"West Coast phosphate mine stopped - for now", 15 Sept 2017

A new phosphate mine on the West Coast is being challenged by environmental activists and state departments who say the mine has been unlawfully established and fear it could damage the surrounding sensitive environment...The mining company, previously known as Elandsfontein Exploration and Mining and now known as Kropz, managed to secure a mining licence in January 2015 and a water use licence in April 2017, despite strong opposition, including court action...African Rainbow Capital, owns a 25% share in the Elandsfontein mine...Kropz has now halted the commissioning of the mine for an “extended period” due, among other things, to “a long delay in the issuing of the mine’s water use licence...Kropz has now halted the commissioning of the mine for an “extended period” due, among other things, to “a long delay in the issuing of the mine’s water use licence...In late 2014, the Environmental sub-directorate recommended rejecting Kropz’s application for a mining right, saying that “the granting of this right would only result in unacceptable pollution, avoidable ecological degradation or damage to the environment”. The Department of Water Affairs was also “not in favour of mining rights being allowed… due to the impact on the ground water resources”.