Western Cape, South Africa
Prospecting license
Cienth has submitted a prospecting license to search for gold, silver and tin with the Western Cape Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE). On 12 April 2024, the DMRE accepted the prospecting application.
Cienth has repeatedly applied and withdrawn the same application. This is the fourth application in 10 months.
The process
Here’s the process required by the DMRE for a prospecting or mining application, showing what steps have been undertaken by the Applicant and the Interested & Affected Parties (I&APs), where we are currently, and what still needs to happen.
1.
The mining company approaches the DMRE with an application to prospect.
2.
The DMRE approves or does not approve the application.
3.
If the application is approved to prospect, the mining company must appoint an Environmental Assessment Practitioner (EAP).
4.
Once an EAP is appointed, they need to start a public participation process where members of the public may register as an Interested & Affected Party (I&AP) with the EAP. This is to ensure that they have access to, and an opportunity to comment on, the draft Basic Assessment Report and to object to the proposed application.
5.
The EAP must then appoint specialists to address all the different potential impacts. Specialists are employed to assess the impact on fauna and flora, traffic, noise, aesthetic, heritage, paleontology and more.
6.
The EAP then compiles a Basic Assessment Report (BAR), consisting of all the specialist studies and their findings.
7.
The BAR, including all the specialist studies, is circulated to I&APs for comment within 30 days. If you are NOT registered as an I&AP, you will not receive the BAR, and therefore not be able to comment on it. The closing date for I&AP registration and commenting closed on 15 July 2024. Download the BAR here.
8.
Your comments are then submitted to the EAP.
Please see the response submitted by the Save the Overberg Coalition, as compiled by three legal advisors, ecologists and other stakeholders. Read the full response here.
9.
The EAP responds to your comments, and uses these comments to update the Basic Assessment Report (BAR). The EAP sends the updated BAR and your comments to the DMRE. According to the DMRE Section 10 notice, the due date for submission of the final BAR is 22 August 2024, if the Applicant does not apply for (and is granted) an extension of time.
10.
The DMRE will have a period of 107 days from submission of the final BAR to either request additional information, or decide on the application. This means that the DMRE will have until approximately 9 December 2024 to either grant or refuse the application, in the case of no extension.
11.
If the DMRE grants the application, I&APs will be afforded an appeal period of approximately 90 days. In this instance, the DMRE refused the application. The Applicant now has 90 days to appeal the refusal. Considering the exclusion period during December/January, an appeal could be finalised during March or April 2025.
12.
In the event that the application is granted, and an appeal is unsuccessful, we may approach the courts for review proceedings.
Why we aim to stop this prospecting license BEFORE it becomes a mining application:
Around 90% of prospecting licenses result in mining licenses. So it is our aim to halt this prospecting application BEFORE it becomes a mining application.
Media
In the News
Save the Overberg fighting to prevent mining in the area
[EWN]
Mystery still surrounds plan to find gold in the Overberg
[FINANCIAL MAIL]
The value of guarding Cape Agulhas’ precious natural resources
[HERALD LIVE]
TAKE ACTION
Why should you join the Coalition NOW?
The DMRE’s formal period for registering as an I&AP and therefore commenting on, or objecting to the application, may be closed. But it’s still vital to join our coalition to show your solidarity with this community’s mission to stop this mine. When you sign up to receive our news updates, we’ll only send you emails when there are essential pieces of information, or updates on the process, that you need to know.