Sensitive wetlands and the Vaal river catchment area are safe for six years from effects of East Rand Proprietary Mines (ERPM) discontinuing the pumping of extraneous water following the suspension of a government pumping subsidy.
This is according to a statement issued on Monday by the Department of Minerals and Energy.
The R4-million a month pumping function, formerly subsidised at an average of R1,7-million a month, was scheduled to end on Monday as a consequence of ERPM’s deteriorating financial position.
”The granting, or not, of pumping assistance will not determine a difference between the negative environmental impacts of pumping untreated mine water into the Vaal river catchment, and the decanting of the same untreated water into this catchment after some six years if it is not pumped,” the statement read.
”Pumping assistance from government should, therefore, be conditional upon the treatment of such water, in order to anticipate and pro-actively address this problem.”
It added that ERPM is situated in the Central Rand basin, which is not directly linked to the East Rand basin where Grootvlei Mine, the major wetlands and the extensive dolomitic areas are situated.
”The Central Rand basin is also not directly linked to the West Rand basin where Harmony-Randfontein and Western Areas mines are situated.
”The termination of pumping by ERPM would therefore not have an impact on catchments other than the Klip River.”
Last week the United Association of South Africa (Uasa) trade union called on the government and especially Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism Marthinus van Schalkwyk to intervene urgently in the matter.
Uasa said the move will pollute the Vaal River.
Uasa mineral resources spokesperson Tim Kruger added that ERPM’s workings are also located in a natural dolomite basin. The flooding of the workings could cause sink holes, Kruger said, and could flood other mines. — Sapa