Mining in Magaliesburg

[Mojoman]

NOTICE TO INTERESTED AND AFFECTED PARTIES (I&AP) FOR PROPOSED PROSPECTING ACTIVITY:

This document serves to inform land owners, lawful occupants, land claimants, interested and affected parties, including occupants of various portions within the farm

 

: PORTION 4 OF THE FARM ZUIKERBOSCHFONTEIN 151 IQ, situated in the Mogale City Local Municipality, West Rand District Municipality in Gauteng Province, that EAST WAVE MINERALS (PTY) LTD has in terms of section 16 of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources development Amendment Act of 2008 submitted an application for prospecting rights for Diamond (D), Gold (Au), Platinum Group Metals (PGM’s) and Silver (Ag) minerals.

We confirm that the application was accepted by the Minister, (Attached please find the acceptance letter thereof) We further confirm that in terms section 16 (4) of the MPRDAA of 2008, it is the company’s statutory obligation to notify you and give you an opportunity to raise any concerns with regard to our intention to perform the proposed prospecting activity in the above-mentioned farm. You are cordially invited to a public consultation meeting to be held on Saturday the 08

 

th of February 2014, at 10:00 at the Ubuntu hall, Mogale Township.

Your concerns would then be submitted to the Department of Mineral and Energy through an Environmental Management Plan.

The following prospecting methods may be employed:

 Soil sampling - Collecting of soil up to 20 KG with a bucket

 Ground Gravity Survey - Using a hand-borne gravity gradiometer

 Drilling - Done with wheel-mounted drill.

 

Meeting at Ubuntu Arts and Crafts 8 Feb at 10am.

[Mojoman]

Some bad news for Magalies, I cant believe we get a notice for a meeting 2 days before the event!

Surely there should be a minimum notice period for something as important as this?

[nigelhicks]

They only have a prospecting right .. and to have Diamonds, Gold, Silver and PGE's on their list - I doubt they actually know what they are looking for as those commodities NEVER occur all together ...

 

I think this is just someone trying their luck with little to no Knowledge of the geology in the region.

[nigelhicks]

The only place they could potentially find PGE's is to the north of the Magaliesberg in the region around Brits and Rustenberg where the Bushveld Complex is exposed at surface. But this occurs in a belt parallel to the Magaliesberg range about 10km away from the mountains themselves. ..

 

If the property is in the mountain range itself the okes really havent thought their prospecting through .. hahaha

[Mojoman]

They only have a prospecting right .. and to have Diamonds, Gold, Silver and PGE's on their list - I doubt they actually know what they are looking for as those commodities NEVER occur all together ...

 

I think this is just someone trying their luck with little to no Knowledge of the geology in the region.

There have been numerous attempts at mining in the area over the last 4 or 5 years, Several Youtube vids on it as well. Sadly I think if there is mineral wealth then it will be mined (juding by the acceptance of fracking now).

 

Sadly its also in the area we were looking at doing the trails!

 

http://www.iol.co.za/the-star/opponents-blast-plans-to-prospect-in-magaliesberg-1.1306553#.UvSBPrfNu9I

 

 

[Mokgaga'a mmakubela!]

They only have a prospecting right .. and to have Diamonds, Gold, Silver and PGE's on their list - I doubt they actually know what they are looking for as those commodities NEVER occur all together ...

 

I think this is just someone trying their luck with little to no Knowledge of the geology in the region.

 

i hope you are right for the sake of the beautiful Magalies

[Mojoman]

The only place they could potentially find PGE's is to the north of the Magaliesberg in the region around Brits and Rustenberg where the Bushveld Complex is exposed at surface. But this occurs in a belt parallel to the Magaliesberg range about 10km away from the mountains themselves. ..

 

If the property is in the mountain range itself the okes really havent thought their prospecting through .. hahaha

Nickel was the big one a while back...and further along the area there was going to exploration for uranium I think!

[shaper]

As it says, they are just doing some Prospecting and geological tests.... fishing expedition of the soil conditions. If they were that serious of finding something would have looked at doing 2D and possibly 3D seismic surveys

[Fast Forward]

2 Days is an unreasonable notice. If you think that this application to prospect may influence you in any way ie - water, downstream etc - then you need to register and voice your concerns, if you don't it is difficult to stop any activities ex post facto - like the e-tolls.

