Yzermyn Baseline & Impact Assessment

The assessment concludes that the Yzermyn underground coal mine is 'fatally flawed' from a biodiversity perspective and recommends a 'NO GO' decision. The project is located in a highly sensitive area, including the Enkangala Grassland Important Bird Area (IBA) and several Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Areas (FEPAs). Key risks include the potential for extensive wetland loss or deterioration due to groundwater drawdown (cones of depression) and long-term groundwater contamination from acid mine drainage (AMD) post-closure. The report highlights a significant disconnect between the findings of independent specialists—who identify high-significance impacts and irreplaceable habitats—and the Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR), which downplays these risks by focusing narrowly on the surface infrastructure footprint. The assessment notes that the project threatens numerous 'Conservation Important' (CI) species of birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians.

• The overall biodiversity and impact assessment concludes the project is 'fatally flawed' and should be a 'NO GO' because the proposed mining area is largely rated as having 'Very High' or 'High' sensitivity.
• Mine dewatering is predicted to cause a decline in water inputs to wetlands, potentially leading to the loss or deterioration of 2,000 to 3,000 hectares of wetland habitat, including those in formally protected areas and FEPAs.
• There is a high risk of long-term groundwater contamination via acid mine drainage (AMD) post-closure, with predicted sulphate concentrations in baseflow to the Mawandlane River potentially rising above 2,000mg/l.
• The project site is located within the Enkangala Grassland Important Bird Area (IBA), which is described as one of the most important IBAs in Africa and is vital for 39 bird species of conservation importance.
• Field surveys detected numerous 'Conservation Important' (CI) species, including 18 CI bird species, 21 recorded CI mammal species, and several CI reptiles and frogs.
• A review of the Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) found it to be of poor quality, noting that it misleadingly focused on the small surface infrastructure footprint while ignoring wider landscape and cumulative impacts.
• The project's potential impact on the local economy is contested; while it may provide short-term jobs for 15 years, it could cause long-term permanent damage to the nature-based tourism industry in Wakkerstroom.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (n.d.). Yzermyn Baseline & Impact Assessment. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/10.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. Yzermyn Baseline & Impact Assessment. n.d. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/10.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=Yzermyn Baseline & Impact Assessment |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/10.pdf?x21779 |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centreforenvironmentalrightsndyzermyn, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{Yzermyn Baseline \& Impact Assessment}}, institution = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/10.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }