AFRICA NEWS
The mining industry welcomes proposed
amendments to residue stockpiles and deposits
regulations. In December, the Minister of Environmental
Affairs published Proposed Amendments to the Regulations
Regarding the Planning and Management of Residue
Stockpiles and Residue Deposits (‘Proposed Amendments’)
for comment. The Proposed Amendments’ main objective is
to allow for pollution control barrier systems, required for
residue stockpiles and residue deposits (RSRDs), to be
determined on a case by case basis, based on a risk analysis
conducted by a competent person.
With RSRDs identified as waste under Schedule 3 of
the National Environmental Management: Waste Act,
2008 (Act No. 59 of 2008), s69(iA) of the Act entitles the
Minister of Environmental Affairs to make regulations
regarding the management and control of RSRDs from
prospecting, mining exploration, or production operations.
The regulations presently require that RSDSs’ pollution
control barrier systems must be designed in accordance
with the national norms and standards that relate to
the assessment and disposal of waste to landfill sites
(Landfill Standards), regardless of RSDSs’ pollution
potential. This was met with widespread criticism from
Construction is officially under way on the
R10-billion Zimbali Lakes Resort. The 350-hectare
estate, developed by IFA Hotels & Resorts, has a
range of residential opportunities, from freehold land
to sectional title developments as well as a
retirement offering. The luxury estate also boasts a
retail node, short-term and long-term
accommodations, an international hotel, office space,
medical suites, and a comprehensive sports facility.
The most unique feature will be the
30-hectare lake, featuring a water club as the
anchor and a retail promenade along the edge,
as well as an 18-hole golf course, which should
be completed in 2020.
The development promises economic
opportunities regionally through the creation of
about 35 000 indirect jobs during the construction
phase, and an estimated 3 000 permanent jobs
on completion. Furthermore, the addition of
potentially 2 500 residential dwellings within
Zimbali Lakes Resort translates into
approximately R63-million in annual rates for the
KwaDukuza Local Municipality.
the mining sector, due to the significantly increased
construction costs that mining companies would incur,
and it resulted in litigation being instituted regarding
the reasonableness of this requirement.
The Landfill Standards are presently required to be
applied when a mining company applies for a waste
management license (WML). The Department of Water
and Sanitation (DWS), however, also incorrectly relied
on the requirements when considering applications for
water use licences (WULs) and would not issue a WUL
unless it included a condition that the pollution control
barrier system would be designed in accordance with
the Landfill Standards. If the Proposed Amendments are
enacted, this will prevent the DWS from including such
onerous conditions to WULs.
Once promulgated, the Proposed Amendments will
not only apply to new RSRD WML applications
(WMLAs), but also to any RSRD WMLA that was
previously submitted.
The Proposed Amendments are welcomed by the
mining industry, and will not only prove more cost-
effective, but also better-suited to cater for effective
pollution control and ensure environmental protection.
FLSmidth concludes deal with crusher support services
FLSmidth South Africa has successfully
concluded the restructuring of the
operations of its Meshcape Screen Media
Business Division.
The company took a decision early
in 2018 to retain the manufacture of
core screen product lines, including
polyurethane and wedgewire as well as
its proven ceramic wear solutions, and
wire screens, perforated plate, and wire
conveyor belts.
The retained product lines are
being relocated to FLSmidth’s Delmas
Supercentre, which is being expanded
as part of its Phase II development
to divest from the manufacture of woven
Concluding the agreement signed between FLSmidth and Crushers Support Services (CSS
Engineering) are Hentie Pietersen (acting CFO at FLSmidth SSA); Buks Roodt (director mining site
sales at FLSmidth SSA); Alistair Calver (project manager at FLSmidth SSA); Reinier Fourie (managing
director CSS Engineering); Alec MacKie (business development CSS Engineering); Brian Day (group
executive VP at FLSmidth); and Deon de Kock (regional president FLSmidth SSA and Middle East).
programme. These manufacturing
lines will be fully commissioned Edenvale to the Delmas II facility. and support of crushing and screening
and operational during January and The Delmas II expansion will also solutions. The sale preserves the
February 2019. create additional new employment full manufacturing capacity for the
opportunities for people from divested product lines in the original
R75-million expansion comprising the the greater Victor Khanye Local Meshcape Edenvale facility and, in
construction of a 5 360m workshop to Municipality. so doing, 79 jobs were preserved. A
The Delmas Phase II facility is a
2
accommodate a new heavy machining
4
The sale of the divested product
preferred supplier agreement has also
facility, as well as the relocated and lines has been successfully concluded been concluded between FLSmidth
optimised manufacturing lines for the with Crushers Support Services (CSS and CSS Engineering, ensuring that
retained products from the Meshcape Engineering). CSS Engineering is all existing customers will continue to
Screen Media facility. A total of 31 active in the mining and quarrying receive high levels of support and to
skilled personnel will relocate from business sectors, providing service focus on future growth synergies.
FEBRUARY 2019
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