The Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (Ledet) has approved amendments to coal miner MC Mining’s 2016 environmental authorisation (EA) for the Makhado hard coking and thermal coal project, in Limpopo.
MC Mining’s subsidiary Baobab Mining & Exploration, which owns and develops the Makhado project, applied to both the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) and Ledet during January for the amendment, owing to a revised project plan, whereby saleable coal will be transported to the Musina rail siding by road rather than rail.
“The decision by Ledet [to approve the amended EA] reinforces the government’s support for Makhado and the project’s potential to contribute to socioeconomic development in the area.
“We await the decision from the DMR and have started the process to obtain surface rights access in terms of mining legislation,” said MC Mining CEO David Brown.