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CONSTRUCTION WORLD
JUNE
2016
CRUSHING, SCREENING AND RECLAMATION
This is according to Sonette Smit,
managing director and senior
environmental consultant, at
Greenmined Environmental, who
explains that previously such a contractor
would have identified a mining site
(quarry or borrow pit), applied for a mining
permit and then set up a crushing and
screening operation.
“This is no longer possible,” she cautions,
pointing out that crushing and screening
and washing of material was not previously
a listed activity in terms of NEMA National
Environment Management Act. “This
changed, however, on 8 December 2014 when
it became a listed activity and all such opera-
tions now need to comply with the
regulations,” Smit continues.
She adds that it can be confusing for
contractors as the requirements of those
contractors that are operating a crushing,
screening and washing operation in a borrow
pit or quarry are different to those for a
contractor that is crushing, screening and
washing material from a road cutting, a dump
or rubble on a construction site.
First contractor
The first contractor, extracting material from
the borrow pit or quarry, will at least need
a mining permit including a full environ-
mental impact assessment (EIA) which takes
a minimum of 297 days and this needs to
be in place before any crushing activity can
commence on the proposed site.
Second contractor
The second contractor, who is crushing mate-
rial from a road cutting, dump or building
rubble, only needs a full environmental
impact assessment (EIA) and this application
also takes a minimum of 297 days through
the Department of Mineral Resources. Smit
says more specialist studies are conducted
for a full EIA as opposed to those done for a
basic assessment.
She says that the changes in the first
scenario where a contractor will be crushing
and screening from a borrow pit or quarry are
significant; especially in that the changes in
legislation mean the application goes through
one system only, covering authorisation
for water, mining and environmental listed
activities. The intention of the simultaneous
processing of these applications at one depart-
ment is to remove unnecessary red tape.
In the past
In the past the operator would only have had
to apply for authorisation at each depart-
ment – a mining permit/right which would
have included an approved environmental
management plan, Water Use Authorisation
at the Department of Water and Sanitation
and Environmental Authorisation at the
Department of Environmental Affairs, where
applicable. The new application is completely
different. Changes in legislation have seen the
regulations surrounding the Environmental
Act, the Water Affairs Act and the Mineral
and Petroleum Resources Development Act
combined into a single system.
Smit says that while this is advantageous
for crushing and screening operations as
well as mines and quarries, the distinct lack
of understanding around the requirements
has made this quite daunting for individuals
within these operations.
The applications in themselves are
not necessarily that complicated, however
some of the terminology and information
may seem foreign to non-scientists and
the process could become onerous for
personnel who have not handled this type
of application previously.
Greenmined environmental
Greenmined Environmental is well positioned
to handle applications for both the first and
second scenarios as described above. The
company, established in 2012, has a solid
track record underpinned by the depth that
resides within its team; these qualified and
skilled individuals have over twenty years of
professional service and experience in the
environmental sector. It is through this level
of expertise that the company is able to offer
comprehensive environmental services and
Understanding
CHANGES
in
LEGISLATION
Many crushing and screening operators may not
be aware that there have been major changes to
the regulations with respect to environmental
authorisations and these companies can no longer
simply operate a crushing and screening plant without
environmental authorisation.
>
Sonette Smit, managing director and
senior environmental consultant, at
Greenmined Environmental.
Requirements for operating a crushing, screening
and washing operation in a borrow pit or quarry
are different to those for crushing, screening and
washing material from a road cutting, a dump or
rubble on a construction site.
Many operators may not be aware there have
been major changes to the regulations with
respect to environmental authorisations.