Makhado water licence suspended

The integrated water usage licence (IWUL) has been suspended for Coal of Africa’s (CoAL) Makhado project in South Africa, the company announced in a statement. The suspension follows an appeal to the Department of Water and Sanitation by the Vhembe Minerals Resource Forum.

Under the South African National Water Act No 36, such an appeal automatically suspends the IWUL. The appeal had been anticipated, the company said, and CoAL is now in the process of preparing an urgent representation to the Minister of Water and Sanitation to “request that the IWUL remain in full force and effect pending the final conclusion of the appeal.”

“We are actively engaging with the department to resolve this appropriately,” said CoAL’s CEO, David Brown. “We remain committed to the sustainable development of the Makhado project, whilst recognizing its potential to drive socio-economic development.”

The Makhado project is a mixed product opencast mine development in Limpopo Province. The project contains a resource of 344.8 million t and envisages annual production of ROM coal of 12.6 million t, yielding 2.3 million t of hard coking coal and 3.2 million t of thermal coal for export and domestic markets.

“We will continue to engage with all stakeholders to ensure the ongoing implementation of our co-existent model, seeking co-operation between mining, agriculture and heritage land uses,” concluded Brown.

According to its website, the Vhembe Minerals Resource Forum exists to protect water supplies and promote sustainable farming against the impact of coal mining in the region of the Makhado project.

Edited by Jonathan Rowland.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcoal.com/exploration-and-development/08042016/makhado-water-licence-suspended-2016-547/