NKOMATI ANTHRACITE (PTY) LIMITED - Sentula Mining

Environmental Impact Assessment Report: Nkomati Anthracite (Pty) Limited,
Madadeni Opencast Mining Project Page 1
Executive Summary
Nkomati Anthracite Mine is an operational mine located south east of Komatipoort in the Mpumalanga
Province (See Figure 1). Nkomati Anthracite Mine undertakes its mining operations by means of both
opencast and underground mining methods. The current opencast mining area is near its completion
and is being rehabilitated. The underground operation is recent and includes an access adit with
associated underground workings and surface infrastructure. Nkomati Anthracite intends to open
another mining area a few kilometres from the current opencast mining area. The proposed mining
operation will be an opencast operation. Nkomati Anthracite mine has an existing mining right and an
approved Environmental Management Programme (DMR Ref.: MP 30/5/1/1/2/ 89 MR) issued under
sections 22 and 39 of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Act (Act 28 of 2004) to mine coal on a
portion of unsurveyed land in close proximity to the Madadeni and Sibange Communities.
The proposed project will be undertaken on a portion of unsurveyed land near in close proximity to the
Madadeni and Sibange Communities. The proposed Nkomati Anthracite Madadeni Opencast Mining
Project will entail the removal of the No. 1 and the No. 2 coal seams by means of opencast mining
methods. The opencast mining will use the conventional truck and shovel roll over mining technique.
Access to the opencast workings will be via an initial box cut and an access ramp.
The new opencast area will be equipped with the necessary infrastructure and will depend on the
current opencast operation. The infrastructure to be constructed on the new opencast area includes
the access and haul roads, overburden stockpiles, and water management facilities (dams and
diversion drains/pumps and pipelines).
The target mineral for the proposed project is the No. 1 and No. 2 coal seams. Approximately 1.44
Million tons of coal will be mined as R.O.M coal at the proposed Madadeni Opencast Mining Project
area. The mining method to be employed is the opencast mining method, using the truck and shovel
mining technique with concurrent rehabilitation. Access to the mining area will be via an existing
secondary road (south of Madadeni) and a new access road to be built. Access to the target coal
seams will be via an access pit ramp and initial box cut. The run of mine (R.O.M. coal) removed from
the mining area will not be beneficiated on site. The proposed project has an estimated life of six years
based on the proposed 20 000 tonnes per month production rate.
The proposed mining operation will most likely have different resultant environmental impacts, which
were not considered in the approved Nkomati Anthracite mine Environmental Management
Programme (EMP). In view of this, Nkomati Anthracite (Pty) Limited is required to amend their
approved EMP before commencement of the above-mentioned activities. In terms of section 39(6) of
the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, 2002 (Act 28 of 2002) and the Regulations
under the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, 2002 (Act 28 of 2002) a Scoping
Report was compiled, which will be followed by the undertaking of an Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA) and the compilation of the Environmental Management Programme. This
document, supplemented by the Environmental Management Programme Report and Interested and
Affected Party Report, must then be submitted to the Department of Mineral Resources as an
amendment to the approved Nkomati Anthracite mine Environmental Management Programme in
compliance with section 39 of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, 2004 (Act 28
of 2004).
The process for the amendment of the approved Environmental Management Programme was
initiated by the compilation and submission of the Scoping Report, which introduces the proposed
project. Subsequent to the compilation and submission of the Scoping Report, environmental baseline
data has been obtained through various agencies, pertaining to surface water quantities and qualities,
NKOMATI ANTHRACITE (PTY) LIMITED
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