Modern Mining January 2024

community local economic development and skills development projects are concerned. We will also commence with business incubation for local small businesses,” he adds. “In the short term, we will look at assisting local community organisations and schools in need of assistance - where we can make an immediate posi tive impact. During October, the company assisted two schools in Kagiso with furniture and supplies to alleviate overcrowding and assist with learn ing camps for the upcoming matric examinations. Engagements are ongoing. We will also seek to implement agricultural projects as land becomes available, following rehabilitation, and replicate the success we have achieved at our blueberry farming project in Barberton, which employs up to 300 sea sonal workers.” What comes next? Hira explains that the current life of mine is antici pated as 20 years, from the end of 2024. As explained above, there will be concurrent rehabilita tion of the TSF sites, and land will become available for alternate use, such as housing or agriculture. Environmental studies by independent consul tants indicate an expected marked reduction in groundwater contamination, following the repro cessing and re-deposition of the tailings and neutralisation of acidic water through re-treatment during processing. The company is also looking at constructing a 10MW solar renewable energy plant on site. “One of the key hindrances to the development of the project was the high anticipated cost of envi ronmental rehabilitation, chiefly due to negligence

and abandonment by the previous operators, as well as from illegal mining. Pan African has come to an agreement with the authorities on the best course of action, and will concurrently rehabilitate the contami nated footprint areas,” he says. “Extensive consultation and studies from inde pendent environmental consultants has revised the outstanding liability requirements. Concurrent reha bilitation will see much of the area cleaned up, with a resultant decrease in air pollution, as sand will no lon ger be blown from the poorly vegetated old tailings deposits. Water quality will also improve, as seepage from the new tailings will be avoided. The rehabili tated land will be made available for alternate, more productive economic land use, such as a similar agri culture project to the one established in Barberton.” He points out that at R2.5 billion, its tailings focus is one of the largest investments to take place in Gauteng in recent times. The province has attracted minimal investments of this scale, explains Hira, and there are not many foreseeable in the near future. “Pan African has secured this amount upfront for the construction of the project, which greatly reduces execution risk. The company also has a track record of developing tailings retreatment projects as already mentioned, and is committed to using local labour, contractors and small businesses. “This is a further economic boon to the area, which has seen very little economic stimulus in recent times. And of course, with the operation anticipated to have a life of over 20 years, we will have time to implement a number of alternate sus tainable economic initiatives, to ultimately ensure the long-term economic benefits for the entire region,” he concludes. 

Mintails Plant Site.

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