South African surface mining and quarrying association ASPASA says that borrow pits in the country must be carefully controlled to avoid unfair competition with existing quarries and to meet environmental and safety requirements.
Borrow pits are often set up close to construction projects to supply them with material. ASPASA director Nico Pienaar said this means careful care needs to be exercised when operating such pits as they are often near built-up areas or to roads and railway lines to ensure quick and easy supply.
He added that road construction companies and other construction enterprises need to ensure that they are compliant with all mining-related legislation, as well as water, environmental and other legislation. Local bylaws also need to be observed.
Pienaar said that the public has a right to be sceptical of new quarries within their neighbourhoods as past practices had left a lot to be desired. Landscapes were scarred, waterways polluted and nearby residents had to bear the brunt of the damaging blast, dust pollution and degraded roadways as a result of overladen trucks.
“Fortunately, things have changed, and strict legislation exists to protect the public, as well as the environment from these damaging practices,” said Pienaar. “Mines and quarries nowadays are far less likely to get away with damaging practices. Furthermore, communities are increasingly aware of their rights.”
He added that new age quarry owners and managers are more sensitive to community expectations and even in highly competitive operating areas, they still have tight controls are in place to ensure legislation and standards are adhered to. “They also ensure communities and the environment aren’t negatively impacted in order to ensure their good reputations and so ensure that they can operate unimpeded,” Pienaar said.
