First green light for Corobrik to mine coal near Rietvlei reserve

The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy has approved a Delmas Road environmental plan for the Corobrik quarry.

The quarry is to the south of Tshwane bordered by Rietvlei Nature Reserve to the north.

CEO Nick Booth said this environmental plan instructs the company what “we have to do to protect the environment before we can start mining. It means we have approval for the plan. We still have to do a number of things to be compliant before we can start mining.”

On Friday February 16, the department notified interested and affected parties that it had authorised the Corobrik Rietvlei mining right amendment on February 6.

Booth said the company had amended the authorisation on February 19 by correcting the portion of property to be mined.

Corobrik geologist Martin Hughes said the authorisation itself still stands.

“We will not mine any coal until all the correct processes and mitigations are in place, and we are already busy with a number of interventions,” said Booth.

Corobrik stopped mining the quarry after the department ordered the company to immediately halt activity on March 8, 2023.

It said it had applied to mine coal in June 2022 and after inspection, the department had asked the company to submit an environmental impact study and an amended mining permit application.

Booth said the mitigations include:

– dust-covering, water and road protection as well as mining methodology.

– removal and disposal of soil contaminated by the mining at a licensed waste disposal facility and rehabilitation of the site of such soil removal.

– inform residents of any unusual noisy activity, and

– ensure all liquid waste capable of water pollution is diverted to the sewers.

Hughes said the company also needed to obtain a water-use licence before mining resumed.

He said Corobrik has applied for the licence and was waiting for the response.

Hughes said the company was permitted to mine yellow shale (brickmaking clay) from a quarry close to the Delmas Road.

During a public meeting to discuss, amongst others, how new activity would impact the Rietvlei dam and reserve as well as the underground aquifer, environmental activists, authorities and locals had raised concerns about the environmental impact and Tshwane water supply.

Hughes said the department had prescribed that the company buffer sensitive areas such as wetlands that border its property.

“I estimate there will be a buffer of almost 700m between the edge of the mine and the reserve,” said Hughes.

Giving its reason for authorising the mining, the department said:

– On November 23, 2023 it had inspected the site and was satisfied that the requirements for public involvement were met and that Corobrik had paid the R1.3 million administrative fine for the initial application.

– It had taken into consideration the characteristics of the proposed mining area.

The department said anyone who wished to appeal its decision must do so in writing to the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment and Department of Mining Resources and Energy in Gauteng within 20 days of date of notification. (See addresses at the end of article).

Ward 91 Councillor Henning Viljoen advised residents in his ward to appeal.

“But let’s inform ourselves what we should be appealing, keeping in mind the provisions in the environmental authorisation,” he said.

AfriForum spokesperson Marius de Vaal said the authorisation is a precondition for granting the mining right.

“The application for a mining right would already have been submitted and now that the environmental plan has been approved, one of the boxes taken into consideration for the mining right application has been ticked off,” he said.

“At this stage, we do not have grounds to appeal the decision. However, we will continue to monitor the situation and use the remedies at our disposal, should this become necessary in future.”

Corobrik said the authorisation is available on https://licebo.co.za/corobrik-mining-right-amendment-project

– Appeals can be directed to appeals@environment.gov.za/ MRakgogo@environment.gov.za. Postal Address: Private Bag X 447, Pretoria, 0001, Physical Address: Environmental House, 473 Steve Biko Road, Arcadia, Pretoria, 0083 and Tel: 012 399 9356. Also submit the copy to the DMRE, Gauteng Regional Office for attention: • Regional Manager: Gauteng Region, Facsimile: (011 339 2423), E-mail: siyabonga.vezi@dmre.gov.za

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