Modern Quarrying July-August 2016

QUARRYING SERVICES

Mining compliance simplified Sonette Smit, MD and senior environmental consultant at Greenmined Environmental believes the move away from the continued use of in-house people to do applications for authorisation and other environmental aspects within the mining sector are an appropriate and cost-saving stance.

A ccording to Smit, when it comes to applications for authorisa- tions, environmental audits and other related activities, all work done in-house at a mine or quarry will need to be reviewed by an independent environ- mental assessment practitioner, in any event. Changes in legislation have seen the regulations sur rounding the Environmental Act, the Water Act and the Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Act combined into a single system. While this is advantageous for mines and quarries, the distinct lack of understanding around the requirements has made this quite daunting for individ- uals within these operations. She says that in the past mine and quarry managers would have appointed either an in-house person or a consul- tant to handle the requisite applications. “Today, even where an in-house person

The Greenmined Environmental team from left: Sonette Smit, managing director; Daryn Price, office administrator; Murchellin Saal, project consultant and Jemma Bowles, legal advisor.

been operating, have also meant that, in many instances, the infrastructure which supported an in-house environmental department or officer has been signifi- cantly reduced. In some cases the envi- ronmental aspects of the operation have even been incorporated into the function of the safety department or officer.

prepares the applications for authorisa- tion, organisations will have to employ the services of an independent consultant to review these. The external review is to ensure the integrity of the information being supplied.” Cut backs, due to the pressure under which the mining sector has

Changes in legislation have seen the regulations surrounding the Environmental Act, the Water Act and the Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Act combined into a single system.

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MODERN QUARRYING July - August 2016