Proposed Phosphate Mine adjacent to the West Coast NP

[Toko]

ELANDSFONTEIN GETS MINING RIGHTS

By helene.meissenheimer
2015-02-15 17:00
Elandsfontein Exploration and Mining (EEM) has received mining rights for their proposed phosphate mine on the former nature reserve Elandsfontein between Langebaan and Hopefield.

Weslander learnt this week that Hopefield is already abuzz with contractors who are going to construct the access road from the R45 to the mine.

Martin Carstens of EEM confirmed this week that the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) sign and approved the mining rights on portion 4 and a portion of portion 2 of the farm Elandsfontein 349 on 30 January.

“The approval of the mining rights came at a time when the uncertainty regarding the application of environmental and mining legislation was finally resolved. EEM still has to obtain a water use licence, and approval for the construction of the power line. All other environmental approvals were included in the mining rights approval, and related Environmental Management Programme (EMP),” said Carstens.

He explained that the EMP approved by DMR serves as the environmental authorisation. “From 8 December 2014, the DMR is the environmental authority for all new mining applications. The DMR also controls all environmental matters related to the mining area, and related infrastructure, such as the access road, water pipeline and power lines. DMR has its own environmental inspectors.”

The proposed mine will be adjacent to the West Coast National Park. Last year local environmentalists as well as SANParks and CapeNature were concerned that the proposed mine could have a detrimental impact on the Langebaan Lagoon. The mining of the phosphate will take place on top of the Elandsfontein aquifer, that some think feeds into the lagoon. EEM said last year they have gone to great lengths, even involving the Department of Water Affairs and academic researchers, to ensure the mining process will not pose a pollution threat to the lagoon or the aquifer.

Willem J Louw, Manager: Park Planning and Development with SANParks, told Weslander they accept the mining rights awarded by DMR, but expect that all the conditions set out in the EMP will be taken into account during the mining process.

Carstens told Weslander a public participation process must be followed for the water use licence. The water use licence is needed because EEM must do artificial recharge. The water that is pumped out around the mining pit to keep the area dry, is filtered back into the upper aquifer.

For mining purposes, EEM will use treated waste water from Vredenburg, which the mining company will further purify. He added that the first priority for the project is to construct a road from the R45 to allow access to the mining site. “Roadmac has been awarded the contract to construct the road. It is estimated that the construction of the road will take about 12 months,” said Carstens.

In answer to Weslander’s enquiry he said that mainly Hopefield residents will be employed during the construction of the access road.



The Elandsfontein farm is the area in green, with the area for the proposed phosphate mine indicated in purple. The dark green border indicates the property of the West Coast National Park.

[Toko]

http://www.netwerk24.com/ZA/Weslander/N ... 20160309-2

SANParks still concerned about mine
Deur Heléne Meissenheimer 11 Maart 2016 10:45



An illustration of the West Coast groundwater system based on research done in 2009. Latest research indicate that the Langebaan Road aquifer and Elandsfontein aquifers could be linked. photo: http://www.scielo.org.za



SANParks remains concerned about the possible impact of the proposed phosphate mine at Elandsfontein near Langebaan and Hopefield.

Their main concern is the lack of a proper National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) environmental impact assessment (EIA), Willem Louw, manager: Park Planning and Development with SANParks, told a Park Forum meeting on Friday.

“A NEMA EIA needs to be done,” he said. “We have stated our concern with the Department of Mineral Affairs (DMA).”

This week Francois Turner, a neighbouring farmer, announced he is taking legal action about the issue. More farmers are concerned about the possible impact of mining activities on the sensitive groundwater system, especially since the West Coast is currently experiencing one of the worst droughts in decades.

The water issue was also highlighted by Louw.

“SANParks remains acutely aware of the possible impact the mine could have on the groundwater and lagoon,” he said. Louw added that on this issue SANParks remains in discussions with the consultants of the mine and the Department of Water Affairs (DWA).

The mine will be constructed on top of the Elandsfontein aquifer, a major underwater source and there are concerns that this could possibly impact the groundwater system and also the Langebaan Lagoon. Many of the surrounding farms are dependent on groundwater. Recent research by the DWA indicated that the Elandsfontein and Langebaan Road aquifers could be linked, thus water extraction from one could possibly affect water levels in the another. There are also indications that the Elandsfontein aquifer has an outflow into the Langebaan Lagoon.

DWA still has to issue a water use licence to the mine, without it the mine can’t start operations.

Towards the end of 2013 DMA changed existing legislation enabling them to become the authority to grant environmental approval for proposed mines, and not the provincial Department of Environmental Affairs.

