Coast KZN

Guidelines

Mining Guidelines

These guidelines assist in our understanding of the effect that mining operations have on the coastal zone and in making more informed decisions regarding issuing of licences and authorisations.

Preliminary Guidance document for Authorisation and Licensing of Sand Mining / Gravel Extraction, in terms of Impacts on Instream and Riparian Habitats


"Mining is of great importance to the South African economy. It should however be recognised that the processes of prospecting, extracting, concentrating, refining and transporting minerals have great potential for disrupting the natural environment (Rabie et al., 1994). The environmental effects caused by the mining of sand from a river, is no exception, often causing adverse impacts to biota and their habitats.


The Department considers fresh water aquatic ecosystems to be "the base from which the [water] resource is derived" (DWAF, 1994). Because we depend on many services provided by healthy aquatic ecosystems, these ecosystems, as the resource base, must be effectively protected and managed to ensure that our water resources remain fit for the different water uses on a sustained basis (DWAF, 1996). The establishment of the Ecological Reserve is an important step in this direction since, under previous legislation, there was only limited provision to reserve a quantity of water for environmental protection purposes (DWAF, 1997).


The objective of this document are to obtain an increased understanding of the potential impacts of sand mining and gravel extraction operations on the instream and riparian habitats of streams, rivers and lotic wetlands; and to provide guidelines for evaluation of potential impact. The recommendations made in this document are intended as guidance for decision- makers who are specifically involved in the review of sand mining and gravel extraction projects to make more informed decisions when issuing a water use authorisation under the Water Act provisions; and ensure that these operations are conducted in a manner that eliminates and minimises to the greatest extent possible, any adverse impacts on both the instream and riparian components of aquatic ecosystems, including habitat and biota..."


Read more

Mining and Biodiversity Guideline


"Mining is a sector that has come a long way by voluntarily pursuing actions that seek to limit and mitigate harmful impacts on sensitive ecosystems and associated biota. However, the journey is not over. South Africa’s mineral endowment implies that mining and the environment will continue to interact and will need to walk this path together to achieve prosperity in a sustainable environment – it is therefore in the spirit of cooperation that this guideline has been developed such that South Africa’s incredible biodiversity and life supporting ecological processes are not compromised and neither is its ability to derive sustainable growth and development from its incredible mineral wealth.This guideline is the brainchild of an innovative platform called the South African Mining and Biodiversity Forum (SAMBF) which brings together stakeholders from industry, conservation organisations and government. The forum promotes cross-sectoral interaction and cooperation, aimed at improving biodiversity conservation and management in the mining industry. The SAMBF was established at a crucial point in our fast tracked developmental pathway when the need for urgent dialogue on the accelerating loss of natural capital, the concomitant risk to the integrity of ecosystems, and the role of the mining sector in contributing to this loss, was critical."


Read more









Additional Information:















To report illegal sand mining:

Sand Mining

For more information on the National Environmental Biodiversity Act:

NEMA- Biodiversity