required to consider the environmental conditions, regulatory environment, socio-economic, and stakeholders. 6 This paper will assess the possibility of optimising the current system based on methods that have been implemented in successful operations.
Supplied by Tal Makahamadze
Tal Makahamadze, University of the Witwatersrand MSc Student intern, SRK ' s Geotechnical department, South Africa – now a certified mining engineer. www. africanmining. co. za African Mining Publication African Mining African Mining • January 2026 • 21