Aquarius Platinum Mine left an open pit before selling to Sebanye

Community Alerts/John Salang/Maditlhokoa-Rustenburg/05/06/18

There’s pending issue with regard to Aquarius platinum mine open pit next to Lapologang Village. The development of this pits was started in 2002 by Aquarius using Moolmans contract. Looks like the rehabilitation process never take place, it’s been 5 years since they have stopped extracting minerals (platinum and chrome) from this pit. Sometime in March this year I went to Sibanye environmental office to enquire about it and their response was that they don’t have money for it and that there is shortage of waste to backfill the pits, but they still in discussion about it as they now belong to Sibanye.

The pit is about 500 metres away from the residential side and there has been more shacks development towards the pit. Aquarius had made promises of rehabilitation and there will be farming as people depended on farming but that did not happen. By John Salang