The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy granted environmental authorisation for prospecting of chrome and platinum on 200ha of land on Zilkaatsnek.
The land includes portions of 11 farms starting on the border of the R513 to the N4 in the north. Despite landowners’ objections and heated public participation meetings over the past year, authorisation was granted last week.
This follows authorisation for prospecting on the Silkaats Estate a while ago. No minerals were found during prospecting. The new land earmarked for prospecting is adjacent to the estate.
Senzomanzi (Pty) Ltd was been appointed by Tshime Holdings (Pty) Ltd to be their independent Environmental Assessment Practitioner (EAP) to lodge the application on their behalf, conduct consultation and compile a Basic Assessment Report (BAR). Tshime Holdings (Pty) Ltd has applied for prospecting rights for chrome and platinum group metals.
Affected parties have two weeks to lodge an appeal to the Minister of Environmental Affairs.
Landowners will now appeal the decision to grant authorisation. The land in question is on the Magaliesberg Biosphere buffer zone. Only the biosphere core is protected by law, there are no laws protecting the buffer and transitional zones.