Miners Target Moutonshoek Valley Farmland Again

Farmers in Moutonshoek valley near Piketberg have been up in arms since it emerged that Bongani Minerals are again trying to obtain mining rights in the region. Dr Bennie van der Merwe, a local stud owner and a representative of the Verlorenvlei Coalition, spoke to Glenneis Kriel.

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THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME BONGANI MINERALS HAS TRIED TO SECURE PROSPECTING OR MINING RIGHTS IN MOUTONSHOEK VALLEY. WHY WERE THESE APPLICATIONS PREVIOUSLY REJECTED?

Since 2005, Bongani Minerals has made several applications for the right to prospect or mine tungsten, molybdenum and other rare earth metals in Moutonshoek valley.

MINING HERE WOULD DESTROY PRODUCTIVE FARMS

All their applications were rejected due to environmental concerns, either because the company didn’t follow the right application procedures or because the land where they wanted to prospect is zoned for farming and not mining.

DID FARMERS EXPECT THE COMPANY TO MAKE ANOTHER MINING APPLICATION?

No, it really does not make sense.

WHY IS MINING TUNGSTEN A PROBLEM?

Tungsten is a metal with a very high melting point and strength. It is used in filaments in light bulbs, hard coating of tools, and as welding electrodes. We’ve vehemently challenged tungsten mining from the start, because it’s toxic and the process of producing tungsten ATP [ammonium paratungstate, a precursor to most tungsten products] releases byproducts, such as arsenic, into the environment.

Tungsten mining will also destroy productive and profitable fruit, livestock and stud farms that annually contribute hundreds of millions of rand to the national and Western Cape economies. More than 400 permanent and thousands of seasonal jobs will be lost, and hundreds more from Piketberg to Elands Bay.

Mining would be so detrimental to the environment that the region would no longer be suitable for farming once mining is done. There is no way in which the company would be able to rehabilitate the mined area to agricultural land again.

WHAT IS THE MINING POTENTIAL OF THE REGION?