20 ILLEGAL MINERS TRY TO STEAL GREEN CHERT

MALOLOTJA - Despite the presence of massive security, illegal mining of Green Chert at Malolotja has not stopped.

This information was shared to a delegation of geologists from different African countries who had come to take part in the 16th Organisation of African Geological Surveys (OAGS) Annual General Assembly. The delegation, which comprised of directors of geology departments and their deputies, toured the Green Chert Mine on Thursday, courtesy of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy. The Green Chert Mine is operated by Michael Lee Enterprises and Senior Geologist Futhi Dlamini was there to show the delegates around. As they toured the mine, the delegates asked to know if there were illegal mining activities taking place.

Illegal

Dlamini explained that even though the situation has improved, illegal mining is still happening. She said in the past week, she was informed that about 20 illegal miners gained entry into the mine and tried to steal the stone, but the alarm was raised quickly before they could execute their mission. “We have soldiers who stay on site and are here to protect the stone as it is apparent that many illegal miners like it. “There is also a private security company from Michael Lee Enterprises. Also, we have some of the employees of Michael Lee Enterprises as we are trying to beef up the security but still the illegal mining continues. The illegal miners are both local and foreign, but most of them are the latter. They come from the other side of the mountain and walk all the way,” she said.

Elaborating, the senior geologist said the illegal miners had a special route they were using and that before the mining operations resumed, some of them would come with their own equipment, including hand drills and conduct the blasting. It was sort of an informal mine. “It is much better, but they are still stealing and what we think is that they sell to some Chinese from the South African side,” she said. Explaining about the operations of the mine, she said they got to know through an electromagnetic survey that it goes down to around 200 metres deep. She said it had chert which came with inclusions of chromium, barium and traces of gold.

Dlamini said even though they used the name Green Chert, there were about five different colours and they are; black, white, clear, green and red. “Chinese like it a lot because it is an ornamental stone. They use it for their jewellery, statues and for religious purposes. Also, many people like it because of its high value,” she said. Having found a few employees relaxing under a tree, the delegates asked to know what was currently happening at the mine. Dlamini responded by saying that Michael Lee Enterprises conducted a prospecting exercise for 12 months after which it applied for mining rights. “After we were granted the mining rights, we then had to do the environmental study since you cannot start mining without conducting that exercise.

“We are at the environmental assessment stage, but we are about to finish since we are already on phase three. Basically, there is nothing going on currently, there are no operations because we will start the mining once we get authorisation,” she said. It was in March this year that His Majesty King Mswati III granted the mining licence to Michael Lee Enterprises.
When the granting was officially announced, it was stated that the mining rights were for 25 years, to mine Green Chert stone and gold at Malolotja and surrounding areas.  The licence was presented by Chairman of the Minerals Mining Board (MMB) Prince Guduza during a signing ceremony which was held at the Hilton Garden Inn. Before that, the King visited the mining site to personally observe and see the processes and the work done at that particular time.  Soon after visiting the site, His Majesty saw it fit to grant them the licence.  It has been gathered that to show determination and commitment to local investment, the company spent E7 million on creating a road leading to the mine site.

Assurance

They are also said to have spent money on mining trucks, with each costing E6 million. The company has given assurance that once it is fully operational, the mine will generate 3 500 jobs, which will generate wages for the unemployed youth of the areas abutting the mineral pit, and contribute extensively to the gross domestic product over its 25-year lifespan. It has also been reported that the company has set aside about E5 million for mitigation of mine impacted environmental and social issues. This is contained in an Impact Assessment and Comprehensive report that has been released by the Eswatini Environment Authority (EEA). Green Chert is a much generalised term given to an outcrop of greenstone rock on a cliff face at a proposed mining site.  The name gives credence to the rock’s colour, and of being composed of chert, which comprises mainly of microcrystalline quartz.

It should be noted that the company once got the licence but could not undertake the project because of environmental issues at Malolotja, as the Eswatini National Trust Commission (ENTC) was opposed to mining in that area. Covering about 18 000 hectares of mountainous wilderness bordering Mpumalanga, the reserve had been managed by the ENTC since 1979, and it attracts thousands of local and international visitors annually. It is also a peace park, part of the Songimvelo-Malolotja and Greater Lubombo Transfrontier conservation areas and part of the Strengthening the National Protected Areas System project, conducted from 2014 to 2020. The mining is taking place in the depths of the Makhonjwa Mountains, part of the Barberton Greenstone Belt and designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site of Outstanding Universal Value in neighbouring South Africa.

At around 3.5 billion years old, these are regarded the oldest mountains on the planet. They offer insights into the formation of earth’s crust, the growth of continents, and the evolution of early life.Mgwayiza Valley is regarded as one of the most ecologically, archaeologically and geologically diverse parts of Malolotja and has been an important site of study for researchers for many decades. Located in the Barberton Centre of Endemism and the Limpopo-Mpumalanga-Eswatini-Escarpment, Malolotja is globally important for species diversity, supported by over 60 years of research.

Regionally important species include trees, cycads, birds, and butterflies. It is also a unique habitat for amphibians, including rare species such as the Ghost Frog and the Plaintive Rain Frog. New species were discovered as recently as 2021.

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