De Beers and South Africa’s Department of Mineral Resources are currently engaged in a fierce dispute regarding the responsible closure of the Oaks Mine in Limpopo.
The operational period of the mine lasted from 1999 to 2009, at which point the licence expired.
De Beers contends that the department's request for backfilling the open-pit mine is unjustifiable, according to Business Day.
The diamond miner said that not only would this operation exceed R200 million ($10,6 million) in costs, but the mine's isolated location poses no danger to nearby communities.
The department has determined that the open pit presents a significant threat to scavengers and facilitates the practice of illegal mining.
De Beers, on the other hand, adamantly denies this claim, stating that there is no basis for it, given that there have been no reported safety or illegal mining incidents since mining operations were halted in that area.
“The Oaks Mine is surrounded by a game farm, with an electric perimeter fence and regular security patrols,” De Beers was quoted as saying to Business Day.
“There is a 2.4-metre fence erected around the pit, and the bottom benches and ramps have been blasted, in mitigation of the risk of illegal mining.”
De Beers said it never consented to such backfilling at the time the mining licence was granted.
The company asserts that because the necessary machinery and equipment require fuel, filling the mine will have a concerning carbon footprint.
Furthermore, it maintains that there is a possibility of insufficient backfill material.
One of the department's contentions is that De Beers' mine closure plans required extensive consultation.
However, De Beers said that consultations were held with the parties concerned in 2008.
It said that the current closure plan will not yield the desired results due to significant delays spanning over a decade in obtaining the necessary closure certificate.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
