West Wits Mining Limited’s (WWI) mining rights application for the Witwatersrand Basin Project (WBP) has been accepted for processing by the South African mining regulator
The regulator officially stated a decision will be forthcoming within a year from official acceptance.
The board’s strategic intent to transform WWI into a junior miner with successful operations in the Witwatersrand Basin and Pilbara region is now underway. Once regulatory approval is secured, then it opens up options to have concurrent mining operations at several locations across the WBP, enabling the production platform to be rapidly scaled.
Securing mining rights in South Africa is a rigorous process, as the regulator enforces strict environmental standards and ongoing rehabilitation obligations. Moreover, it must be shown to the regulator that West Wits has engaged with numerous stakeholders and community groups to ensure there is full consultation with respect to the proposed mining project and its impacts.
“With rehabilitation of pits 1 and 2’s mined out areas of the Kimberley Central open-pit well underway, we are already demonstrating West Wits ability to deliver on community and stakeholder requirements,” said the company reporting to the press.
According to WWI, the more immediate focus in South Africa is two-fold:
· Completing an update of work on the mineral resource estimate for the Kimberley Reef on the historic Rand Lease area to bring it into the current JORC framework
· Preparing for the commencement of mining operations at Main and South Central and Kimberly West open pits, once regulatory approval is secured on the two mining permits
The WBP comprises two historic mining centres known as the Durban Roodepoort Deep and the Rand Leases on the Northern Edge of the Witwatersrand Basin in the Central Rand Goldfield immediately southwest of the city of Johannesburg.
The regulatory acceptance is in line with the ambitious aim of South African government, who focuses on creating a conducive investment climate with a business-centred strategy in the country to attract significant foreign investment.
