Tiara Mining confirms mining application withdrawal
Some parts of Selati Game Reserve declared as a Protected Area in terms of the National Environmental Management is what led to the withdrawal of the mining application by Tiara Mining.
Herald recently reported that Tiara Mining (Pty) Ltd, a mining company that had planned to strip mine the Selati, withdrew their application with the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy.
“Please be informed that Tiara Mining has withdrawn the mining right application from the Department of Mineral Resources due to the fact that certain portions of the farm Josephine 749 LT, Danie 789 LT, Buffalo Ranch 834 LT, Farrel 781 LT and Willie 787 LT which falls within the Selati Game Reserve which according to the latest information (supporting documents) obtained from the Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (LEDET) has been considered to be declared as a protected area in terms of the National Environmental Management plan. This ultimately means that the certain properties have endangered red data plant and animal species of concern,” said the mining company.
Tiara Mining rebuked claims of lack of consultation with the affected parties, being landowners and management of Selati Game Reserve.
“An extensive public participation with interested and affected parties was conducted thoroughly, hence the Department of Mineral Resources accepted our scoping report and we were about to submit the final Environmental Impact Assessment Report and Environmental Management Plan Report when the government (LEDET) provided us with their comment.
“Our interested and affected parties database has over 600 personnel which include government departments, property owners, nearby residential areas such as the Majeje community, NGOs and other organisations (business in the area),” said Tiara Mining.
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They said they have published newspaper adverts in English and Xitsonga, placed notices within the project area and had email communication with all identified and registered interested parties and affected parties.
Tiara Mining said their team of qualified specialists conducted a site visit on the farm Granville 767 LT and BVB Ranch 776 LT which according to the project mine schedule accounts for the first 10 years of the life of the mine.
“Access to the properties falling within the Selati Game Reserve has never been granted. We have made numerous requests to visit the site and we were not successful,” said Tiara Mining.
The withdrawal of the mining application came as good news for Selati Game Reserve.
The operations and marketing manager at Selati, Lindsey Jones, thanked everyone who supported them.
