The approval paves the way for ResGen to construct the mine, all the required mine infrastructure and the associated 36km rail link to the existing rail network.
ResGen managing director Paul Jury welcomed the approval which had marked 15 months of liaison work with LEDET.
“As a life of mine approval, it clears a major milestone to ensure the long-term value that the Boikarabelo mine can provide to all stakeholders and the local community,” he said.
ResGen was waiting to receive its intergraded water use licence and signed contract with Transnet which would enable the company to proceed with finalising funding for project construction to commence.
The Boikarabelo mine is located in South Africa’s Waterberg region and holds coal reserves of 744.8 million tonnes of coal.
The mine is scheduled to be in production in 2013 with the stage 1 mine development targeting 6Mt per annum of saleable coal.
