• CRADLE TO GRAVE
FM’S ROLE IN REDUCING
MINING WASTE
By Khanyiso Myataza
Research company Technavio, in its most recent Global Mining
Waste Management Report, revealed that the global mining
waste market is expected to grow from the 68.76 million tons
generated in 2017 to nearly 87 million tons by 2022, with 10%
to 13% of the overall market contributed by South Africa. In
simple terms, the country can expect its mining waste to grow
by about 2.36 million tons from the estimated 8.9 million tons
it produced in 2017 to about 11.3 million tons by 2022.
While the mining industry is susceptible to a number of complex
challenges, among them access to energy, the high cost of
energy, and recently its scarcity, depletion of resources, health and
safety, commercial viability of mining projects, security, volatility
of commodity prices and its environmental footprint, equally,
mining has adverse effects on people and the environment.
The Facilities Management (FM) sector has a unique role to play
in efforts aimed at minimising inefficiencies in mining operations,
as the sector can contribute extensively towards Infrastructure
Development, Asset Management, Business Support Services.
Efforts should be made by the FM service providers to develop
and implement strategies that support mining in mitigating the
dire impact of mining activities on , support efforts to restore
environmental sustainability and implement initiatives that are
aimed at improving employee wellness, health and safety. All
stakeholders in the mining value chain have a role to play in
efforts aimed at addressing environmental and socio-economic
impact within the mining ecosystem.
FM companies can help minimise several environmental
hazards in the mining sector, namely radioactive materials
contamination (from density gauges and mineral analysis
equipment), wet waste (chemicals, leachate, effluent), gas
emissions, glass and manufacturing waste.
With increased focus on developing a sustainable mining
culture and the need to transition to a low-carbon future
through progressive minerals processing methods, the mining
sector can see sustained growth if all within the mining
ecosystem, whether it be earth-moving, cleaning, catering or
waste management companies, can embrace environmentally
responsible practices.
FM companies have an obligation to adopt a zero-waste-tolandfill
culture in their waste management initiatives or enforce
it on its partners if that’s an outsourced service. They also have
an ethical responsibility to train and develop an environmentally
responsible workforce.
While unhealthy tension persists around outsourcing in
the labour market, precipitated by conflicting objectives
between employers and organised labour, specialist service
providers possess critical skills required to identify common
objectives and uniquely harmonise the otherwise divergent
needs. This is the core competence of any competent
FM company. Servest currently employs in excess of 200
colleagues in the mining sector in South Africa, providing
maintenance, waste management, cleaning, hygiene, pest
control, landscaping, turf, catering, camp management,
office plants, water, business support services, parking
solutions and technical services.
The company’s contribution to environmental sustainability is
demonstrated by their initiatives in energy efficiency and water
management in all the facilities they operate. Servest has long
established that the use of environmentally friendly chemicals,
especially in the cleaning and hygiene divisions, along with
environmentally friendly consumables in catering and camp
management can go a long way in reversing adverse effects on
global climate change. •
Leon Louw
Mine waste tonnages are expected to increase exponentially in the future.
52 • African Mining •May 2020
www. africanmining.co.za