Yes, its only an application for prospecting - but what follows thereafter if they find what they were looking for? Yes - a nice big mine on your doorstep.

If you are an interested and affected party - attend the meeting. Voice your dissatisfaction regarding the short notice and ensure it is noted. Another thing that is important is to know as much possible regarding the applicant company - who are they, who are the directors, are they financially stable enough to rehabilitate the mined area afterwards etc... This info normally comes into play later on when everyone realises the company have mined in an irresponsible manner and left the scene - then all of a sudden there is no one to hold accountable. Been there, done that - got the t - shirt....

[Mojoman]

2 Days is an unreasonable notice. If you think that this application to prospect may influence you in any way ie - water, downstream etc - then you need to register and voice your concerns, if you don't it is difficult to stop any activities ex post facto - like the e-tolls.

Yes, its only an application for prospecting - but what follows thereafter if they find what they were looking for? Yes - a nice big mine on your doorstep.

If you are an interested and affected party - attend the meeting. Voice your dissatisfaction regarding the short notice and ensure it is noted. Another thing that is important is to know as much possible regarding the applicant company - who are they, who are the directors, are they financially stable enough to rehabilitate the mined area afterwards etc... This info normally comes into play later on when everyone realises the company have mined in an irresponsible manner and left the scene - then all of a sudden there is no one to hold accountable. Been there, done that - got the t - shirt....

We will be there on Saturday, I have mailed this to as many people as possible in town and surrounds. Very sneaky to just give short notice like this. One of the previous times another company just stuck a couple of notices up in areas no-one ever goes to!

 

Our big concern is water pollution and the devastation of the natural environment.

[Fast Forward]

You also need to understand the process and the importance of this meeting - this consultation process forms part of their preparation of an environmental management plan. Once DMR is satisfied with the EMPR the prospecting right gets approved. A mining company must comply with the EMPR - if not - its criminal. Normally they should also have environmental authorisation from DEA and a water use license from DWAF - if not - its criminal. Put them on terms - if they start prospecting without ALL the authorisations and licenses - they will be charged. If the prospecting right is approved - get a copy of the EMPR and police their compliance - DMR does not do it.

[Skirminkel]

From my experience the Interested and affected parties must have a strong case to stop a project like this. You cant just say you are concerned that this might affect the natural vegetation. Unless there is some red listed species close to extinction they will not succeed. The company will then just have mitigation and management plans to address this.

 

I know for a fact that there is more than one company applying or that have already received prospecting rights. So the video is very one sided. And that poor farmer, nothing gets mentioned of all the insecticides that they pump in the system.

[Skirminkel]

Just another thought, almost every single thing that you can see in front of you now (computer, cellphone, your car, house etc etc etc) comes from mining. Switch on your lights.......comes from mining. It is just so rich from us to complain about projects like this when you are driving a nice big petrol gulping Range Rover. The emphasis should be on responsible mining.

[Super_mil]

From some Googlizing here is the locality of the proposed prospecting.

 

 

The locality of the proposed area being so close to a water course and the greater impact it may have on downstream users may make this tough to get approved. That said stranger things have happened. As stated above there are still a lot of legal/environmental hoops these guys need to get through to get this off the ground, but make sure you register as an IAP and scrutinize their process.

[Mojoman]

Just another thought, almost every single thing that you can see in front of you now (computer, cellphone, your car, house etc etc etc) comes from mining. Switch on your lights.......comes from mining. It is just so rich from us to complain about projects like this when you are driving a nice big petrol gulping Range Rover. The emphasis should be on responsible mining.

I realize there is a lot of wealth and benefits from mining, the problem is there is a lack of accountability form the mining groups when things go wrong.

 

We already have a huge issue with the acid mine water on the West Rand (which has now gone quiet as well).

 

Our water resources are scarce and mining is a huge polluter of the environment as well as a drain on water.

So having money from mining doesn't help when we cant drink the water and use it for farming (Magalies is based on tourism and farming).

[Mojoman]

This is what they sent me: