Boys playing soccer at Makhado
Eastern view of Vele
Bursary launch
Mooiplaats underground
Bursary students
Environment
Coal of Africa’s coking coal projects, Vele and Makhado, are situated in remote parts of the Limpopo province. Management is conscious of the area’s environmental significance, and that it is host to the Mapungubwe World Heritage site. Coal of Africa has introduced a number of state of the art environmental management programmes to ensure that the impacts of coal mining are mitigated.
Coal of Africa is committed to complying with environmental legislation, which is extensive and onerous in the South African context. The most significant laws which guide environmental compliance are the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA) and the National Environmental Act (NEMA).
In working to minimise the visible surface impact at Vele, Coal of Africa has amended its original mine plan to include an underground component, from where 40% of coal will be sourced. Plans are in place to rehabilitate the surface mine simultaneously with mining activities – at no time will the open pit be larger than 50 hectares.
Vele colliery and water
In May 2011 the Vele colliery was granted an Integrated Water Use Licence (IWUL) by the Department of Water Affairs (DWA).
The company submitted the final set of rectification papers for listed activities in terms of Section 24G of the South African National Environmental Management Amendment Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998) (NEMA) to the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA).
A detailed water-balance has been compiled by specialists for the Vele operation, and is inclusive of the water demand for processing, portable use on site, irrigation of rehabilitated areas, dust suppression and provision for livestock/game.
A study to determine the aquifer’s ability to provide for existing and future water use, has confirmed that there will be no further pressure on the catchment’s water resources, given that the mine’s host properties have existing associated water uses.
The IWUL has been suspended in terms of Section 148(2) (b) of the South Africa National Water (Act No. 36 of 1998) due to an appeal to the Water Tribunal submitted by an NGO coalition in July 2011. The company has made an urgent appeal to the minister of water affairs requesting that the IWUL remains in full force and effect in this interim period and until the final conclusion of the appeal.