The development of green mining initiatives and more environment-friendly projects will become an increasingly economically viable option for the mining industry, commentators indicate...While, initially, it may be costly to initiate or implement environmental programmes to comply with South Africa’s environmental legislation, the long-term benefits...could be a more viable option for the industry, they suggest...Investment access is more readily available for environment-friendly projects...Further, noncompliance with the environmental legislation...can also be costly over the long term to the mining industry and may result in the directors of the offending companies being held liable, companies shutting down, operation stoppages, delays or having licences revoked, huge legal bills, increased penalties, loss of investment and lawyers’ fees, all of which can be avoided. [refers to Ecca, AngloGold Ashanti, Motjoli Resources, Pan-African Capital, Deloitte & Touche, Eskom, Nedbank, Ernst & Young, Anglo American, BHP Billiton, First Quantum Minerals, Gold Field, Coal of Africa Limited]