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100 signatures reached
To: Minister of Minerals and Petroleum Resources, Gwede Mantashe, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Willem Abraham Stephanus Aucamp and Premier of the Eastern Cape, Oscar Mabuyane
STOP VMBG FROM HEAVY MINERAL COASTAL DUNE MINING IN THE EASTERN CAPE
This petition calls for a STOP to the Tyolomnqa Heavy Minerals Sands Project by Vendicom Minerals Beneficiation Group (Pty) Ltd. Vendicom plans to conduct open cast mining for minerals such as zircon, rutile, ilmenite and leucoxene in communal owned farm land in the Tyolomnqa, Keiskamma and Hamburg areas, covering over 2,9 thousand hectares of land. The mining company will apply for a permit to remove archaeological and historical heritage materials, including human remains from burial sites. The mines will operate 24 hours a day for at least 20 years after the first 4 years of construction of roads and mining infrastructure.
Why is this important?
1. Environmental impacts
- Mining removes sand from beaches and dunes, destroying sensitive ecosystems.
- These coastal areas protect inland communities from storms and rising sea levels, so their loss increases coastal erosion,making flooding and storm damage more likely.
- Mining creates dust clouds causing sediment settlement in the rivers and the sea, making it muddy and blocking sunlight needed for aquatic life. This sediment also settles on sealife, such as shellfish, and suffocate them.
- Mining processes release toxic chemicals, causing pollution, damage to underground water and possible health risks to people.
- Noise and vibrations from heavy machinery, and shockwaves from blasting during open-cast mining affect people, animals and housing negatively, and in the case of marine life, can affect their very survival.
2. Impacts on Communities and Livelihoods
- Fishing, which many coastal communities rely on, are negatively affected by mining. Damage to marine ecosystems reduces fish stocks and income for fishers.
- Destruction of natural coastal areas can reduce tourism, farming, and other local business opportunities.
- Mining projects can lead to conflict within communities, especially when people feel their rights are ignored.
- Disputes often arise over land use and access to natural resources.
- The removal of archeological and heritage materials, and family graves impact communities' human cultural rights and heritage.
3. Economic and Sustainability Concerns
- There is NO urgent global shortage of "rare" earth minerals; they are found widely in the environment.
- Coastal dune systems take thousands of years to form and cannot easily be restored once destroyed. These ecosystems also help store carbon, so their loss contributes to climate change.
- Most financial benefits from mining go to large global companies. Local people often face negative impacts and an increased number of economic and social problems. This includes short-term unstable work, work related injuries, and high levels of violence and the loss of other traditional livelihoods through displacement.