Minerals Council South Africa, which fully embraces the industry’s obligation to lower greenhouse-gas emissions, has called on government to delay the implementation of the new carbon tax. It would like to see a delay of at least five years to allow sufficient time for government to address the challenges of appropriate regulations, Minerals Council environment head Stephinah Mudau has told Mining Weekly. Deep-level gold mining is exceedingly vulnerable to the tax, which is due to be introduced on June 1. While the council embraces the notion of long-term carbon pricing and various mechanisms to facilitate the transition to a low-carbon economy, enforcement at this challenging time is seen as inopportune and job destructive.