APPLICATION FOR SUSPENSION IN TERMS OF SECTION 96(2) OF THE MINERAL AND PETROLEUM RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT, 2002 (“MPRDA”)

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) has applied for the suspension of a decision by the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy to grant extended mining rights to Mineral Sands Resources (Pty) Ltd and Tormin Mineral Sands (Pty) Ltd at the Tormin mine. The CER argues that the expansion occurs within Critical Biodiversity Areas and that the environmental impacts are irreversible and inadequately assessed.

• The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) is seeking the suspension of the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy's decision to grant extended mining rights (WC30/5/1/2/2/10107MR and WC 30/5/1/2/2/10108MR) to Mineral Sands Resources (Pty) Ltd and Tormin Mineral Sands (Pty) Ltd at the Tormin mine. This application is pending the outcome of an appeal against the amendment of existing mining rights under section 102(1) of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, 2002 (MPRDA).
• The proposed mine expansion is located within Critical Biodiversity Areas (CBAs) and a recognized ecological corridor. The CER asserts that these areas are priority zones for conserving South Africa's biodiversity to meet national targets and international commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity.
• The CER claims that the environmental impacts on the Namaqualand Strandveld vegetation are irreversible, noting that the vegetation is extremely slow to rehabilitate. The CER cites an EIA Report appendix stating that the diversity of the affected area will never be fully restored and that the extent of restoration to near-natural levels is unknown.
• The CER argues that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) failed to adequately address cumulative impacts, as it only considered the mine's existing operations and the proposed extension, ignoring other existing or applied-for mining activities in the coastal and offshore regions (such as diamond mining).
• The CER contends that the project lacks necessary biodiversity offsets required by the Western Cape Guidelines on Biodiversity Offsets and the Draft National Biodiversity Offset Policy. Additionally, the CER notes that the terrestrial ecologist specialist report had knowledge limitations because surveys were conducted during a drought and excluded the spring season, meaning annuals, forbs, and geophyte species were not adequately sampled.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (n.d.). APPLICATION FOR SUSPENSION IN TERMS OF SECTION 96(2) OF THE MINERAL AND PETROLEUM RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT, 2002 (“MPRDA”). https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/CER-section-962-MPRDA-application-for-suspension-21-September-2020.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. APPLICATION FOR SUSPENSION IN TERMS OF SECTION 96(2) OF THE MINERAL AND PETROLEUM RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT, 2002 (“MPRDA”). n.d. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/CER-section-962-MPRDA-application-for-suspension-21-September-2020.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=APPLICATION FOR SUSPENSION IN TERMS OF SECTION 96(2) OF THE MINERAL AND PETROLEUM RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT, 2002 (“MPRDA”) |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/CER-section-962-MPRDA-application-for-suspension-21-September-2020.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centreforenvironmentalrightsndapplication, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{APPLICATION FOR SUSPENSION IN TERMS OF SECTION 96(2) OF THE MINERAL AND PETROLEUM RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT, 2002 (“MPRDA”)}}, publisher = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/CER-section-962-MPRDA-application-for-suspension-21-September-2020.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }