CONSTRUCTION at Fairbreeze Mine has restarted after its water use license suspension was lifted last week.
Operations on the new mineral sands mine was brought to a halt in November after the Mtunzini Conservancy submitted an objection to the Water Tribunal against the license granted to mining giant Tronox.
Tronox announced the Department of Water Affairs agreed to lift this deferral after the company sent a petition to the minister protesting the holdup.
‘Tronox is pleased with this outcome and will mobilise its project team to recommence construction,’ said a statement from the company.
‘The new mine will bring significant economic benefits to the KwaZulu-Natal region.
‘The mine will preserve 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 companies.
‘The development of infrastructure for Fairbreeze, such as a new electric power substation and water pipeline, will also benefit the region.
‘Post-mining rehabilitation of the site will support tourism, land preserves for ecological research and agriculture,’ the statement said.
7 FEBRUARY 2014
Mine construction still on hold
THE suspension of construction on the Fairbreeze Mine has not yet been lifted as the battle between mining giant Tronox and the Mtunzini Conservancy continues.
In November last year, the MC submitted an objection to the Water Tribunal against the water use licence (WUL), granted by the Department of Water Affairs to Tronox to start work at Fairbreeze, which automatically brought construction on the mine to an immediate standstill.
This move was followed by Tronox KZN submitting a petition to have the suspension lifted, but Tronox confirmed on Tuesday that ‘construction activities related to the WUL have unfortunately not been restarted’.
The Conservancy has also appealed the ‘inadequate amendment’ for the environmental impact assessment (EIA) granted to Fairbreeze C Extention (FBCX).
‘FBCX is the ore body right next to town and that also requires planning permission before mining may commence,’ said Conservancy Chairperson Barbara Chedzey.
‘In addition, this EIA has lapsed as no mining has taken place lawfully on this land in the allotted time frame. A new EIA will need to be applied for.’
In response, Tronox said the company already received the necessary authorisation to mine at Fairbreeze for the next nine years.
‘The Environmental Authorisation requires mining to be complete on FBCX by 2023 and the conditions remain valid for the lifetime of the project,’ Tronox said in a statement.
