The Limpopo town of Steelpoort outside to Burgersfort has received a R4.9 billion capital investment through the opening of the Magareng Chrome Mine and the expansion of the Lion Ferrochrome Smelter. Opening the mine Premier Cassel Mathale said the mine and the smelter will contribute to towards the job creation drive that the government has committed to forge ahead with, in order to reduce joblessness and poverty among the people. Mathale stressed that, “the opening of this mine could not have come at the right time than when we are all out mobilising the business community to take the frontline position in actualising our resolve to create job opportunities for our people.”
The construction of the smelter is expected to be completed in 2013 and will create 1000 permanent jobs and a further 1 800 during the construction phase. The expansion of the chrome smelter is the biggest in the world and will produce 360,000 tonne of chrome per annum. Meanwhile the Magareng mine will create 600 jobs once it is in full scale operation.
During the opening of the mine Xstrata Alloys’ Chief Executive, Peet Nienaber, said more than 2 200 indirect jobs will be created through the procurement of services and products from the local suppliers. Xstrata committed to procuring 80 percent of its products and services from the local suppliers as way of investing in the local economy and the upliftment of the living conditions of the local communities. The expansion of the smelter will utilise Xstrata’s proprietary energy-efficient Premus technology that consumes approximately a third less electricity than other available smelting technologies.
Premier Mathale emphasised that the mines must be the main contributors to the course of environmental protection. “It is important that mining operations must not disrupt farming operations by damaging the land, or polluting water, which is a scarce resource in our province. We are also urging the mines to play an active role in greening our province,” the premier said.
He called on the mines to work closely with the communities to ensure that the communities also share the wealth created by minerals under their ground.
Enquiries:
Phuti Mosomane
Cell: 082 729 2738
Tel: 015 287 6083
Source: Limpopo Provincial Government
