Appeal halts Zini mine construction

ONLY a month after construction started on Tronox’s Fairbreeze Mine, work has come to a standstill owing to an appeal by the Mtunzini Conservancy (MC).

According to the conservancy, they submitted their objection to the Water Tribunal two weeks ago against the water use licence granted to Tronox.

‘The water use licence and another (which has not yet been granted) to put in place the infrastructure for the mine, most notably two massive slimes dams and a return water dam, will destroy a number of important wetlands that feed the Siyaya stuary,’ says Mtunzini Conservancy Chairperson Barbara Chedzey

‘This appeal suspends the licence granted to Tronox and construction that falls within the ambit of the water use licence should stop.’

Construction on the site did stop in its tracks once the company received notice of the filed document last Monday.

But Tronox says the appeal came as no bombshell.

‘Tronox was notified of the Mtunzini Conservancy’s premeditated intention to appeal during its stakeholder consultations, and as such is not surprised by the lodgement,’ said a statement from Tronox KZN Sands.

‘Tronox legal representation is assessing the appeal and is confident that the matter will be resolved promptly.’

In the meantime, construction on other areas of the mine not affected by the water use license, continues.

‘Tronox will take conservative actions towards suspending construction only on those activities approved by this license, making the construction site safe and implementing additional environmental controls.’

In response to the conservancy’s concerns regarding the impacts of mining operations on the Siyaya estuary, the company said it has in its application identified impacts associated with its water uses and provided best practice mitigation.

6 NOVEMBER 2013

Compnay ‘perplexed’ by  Conservancy appeal

A DECISION by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs (DAEA) for a plot on Fairbreeze Mine to be rehabilitated to an indigenous state once mining operations end, has been met with anger from the Mtunzini Conservancy (MC).

According to a statement released by the Conservancy last week, it is appealing the ‘limiting and inflexible’ plan for biodiversity conservation rehabilitation on the Fairbreeze C Extension property adjacent to Mtunzini, instead of a preferred sugarcane development.

‘The original plan to change to sugarcane is defined and allows for future flexibility,’ says Conservancy Chairperson Barbara Chedzy.

‘Land that can produce sugarcane will be able to support indigenous as well. The reverse is not necessarily true.’

Chedzy also voiced her concerns that permanent rehabilitation will not start for four to six years after mining resources are depleted.

However, Tronox responded in a statement saying it is ‘perplexed by the appeal’ as the piece of land was identified as an ideal location for conservation after mining.

‘Tronox has proposed the FBCX (Fairbreeze C Extension) offset as a biodiversity offset for the purpose of conservation.

‘This will have many positive implications in the long-term for the surrounding community, like opportunities for environmental education, research opportunities for tertiary students, creation of environmental corridors with the Umlalazi nature reserve and a conservation buffer for the town.’

Tronox further denied that it will only commence rehabilitation activities years after the closure of the mining plant.

‘Rehabilitation will be progressive and occur promptly.’

20 SEPTEMBER 2013

All systems go for Fairbreeze mine

HEAVY mineral producer Tronox got the final nod to start full construction on its controversial Fairbreeze mine south of Mtunzini.

The US-based company received its last required environmental permit, a water use license, to start construction on its dune mining operation..

‘Granting of the water use license marks a major milestone for Tronox,’ said Tronox Mineral Sands President Trevor Arran.

‘It means we can commence building the required operational infrastructure to have Fairbreeze up and running in 2015.’

After a two-year clash with several conservation groups, including the Mtunzini Conservancy and Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (Wessa), Arran re-iterated Tronox’s promise to respect the mine’s surrounding natural environment as well as neighbours Mtunzini and the Umlalazi Nature Reserve.

‘As we enter this next phase, we remain steadfast in our commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability, and look forward to our continued role as an active and responsible citizen in the local community,’ said Arran.

Titanium ore, zircon and other minerals mined at Fairbreeze will replace ore from the Tronox KZN Sands Hillendale mine that will cease production at the end of this year.

Arran noted that Tronox has sufficient inventory to continue running its KZN processing and smelting operations at capacity during the gap between the end of mining at Hillendale and the Fairbreeze start-up.

The company projects that the mine will create more than 1 000 permanent and contractor positions and generate an additional 1 000 indirect jobs.

Tronox anticipates spending approximately R530-million on services and products, more than half of which will go to black economic empowerment (BEE) companies.

New infrastructure at Fairbreeze, such as a new electric power substation and water pipeline, is also expected to benefit the region.

16 SEPTEMBER 2013

Conservation priority after mining

THE controversial mining property at Mtunzini’s southern boundary which is part of heavy mineral producer Tronox’s proposed Fairbreeze Mine, is set to become a biodiversity conservation area instead of sugarcane cultivation farmland once mining operations end.

According to a statement from the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs (DAEA), the final land use amendment of the Fairbreeze Extention C (FBCX) plot was granted to ‘align the outcome and commitments made’ for the mineral sands mine.

Tronox declared its supports for the amendment and will not appeal against it.

‘The aim of the property’s off-set will be to add net gain to biodiversity by contributing towards creating larger environmental corridors,’ the company said in a statement.

‘This will add value to Umlalazi nature reserve’s protection status, and encourage indigenous plant species growth, which value speaks for itself.’

While the company said that short-term rehabilitation costs are expected to be similar for sugarcane and natural vegetation, long-term liabilities are higher for the biodiversity option.

Tronox is required to manage the area for 33 years after completion of mining.

Fairbreeze Mine could be operational in the second half of next year and have a life expectancy of approximately 15 years.

 

 9 SEPTEMBER 2013

PROMINENT conservation group Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (Wessa) has denied that a R56 000 sponsorship from local titanium oxide producer Tronox was ‘dirty money’, putting a leash on their watchdog role.

Wessa is one of several environmental groups that appealed against the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) authorisation last year for Tronox to start preliminary construction work on Fairbreeze, the controversial mineral sands mine south of Mtunzini.

Their petition was dismissed by the KZN Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs two months ago.

Now, media reports state the organisation accepted funding at the time Wessa was appealing against the proposed mine’s environmental authorisation.

However, Wessa’s director of conservation, Garth Barnes, reiterates the group’s protective environmental stance for Fairbreeze, regardless of the donation from Tronox.

Barnes states Wessa, in agreement with other opposing parties which include the Mtunzini Conservancy, believe the mine ‘does pose a threat to surface and groundwater’ for wetlands sourcing water from the Siyaya River on the Fairbreeze footprint.

He said Wessa submitted a request for a full environmental impact assessment (EIA) to be done on the area, even though it was later revealed that Tronox applied for a Basic Assessment instead of a Scoping or EIA.

Barnes also rejected allegations that the organisation is scaling back on its work as conservation ombudsman due to financial difficulties.

‘Our organisation is financially viable for the foreseeable future,’ he said.

He further corrected rumours that several members of the conservancy resigned.

‘We have had two documented resignations.’

Tronox hit back at accusations that the payment was unethical, stating that the donation is part of its Corporate Social Investment strategy specifically aimed at funding an EIA training course to empower the public in assisting with EIA processes.

‘This contribution is no different to financial contributions made in the past to government and non-government environmental organisations, like the Mtunzini Conservancy and the Twinstreams education centre.’