Diversified miner Exxaro Resources is confident that it will be granted mining rights for the Weltevreden deposit, adjacent to the Leeuwpan coal mine, as the Department of Minerals and Energy (DME) has not indicated that there have been challenges to its application for the rights.

This is despite the long delay in the processing of the application.

“Good progress has been made in terms of the application for the conversion of mining rights,” said CEO Sipho Nkosi last week.

“We must understand that everyone’s application is being processed. 
“We haven’t seen anything or received any messages from the DME suggesting that we are not going to get Weltevreden.

“The DME is under severe pressure to ensure that these applications are pro-cessed,” he noted.

The company has had all old-order mining rights for the former Kumba Resources – which split into Kumba Iron Ore and Exxaro – converted into new-order rights.

However, the company “is in the process of debating and discussing some issues with the DME as far as conversion of the old-order mining rights for the former Eyesizwe Coal is concerned”. 
Exxaro applied for the conversion in July 2008.

“We are very hopeful that the Eyesizwe Coal conversion will be granted,” he concluded.

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