S.Africa says companies to pay for abandoned mines
South Africa said on Wednesday that companies that abandoned some 6,000 mines may have to pay part of the 1.456 billion rand needed to repair the damage that caused.
Director General at the Department of Mineral Resources, Sandile Nogxina, said South Africa -- the continent's largest economy -- planned to rehabilitate the environment in mining areas and to clean up acid mine drainage in a long-term plan.
"The estimated cost for the 10-year rehabilitation plan was 1.456 billion rand, excluding inflation, for which the Department does not have funding," Nogxina said in a statement.
The government's immediate plans is to deal with abandoned mines posing an immediate threat to communities, such as asbestos sites and open pits."Those abandoned mines whose owners can be traced will be held responsible in terms of the law," he said.South Africa is the world's largest producer of platinum and ferrochrome, fourth-largest gold producer and a major producer of coal.
Nogxina said an inter-ministerial team had been formed to lead in the programme toclean up old mines and a technical committee involving local scientists is expected to produce a report for coordinating the exercise.
