Palmietkuilen coal mine
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The Palmietkuilen coal mine is a proposed coal project, operated by Canyon Coal, to produce 2.4 million tonnes per annum, with potential expansion capacity to 9.6 million tonnes, located in Spring, Lesedi, Gauteng, South Africa.[1]
In October 2019, the project was halted after Barbara Creecy, minister of forestry, fisheries and environmental affairs, rejected plans because it is an important agricultural area.[2] The project is considered shelved.
Location
The map below shows the approximate location of the project in South Africa. It is located in Springs in the Lesedi local municipality in Gauteng province.
Background
In 2016, Canyon Coal sought approval from the department of mineral resources to develop the Palmietkuilen coal mine, which was expected to deliver about 200,000 tonnes of coal every month for almost 50 years. The department of mineral resources approved the plan on March 5, 2019, but the minister of forestry, fisheries and environmental affairs, Barbara Creecy, rejected those plans because the region "is an important agricultural area," Netwerk24 reported.[3]
A 2017 public participation report put together by Digby Wells Environmental said Canyon Coal was planning on producing 2.4 million tonnes of coal per annum.[4]
Opposition
Netwerk24 also reported:
- "Community and environmental groups appealed against the decision of the department of mineral resources to approve the environmental plan of the new Palmietkuilen coal mine. The mine would have been upstream of Blesbokspruit, one of the largest wetlands in the highveld region, and the Ashton Lake residential area."[3]
Project Details
- Owner: Canyon Coal
- Parent company: Menar
- Location: Gauteng province
- GPS coordinates: -26.236085, 28.525667 (approximate)[5]
- Mine status: Shelved
- Start year:
- Mineable reserves:
- Coal type:
- Mine size: 202 hectares[3]
- Mine type: Open pit
- Production: 2.4 million tonnes per annum[4]
- Additional proposed production:
- Equipment:
- Number of employees: 320 (expected)[6]
Articles and resources
References
- ↑ Palmietkuilen nears final approval, company liaising with community, Mining Weekly, 16 Jul. 2019.
- ↑ Elise Tempelhoff, Minister rejects plan for giant coal mine in Gauteng, Fin24, October 23, 2019.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Minister rejects plan for giant coal mine in Gauteng, Netwerk24, 23 Oct. 2019.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Proposed Palmietkuilen Coal Mining Project, Springs, Public Participation Report, March 2017, South African Heritage Resource Agency (SAHRA) website, accessed Nov. 2019.
- ↑ Proposed Development of Palmietkuilen Open Pit Coal Mine, page 3, Digby Wells Environmental, accessed Oct 2019.
- ↑ Mixed verdict about the public meeting about the proposed Palmietkuilen Mining Project, Springs Advertiser, 26 Mar. 2018.
