Heritage Cases

BACKGROUND TO THE PROJECT Sishen Iron Ore Company (Pty) Ltd (“SIOC”) owns and operates the Sishen Iron Ore Mine (“Sishen Mine”). Current mining activities are progressing in a westerly direction. SIOC is continually investigating possible expansion opportunities. The listed activities associated with the expansion of the waste rock dump and associated infrastructure form part of this application. The SWEP Phase 2 includes the following proposed facilities: • Expansion of the Western Waste Rock Dump 5. • Heavy Mining Equipment (“HME”) Park-up. • Filling points. • Rapid reload bay. • Topsoil stockpile. • Product stockpile. • Haul roads. • Servitude road. • Fencing on the outside of the servitude road. • Electric powerlines. • Screening plant. • Silos. • Culverts. The Western Waste Rock Dump 5 Expansion will cover an area of 250 ha and will reach a height of 120 m. Waste rock from the adjacent pit will be disposed of onto the Western Waste Rock Dump 5 for the remainder of the Life of Mine (“LOM”). The area to the south of the Western Waste Rock Dump 5 will be used for the stockpiling of topsoil stripped from the footprint areas of the proposed facilities. A HME Park-up will be constructed to allow for an area where the heavy mining equipment will be parked when not in use. The rapid reload bay will be constructed for the storage of high energy fuel to be used for blasting. The high energy fuel will be stored in five 76 000 litre tanks. A product stockpile to the north of the Western Waste Rock Dump 5 will be constructed to provide for the stockpiling of C-grade iron ore. The C-grade stockpile will cover an area of 65 ha and will be approximately 20 m high. On the outer boundary of the Western Waste Rock Dump 5 a fence will be erected. On the inside of the fence a servitude road will be constructed. The existing 66 kV electric powerline will be relocated to run parallel with the fence and servitude road. Various haul roads will be constructed to provide access to the various proposed facilities. Filling points will provide water supply for dust suppression. Culverts will be constructed to allow for water to drain from the site. In addition to the facilities above, a screening plant will be constructed to screen plant by-product into 15-20 mm size particles and fines (<14 mm). The 15-20 mm will be loaded and used as stemming for blasting holes and the smaller material will be used for road construction. Additional silos are required close to the workshop area for the storage of ammonium nitrate. There will be eight silos in total. One silo will have a storage capacity of 100 m3 and will be able to store 80 tonnes of ammonium nitrate.