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Creamer Media's Mining Weekly Online, South African Mining News :: News This Week

Creamer Media's Mining Weekly Online, South African Mining News :: News This Week
Franky Micklestone  |  by www.miningweekly.co.za. All rights reserved. 10.11 | 17:09

Construction of a R1,3bn dam, seen as key to a range of mining projects, to start next year
Construction on the R1,3-billion De Hoop dam should start next year, with completion due in 2010, says Department of Water Affairs and Forestry deputy director-general: national water Ruiters.

#x201C;The project is six months behind schedule. We anticipate project costs to have increased since.

#x201D; Also, the current shortage of infrastructure demands #x201C;is of concern to us #x201D;, he adds.

#x201C;The big cement companies are under pressure to deliver. and we have a bill of quantities, we #x2019;ll know how this situation will affect us.

#x201D; De Hoop dam is 85% complete.

The delay in construction follows as the building of the dam only last month received the official go-ahead from the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (Deat), following concerns about the impact of the dam on the Olifants river basin.

The De Hoop dam forms part of the second phase of the proposed R4,9-billion Olifants River Water Resources Development Project (ORWRDP).



Phase one involved raising the Flag Boshielo dam by five metres to increase the dam #x2019;s capacity in the short term. This was completed earlier this year.

Phase two now involves the ture to increase the long-term availability of water in parts of the Sekhukhune, Capricorn and Mogalakwena areas of Limpopo province.



The project will see the con- struction of the De Hoop dam on the Steelpoort tributary of the Olifants river; 25 km of new road, including three bridges; nearly 300 km of pipeline; as well as a number reservoirs.

Government will fund the De Hoop dam, with the R3,6-billion bulk-water distribution network to be financed privately, on the strength of offtake agreements more specifically, the 32 existing and potential mines in the area. The ORWRDP is viewed by many in industry as vital to unlocking several mining-related projects in the water-stressed region #x2013; mining companies need water in the mining and minerals-processing chain #x2013; and by government as an opportunity to develop the area and provide it with potable water.



Mines and households are expected to share the water derived from the project equally.

Despite having received the green light from Deat, project development has not yet crossed its final hurdle.

The around 1 700 ha which all farmland, and nearly every hectare is subject to land claims.

Read more on by www.miningweekly.co.za. All rights reserved.
Keywords: De Hoop, Olifants River
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