South Africa: Copper Thieves, Abattoir, Coal Mining Threaten Lake

The most serious threat to the future of South Africa’s largest natural freshwater body, Lake Chrissie and the surrounding wetlands may not come from sewage spills or illegal dumping, but from mining.

Hundreds of mining companies have applied for licences to begin digging opencast coal mines in the area. As international coal prices surge, even small scale mining can become a lucrative business.
Louis Marneweck said that just 500 metres from Tevrede se Pan, one of the largest lakes in the area, “they want to do open cast mining for coal because everybody’s now coming in and they want coal. Some farmers, people in the area, say that it’s like the gold rush that you had in the 1800s.

He explained that under normal circumstances rainwater flowing towards the lakes has to seep through a layer of sandstone — a natural filter that will have to be blasted away in order to give miners access to coal. Marneweck said once the sandstone is removed, water will mix with coal to form an acid that will increasing the toxicity of lakes.

Worryingly, government appears to be at cross-purposes concerning the hazards of coal mining in Chrissiesmeer.

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