Representative association, the Aggregate and Sand Producers Association of Southern Africa (Aspasa), is working closely with its members and authorities to identify and clamp down on illegal mining – from small borrow pits to well organised, large-scale mining undertaken by syndicates.

The association in a release on Tuesday said rampant illegal mining poses a considerable threat to the formal mining industry, in terms of sustainability, and to the wellbeing of surrounding communities.

Aspasa director Nico Pienaar highlighted that the increasing number of deaths of illegal miners underscored the need to identify rogue operations and have them swiftly shut down to prevent further losses of life.   

He added that illegal mining also had a detrimental effect on the environment and the health and safety of surrounding communities.

“From a business perspective, illegal mining erodes the profitability of legal operations and in some instances even gives illegal operations a price advantage, owing to their scant regard of legal requirements.”

Aspasa mentioned that, contrary to popular belief, illegal mining was not always practiced by wheelbarrow brigade-type miners with rudimentary tools but was also undertaken in broad daylight by sophisticated syndicates and even by some municipalities.

Pienaar further said that whether mining for gold, diamonds, coal, clay, salt or aggregates, it needed to be done legally and in a manner that does not harm the environment, nor negatively affect surrounding communities and detract from future land use possibilities.

“Equally important is that workers are subject to the same safety and health requirements as legally operated mines. They have a massively unfair advantage over legal operators in the industry. They don’t pay royalties, tax or make any other statutory contributions to government or towards the sustainability of the industry.

“Nor do they need to observe safety, health, environment and quality legislation which means they can expose their employees to inhumane working conditions, as well as cause untold damage to the environment without fear of retribution,” he lamented.

Aspasa regularly calls on its members and stakeholders within the mining sector to report illegal mining to the association or to local authorities.