DMA approved Elandsfontein mine’s application and found their submitted Environmental Management Programme Report sufficient. The mining company consequently cancelled the EIA studies that were ongoing. Concerned locals say this was illegal and have contracted the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) to take the matter further.

[Puff Addy]

[Flutterby]

it never ends!!

[Richprins]

Phosphates is the most stable mining stock one can get...endless demand worldwide!

[Flutterby]

Posted today by West Coast Environmental Protection Association (WCEPA) on their FB page:

Breaking: Finally this is also out in the open. Confirmed reports of Kropz intention to mine in the West Coast National Park. Here is the press release.

Persistent rumours that there are plans to withdraw the national park declaration of portions of the West Coast National Park to facilitate mining of a phosphate deposit partly situated inside the park, saw the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) direct a letter to SANParks – requesting clarity on this matter – on 29 August 2017.
On 14 September, in a letter of response (also attached) SANParks confirmed that, while it has not received an official request, the mining company involved – Kropz Elandsfontein (Pty) Ltd (Kropz) – has twice alluded (to SANParks’ Exco members) to a possible request to extend their mining areas into the Park – once in October 2016, and again in June 2017.

The Elandsfontein phosphate mine is being opposed by the West Coast Environmental Protection Association (WCEPA), which is extremely concerned about the risk of deproclamation of sections of the West Coast National Park and the precedent this may set. The Elandsfontein mine also poses a serious risk to the Elandsfontein aquifer, an important aquifer in this already dry part of the country, and impacts on the aquifer may, in turn, affect the Langebaan Lagoon (a declared Ramsar site) and threaten the eco-systems and livelihoods dependent on both the Elandsfontein aquifer and Langebaan Lagoon.

The WCEPA is being represented by Cullinans & Associates (not the CER, though the CER follows the matter closely).

Please contact the following spokespeople at any time if you have questions or require comment on this matter:

Walter Anderson, Senior Associate at Cullinans & Associates
Email: Walter Anderson walter@greencounsel.co.za
Office: 021 673 3889
Mobile: 082 309 1873


Nicola Viljoen of the WCEPA
Mobile: 072 297 2222
Email: nicolaviljoen2@gmail.com

Annette Gibbs for media relations
Mobile: 082 467 1295
Email: agibbs@cer.org.za

[RogerFraser]

[Richprins]

Long article in Beeld today. The Elandfontein mine is within the buffer zone of the Park, which is illegal, but SANParks withdrew objections to it without giving reasons. The department has allegedly refused to look at the Mine's application to use the Park, but Kropz said they new that, and were just applying to protect their interests, in other words to prevent any future competitors from applying...

[Lisbeth]

The park is already rather small and if something happens to the lagoon it would be a disaster

[Lisbeth]

West Coast phosphate mine interdicted to stop drawing fossil water



BY DON PINNOCK - 12 OCTOBER 2017 - SA BREAKING NEWS

A dodgy phosphate operation mining bordering the West Coast National Park and near the environmentally sensitive Langebaan Lagoon has been slapped with an interdict to stop it dewatering the Elandsfontein aquifer.

Mining by Kropz Elandsfontein cuts through a biodiverse and climate-change-resilient corridor which was earmarked for inclusion in the West Coast National Park. As part of a long legal fight by environmental organisations in the area, the mine’s right to use the aquifer was automatically suspended when an appeal was lodged with the Water Tribunal, but it did not stop water offtake.

According to Walter Anderson at Cullinans and Associates, who lodged the appeal on behalf the West Coast Environmental Protection Association (WCEPA), Kropz continues to dewater the aquifer despite knowledge that commencement of the appeal suspends its water licence and despite not having challenged the validity of the appeal in the tribunal or court.

‘Kropz’s wilful and unlawful flouting of the principle of legality leaves WCEPA with no option but to approach the courts for urgent relief in the public interest.’

The aquifer is millions of years old and the impact of mining was not properly assessed by the mine before it began operations. There is concern that dewatering by the mine will affect Langebaan Lagoon, a Ramsar site and wetland of international importance, a tourist attraction and a water body on which many fishers depend.

Kropz managed to obtain a mining right in 2015 and was granted a water use license 2017. The mining right is now subject to judicial review in the Cape High Court, and the water use license is currently under appeal to the Water Tribunal and is therefore suspended under the National Water Act.

This makes the mine’s dewatering and artificial recharging of the aquifer unlawful and a criminal offence under the National Water Act and National Environmental Management Act.

WCEPA’s urgent application follows the recent discovery that Kropz had approached the Department of Mineral Resources to request that its mining right be extended to include deposits in the National Park. Given that it is illegal to mine in a national park, the request effectively amounts to a request to have part of the park deproclaimed in order to extend its operations there.

Read original article: http://www.sabreakingnews.co.za/2017/10 ... sil-water/