Thabametsi Mine Coming into clearer focus

Public participation meetings for the proposed Thabametsi mine, an independent coal mine adjacent to Grootegeluk Coal Mine, were held last Wednesday and Thursday in and around Lephalale. Exxaro’s project manager for Thabametsi, Adriaan Goosen, gave an update on the project while the Digby Wells environmental project manager, Brett Coutts gave an overview of the completed Environmental Impact Report currently open for public review (until 28 January).
The new mine is expected to deliver four million tons a year to an on-site independent power producer (IPP) coal-fired power station to be developed by Exxaro north of the proposed Thabametsi project as early as 2016/17.
From 2021 both power station coal and semi-soft coking coal will be produced.
During the public participation meetings, Goosen said that Exxaro Resources Limited proposed to develop the Thabametsi mine as a open pit and underground coal mine on the following farms: McCabesvley 311 LQ; Van der Waltspan 311 LQ; Zaagput 307 LQ; Jackhalsvley 309 LQ; and Vaalpensloop 313 LQ comprising of 54 22, 91 ha.
The life-of-mine (LOM) is indicated to be about 40 years (2017-2057). Underground mining on Jackhalsvley and Vaalpensloop is proposed to start in 2022 and will see the mine produce metallurgical coal.
Indications are that the construction of the mine will create about 5 000 job opportunities and and upon completion just under 1 000 will be permanently employed at the mine.
Public concern about water availability, the future of game farming in the area, housing for workers, pollution, traffic congestion, safety and health and social ills were taken into consideration in the recently released EIA report. The EIA outlines the possible impact of the mine on groundwater, air quality, soil and land use, geo-hydrology, terrestrial ecology, heritage, noise, visual, traffic and wetlands.
The EIA is currently open for review at the Lephalale municipal library, Agri SA offices, Manketti Lodge and the Marapong library. The final draft of the EIA will be submitted to the department of mineral resources on 31 January.
Additional detailed information on the draft scope of the Thabametsi project is available at the web site: http://www.sahra.org.za/.