EIA-REP-325d-12 _BB_ - 201.09.14.pdf - SAHRA

EIA-REP-325d-11
October 2012
2008 8 316,000 5,115,000 110 4,234,000
2009 8 - 5,841,000 - 5,541,000
2010 - 2025 8 - 5,841,000 - 5,841,000
Eskom purchased the coal rights of the Usutu reserve from Ingwe in 1992 when the Camden Power station was
decommissioned and have the right to develop the coal reserves previously mined by Usutu Colliery. There is
insufficient geological information available at this time on which to plan the development of a large underground
mine. Further exploration drilling will be required to raise the geological confidence of the balance of the
underground coal reserves, forming the basis of a large mine feasibility study. However, there is adequate
geological information available for the shallow coal reserve areas that can be mined because Usutu Colliery was
an underground mine and was not geared for opencast mining. Vunene Mining (Pty) Ltd has therefore decided to
separate the opencast and underground reserve areas and to apply for a mining right to develop the opencast
reserves to serve as an interim coal supply to Camden Power Station, during which time feasibility studies were
carried out on the balance of the reserves. Evaluation of the potential to develop a new underground mine will
only continue if additional exploration drilling is conducted and raise the geological confidence of the remaining
Usutu central underground coal reserve.
Camden Power Station started to burn coal in October 2004 for boiler commissioning purposes and the first unit
became operational in 2005 with the final commissioning in 2008. During this period coal to the power station
was trucked in from other mines. The proposed opencast mine will serve as an interim coal supply to the power
station. To allow for sufficient time to complete the exploration and feasibility study, and to secure long term coal
supply to the power station.
The location of the proposed opencast mine is immediately adjacent and contiguous to the power station which
means that, should Vunune Mining (Pty) Ltd receive approval to develop the opencast mine, it will be possible to
transport the coal directly from the opencast mine to the power station using the existing conveyor infrastructure,
reducing the volume of coal that need to be supplied to the power station from other sources by road.
7. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT (Reg 31(2)(b)
7.1 Regional context (reg 31(2)(c))
The N2 National road straddles the proposed mining area, bisecting the mineable coal resources into a northern
block (block of coal north of the N2 National Road) and a southern block (block of coal south of the N2 National
Road).
A single unnamed tarred private road exists approximately 400 meters to the northwest of the proposed mining
area. This tarred road currently provides access to the Usutu Colliery, West Shaft Complex. A second unnamed
tarred private road exists within the proposed mining area. This tarred road provides access to Camden Power
Station and Camden Village, the latter of which is currently owned and operated by the State and used by the
South African National Defence Force.
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