BURGERSFORT – Police and mining resources authorities have closed down a lucrative illegal chrome mine near Burgersfort in Limpopo on Tuesday.

Authorities claimed that a group of miners who claimed to be mining on the shoulder of Anglo Platinum’s Bokoni mine ran from the plant when police and Mineral Resources officials in the company of sheriff went to check out the area.

The Mineral Resources Department had approached the court to seek a legal intervention to remove the rebellious miners who were apparently backed by the communities to vacate the land.

Police said they had planned to arrest the operators but when they arrived at the site found that there were no officials nor representative of the mine.

General Masipa Maepa said the illegal miners appeared to have been tipped as they left the area on the eve of executing the operation to stop mining.

“What happened there was a complaint of illegal mining was reported to us, so ultimately the complainant gained a court order to stop the operation,” said Maepa.

“When we came here we found that they had disappeared. It appears they have received information because we had made a proper planning two days ago, but when we came here we realised that it was only machines that were left,” said Maepa.

Maepa said they have confiscated more than twelves machines which were apparently used to mine chrome.

Part of the confiscated machines included a tipper, drilling machine, and excavators.

Police said the machines were confiscated because were used in the commission of crime.

“There is a law in the country that people should respect, and if they don’t comply, they will face the police,” added Maepa.

The open cast mine was abandoned by the Jackals mining more than four decades ago.

However, some small scale miners apparently try to mine there and have been repeatedly stopped.

But until recently, residents in the area started mining without machines, digging chrome with their spade and iron shovels.

Later, machines were also seen mining in conjunction with the communities.