The West Coast Environmental Protection Association (WCEPA) fears a new phosphate mine at Elandsfontein could cause irreversible damage to the ecologically sensitive Langebaan Lagoon.

The association claims the licensing process for the new mine was flawed, and it’s taking the Department of Mineral Resources to court in a bid to have the process reviewed.

Mining at the site is expected to start in March 2017.

At nearly 100 million tons, Elandsfontein contains the largest sedimentary phosphate deposit of the highest grade in South Africa.

One and a half tons of phosphate rocks, to be used in fertilisers, will be mined over the next 15 years.

The major shareholder in the project, Kropz, says all documents are in place, except for a water use license that is expected by the end of the year.

Kropz says it has spent nearly R25 million on expert studies in order to ensure responsible mining.

The site contains a major aquifer that is connected to the Langebaan Lagoon.

Technical Director at Kropz, Michelle Lawrence says, “The aquafer is really the body of water that ultimately ends up in the lagoon. So the concerns between the water and the aquafer and the lagoon are hand in hand and again it’s been one of our focus areas.”

“The method that we choosing for the mining is one that will ensure the volume in the aquafer doesn’t change; we are just locally dewatering the mining area so that we can mine safely.  All the water goes straight back into the aquafer and we have a very comprehensive ground water monitoring plan for the aquafer between the mine and the lagoon to make sure we detect any changes as they happen as soon as possible,” adds Lawrence.

She says hundreds of jobs will be created.

Residents of Hopefield, the town closest to the mine, say they are already benefiting.

Hopefield Community Liaison Forum, Jan Hanekom says, “I absolutely welcome the mine; for years we didn’t have anything that will bring economic freedom and welfare for our disadvantaged people in Hopefield. Already a couple of hundred of our local residents have found jobs at the mine. You can see even the business people in our town are benefiting through money being spent in our town by the mine.”

But environmentalists are up in arms. They say the mine is in an ecologically sensitive area.

The Langebaan lagoon, situated 12 kilometres away, is a wetland of international importance.

Chairperson WCEPA, Carika van Zyl says, “The one big reason is that mining right processes wasn’t followed in executing the mining rights. The mining right was handed out before the record of decision from the DMR was handed in, which called for the mining right not to be allocated to the company.”

“And then the process that was followed there were various issues where processes of administrative justice were not followed. Such as a proper environmental impact assessment was not done, and therefore no environmental authorisation was granted – but the mine just continued to build the mine without environmental authorisation,” explains Van Zyl.

The Department of Mineral Resources was not immediately available for comment.

The matter is expected to be heard in the Western Cape High Court in 2017.