A greener future for mining

LEPHALALE – A visit to the Grootegeluk mine is exiting at the best of times, even more so if your tour guide is the GM of the Grootegeluk, Medupi expansion project, Joe Meyer.  Northern News journalist, Valerie Cilliers, had the opportunity to view expansions at the mine and found some surprising facts about the mines expansion project commitment to the environment.
“You are doing a great job and your work area looks very neat, well done, keep it up,” Meyer tells a guard who lifts the beam for us to enter a restricted zone. His Land cruiser navigates the terrain with ease and it is clear that he knows this open pit mine like the palm of his hand.
Joe Meyer has been in the mining industry since 1979. As a Civil engineer, Project manager and former General Manager at Grootegeluk , his knowledge of the industry is evident, but it is his passion for the environment that might surprise most.
As General Manager, Meyer is tasked with leading the Grootegeluk Medupi Expansion Project and  is working towards coal delivery to Eskom’s Medupi power station by May 2012. At completion the mine will deliver 14.6 million tons of coal a year to the power Station now under construction.
As we inspect the construction area of semi-mobile tippers and crushers in the pit, Meyer points out that the new conveyors that will transport coal to the bunkers and plant will dramatically lower the cost per ton for mining operations. “What you are seeing here and what people don’t realise is that this mine is one of SA’s biggest success stories. There was a lot of skepticism when the mine was opened 30 years ago. We took up the challenge and today this is one of the most cost effective operating mines in the world,” Meyer says with pride.
It is when we enter the mine property adjacent to the mine that I discover a world that I never knew existed. I know of very few mines that are concerned with feeding Kudus or the conservation of Tamboti trees. Meyer explains that there are more than 3800 wild animals on this eco managed area. These include Sable antelope, cheetahs, giraffes, zebra and a whole range of exclusive buck species.
“Grootegeluk is situated on six farms of which only a certain portion is used to mine and house plant facilities. The rest is used as an eco managed area and total 16 000ha. Our aim is to balance mega industry with a healthy eco-system. We are excited that a recent study has shown that there is no significant impact on the environment due to any mining activity at Grootegeluk. The study entails frequent measurements pertaining to different environmental criteria on 10 km to 100 km radius around the mine. This is done to establish a proper base case to measure the mines performance as well as its impact. Results have shown that we don’t have a significant impact on our environment compared to the base case model, “Meyer explains.
“Mining should not only be about making a profit, Exxaro wants to invest in SA’s future, by providing efficient energy solutions, but at the same time we want to protect the heritage of the Bushveld for our children’s children.”
When we pass a beautiful kudu along the way, Meyer stops the vehicle. “It is all about respecting nature and doing our bit to reduce the mine’s impact on it. When the coal has been mined and we shut down this mine we want to see this site restored to have a sustainable use for the future generations. Not only will we backfill the mine quite soon to natural ground level, but we also will start to replant 200 trees when the construction site is complete. We removed a lot of trees to do the construction. The first trees will be planted during September this year.”
With a piece of coal as a memento of a day at the mine in my bag and having seen nature conservation at work, I leave with a better understanding of how mining in South Africa aims to effectively adapt its practices to minimise its impact on the environment and to continue a legacy of sustainability between mega industry and the environment.