Catherine Sasman
Mertens Mining and Trading’s undertaking to grow the fortunes of people in the Hardap region with renewed exploration activities belies caustic relations because of seemingly clashing interests between the mining enterprise and the farmers.
The directors of Mertens Mining are André Neethling, former managing director of the Ongopolo copper mining group, and trade unionist-turned-businessman, Ranga Haikali, who have decided to resuscitate exploration after the mining claim south-east of Rehoboth has been dormant for years.
The Environmental Compliance Consultancy on behalf of Mertens Mining informed interested and affected parties (I&APs) in early November 2021 that an environmental clearance certificate (ECC) for the proposed exploration activities on the exclusive prospecting licence 7699 (EPL 7699) has been issued on 26 October.
The I&APs had a 14-day period thereafter to appeal.
The consultancy firm also informed the I&APs that Mertens Mining would engage with them to negotiate the terms of an access agreement before on-site exploration activities can commence.
Neethling has promised further consultations with the affected farming community in mid-January 2022 to explain the company’s exploration and pilot project.
Neethling said Mertens Mining has been engaged in a public consultative process for almost five years to convert the environmental contract with the Namibian government to an ECC, during which concerns were identified and related mitigating measures were introduced.
This process, he added, is currently on “care and maintenance”, with the exploration process anticipated to start in early 2022.
Care and maintenance is a term used to describe processes and conditions on closed mine sites where there is potential to restart operations at a later date. Typically, during the care and maintenance phase, production is stopped while the site is being kept in safe and stable conditions.
The old mining site
There had been some copper mining activity during 2007 to 2009, which stopped when copper prices dropped. Since then, the mining site had been unproductive.
Farmers that had visited the site in the middle of 2019 concluded that it had not been kept “up to standard”. They say they have found that the gate to the site had been left unlocked, that there was clear evidence that farm animals and wildlife had wondered through broken fencing that led to the tailing dam and sludge left behind.
There were also concerns over sludge being washed into adjacent farming areas when it rains, impacting the quality of drinking water in the area.
They also found a corroded large diesel tank, vehicles, and other equipment in and around the mining site, signs of acid spillage, and storage of dry and liquid chemicals kept in the same shed. Some dynamites were also found on the premise.
A 2019 report by Urban Green CC, an environmental consultancy, done on behalf of affected farmers on alleged irregularities and incorrect environmental impact assessment (EIA) procedures by Mertens Mining, insisted that the company be instructed to rehabilitate the site in accordance with the approved rehabilitation management plan.
“If they were to start mining again, how do we know that they will stick to the rules?” said an affected farmer who prefers anonymity.
“Will they stick to what they are supposed to do on your land and not destroy it?”
Farmers have insisted that everything should be handled according to the law and that all concerns are attended to, as well as that secured funds are available for the rehabilitation.
In it, they raised concerns over the impact on the water quality after copper mining sludge was allegedly pumped without any lining directly into the ground, and about the impact of the new prospecting, with the possibility of renewed mining, would have on water, toxic waste management, and the rehabilitation of the site.
Mertens Mining taking issue
Urban Green CC in its report said the mining site as it is now holds safety, health, and environmental risk to neighbouring landowners, as well as the natural environment.
Reacting to this report, Neethling said the “attack” from farmers through Urban Green had been “aggressive, incriminating, and damaging”.
Neethling said his company has developed the operation at a cost of N$40 million.
He also debunked claims that the caretaker to the abandoned site has had to be hospitalised due to the consumption of possibly contaminated water, stating firmly that to his knowledge, the groundwater is not contaminated by any mining activity.
“The shallow groundwater in the area is brackish - ‘brak’ - due to the mineral deposits in the area. [It] used to be like this for many years and is a natural occurrence,” Neethling had countered.
It is, however, understood that a result of water analysis states B quality water, which a farmer said does not reflect brackish water.
Neethling also took issue with farmers that had gone on their inspection expedition in the fenced-off mining area without permission, and wrote: “Nobody is allowed to roam around on the mining property without specific permission from the mine owner as they are not trained, inducted, and aware of the safety precautions.”
He said the company would in any case rehabilitate the open workings once mined out.
Neethling charged that the company has had good relations with neighbouring farms, but that some landowners seem to be “sounding the drum” to stop mining activities.
“That would be a sad day as the mining sector is the main contributor to the GDP [Gross Domestic Product] of Namibia with related secondary economic activities, such as accommodation and tourism. My opinion is that it can be done in harmony with other activities to the benefit of all Namibians,” Neethling said.
‘Our concerns not heard’
Farmers say they have submitted objections to the ECC application, but that these have gone largely ignored.
“We have given in our written reports with all photos and no reaction, no nothing, and there he [Neethling] has got his licence,” said farmer Rainer Ling.
Concerns expressed were not only over normal farming activities and farm animals, but also the fact that there is also wildlife which includes white rhino and zebra, and fears that a programme for the protection of an endangered species of vultures and Ludwig’s bustard might be in jeopardy.
There are also concerns over the impact on the tourism sector in the area from adjacent lodges.
There were also claims that very little information had been made available regarding past and present nature of the project, “let alone the future”.
Farmers have requested more information regarding the mining cycle – which include things like the method of extraction, whether blasting is intended, the processing method, chemical use and disposal thereof, intended dealing with waste and toxins, and the footprint of tailing dams and preventative design and measure of water requirements.
Restarting
Neethling realises that relations with farmers have to be patched up for a successful resuscitation of activities on the mining area. He said part of the restarting process would be to establish a proper communication structure to “create mutual understanding among the parties to manage the process effectively and efficiently”.
“I am of the opinion that the project can add tremendous value to Namibia in conjunction with farming and tourism. I have experience where we operated a commercial lodge within one kilometres from a major mine. My intention is to include the farming community in the project and create a win-win situation,” Neethling said.
For concerned farmers, it is not such an easy situation to sort out: “I do not want them [mining concerns] on the farms. Mining destroys the environment. I have never seen a situation where that does not happen. Namibia is at a crossroads. We have to decide now which path we are going to take. Otherwise there is only one future,” one farmer said.
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