Senior research fellow Tony Leiman provided advice on a proposal to begin coal mining in the Chrissiesmeer Mpumalanga wetlands.
Having
recently finished working on proposals for the amendment of national
regulations on post-closure mine rehabilitation, he was bought into the process
after the mining proposal was met with intense local opposition by communities
and NGOs. This required an economic analysis of the costs of meeting the new
mining legislation's requirements for site restoration and maintenance of water
quality. The engineering requirements were identified and the system of bank
guarantees and the details of the restoration fund required were then
determined and the costs assessed.