’With the establishment of the task team, mine management now has a closer relationship with residents.’
SUSTAINABILITY and unity are some of the cornerstones that Orion Minerals is focused on as it ventures on with its copper-zinc mining project in Copperton near Prieska.
In an exclusive interview with the DFA, the chief operating officer (COO), Walter Shamu, the head of operations (HOO), Johan Stoltz, and environmental consultant, Bianca de Jager, said they are at a stage where they want to make their plans a reality.
Residents in Siyathemba Municipality, which includes Prieska, Marydale and Niekershoop, were last year at loggerheads with the mine management and brought the town of Prieska to a standstill during a three-day protest action opposing the commencement of mining operations until their demands had been met.
Shamu said the mine has since had numerous meetings with the community explaining how operations would benefit them.
“We had a two-day open session with the community in order for us to understand what the community was expecting and also to explain what we are trying to achieve. It was then agreed that we need to establish a task team that will look at setting up a roadmap on how and what both parties want to achieve. The task team also has the responsibility of informing the host community about possible employment or business opportunities. The task team is still ongoing and meets on a regular basis to ensure that the pieces of the roadmap are still aligned and are still according to the plan of the host community and the mine management,” said Shamu.
He added that the mine has also granted several training opportunities to youth in the area in preparation for mining activities.
“Currently we are seeking investors to fund the mining project. Although the project is not yet funded, we do, however, currently continue with community support programmes. Murray & Roberts came on board to drill into the historical site of the mine. As part of the drilling operations, they have recruited and employed youth from Siyathemba Municipality and Van Wyksvlei during the drilling operations. This also forms part of giving the necessary skill training to the youth in these areas.
“One needs to remember that when Copperton closed down, the skills and knowledge of those who had worked on the mine that time, also left the town. The youth no longer required specialist skills in mining as the mine was no longer in existence. We have to prepare and equip them for what is coming. The skills we impart on them will also be part of the legacy we leave behind, as they will have that knowledge and skills forever,” said Shamu.
Stoltz said the training of the youth is not only going to benefit the community but ensure that mining operations run smoothly.
“One of the core issues in mining is safety. We have to ensure that not only people who work underground are safe, but also those who are on the ground should be safe. Hence we need and must ensure that we apply the correct skill-sets in the correct positions. We cannot put people’s lives in jeopardy. As a mine, we also have to comply with the safety measures as well as the commitment we made to our corporate responsibilities, which are to empower the local community.
“We came up with a plan on tackling the mining operations in different phases. The first phase will be de-water, which will start during the course. The key part currently is fund-raising in order to secure funds required for the project in totality. We have entered into a non-binding term sheet with Triple Flag where they funded $7 million towards the de-water project. A further $80 million was funded towards building the mine. That agreement was subject to certain conditions,” said Stoltz.
He said the mine is looking at how to best utilise the water it extracts for the benefit of the community.
“Our goal is to give back to the community and to the environment. We do not want to waste the water that we mine. We are currently looking at how the community can utilise that water.”
Shamu continued that the mine has already rolled out a number of community social investment programmes as part of alleviating the plight of the community.
“We have funded a re-zoning project in Prieska for the residential use for mine employees once the mine is in operation. We recently made provision for a vaccine fridge to the community, for community members who wanted to be vaccinated against Covid-19. That had a positive impact on the Covid-19 vaccine roll-out as residents on this side have to travel far to receive some medical services.
“We have also distributed 450 previously-owned bicycles from Australia to schoolchildren in the Siyathemba Municipality and Van Wyksvlei. The bicycles were donated to children who have to travel long distances to school.
“Through this ongoing partnership, the mine has supported various sporting events. One of the ways we are also promoting sport in the community is through supporting one of the local athletes in town, Chederick van Wyk. We are supporting Van Wyk with his studies as he is an ambassador and example to the youth on how mining companies can impact the lives of the youth, not just those in the mining sector.”
The executive mayor of Siyathemba Municipality, Xolile Phillips, agrees that the establishment of the task team has had a positive impact on the relationship between the mine and residents.
“Previously, mine operations came to a halt and many deadlines for projects were missed. However, with the establishment of the task team, mine management now has a closer relationship with residents,” said Phillips.
“There is now a clearer picture of the way forward. The mine management has indicated that they want to empower the community and things are now moving forward in that regard. With the help of the task team, many unnecessary obstacles can be resolved amicably between all parties.”
