by Jodene de Villiers

In the Age of Sustainability, “out of the box thinking” is not only encouraged, it is essential. The same old copy and paste mining: ‘operation to closure’ template will not work in our current situation of unstable global politics, striving towards the UN SDGs, planetary boundaries under pressure, load shedding, the just energy transition and so on.

Growing up in a mining town, I am a second generation mine worker. Mining is all we know in our small town of roughly 4500 people. As a small town, we are dependent on the mine for jobs, housing, electricity, water supply, schooling, transport, security, town maintenance, and a range of other services.

Lime Acres town. The entire town is the size of most urban neighbourhoods. The town is currently not “directly” dependent on a municipality, which makes it a prime candidate for becoming an off grid eco-village after mine closure. Source: Googlemaps

We live a “good life” and yet this nagging thought endures: “what are we going to do when the mine closes?”

I recently spent a few weeks at the Lynedoch Eco Village in Stellenbosch. As I experienced the community ties, the infrastructure, and the environmentally friendly alternatives to building and living, I was in awe. Could this be the alternative to dilapidated mined out ghost towns?

The mining world has been dominated by the belief that a post-mining area should be returned to its original state. In most cases, that state was grazing land. But is that really the best we can do in our technologically advanced society? After decades of modifying an area, can it truly return to its original state? Why can’t it be something new? This is the moment where we should implement what I call “compost the box” thinking (as thinking outside of the box still leaves the box behind). Compost the box thinking turns the box into something completely different, something that can help seeds sprout into a new and beautiful thing.

Before and after pictures of a mine residue deposit now returned to its “natural grazing” state. Grazing occurs ad hoc while the mine is operational. Source: Petra Diamonds Finsch Mine Environmental Department 2022.

I dream of a thriving, off-grid, safe post-mining community. One with shared values and a deeply rooted respect for nature and society.

I look forward to seeing innovative ideas for mine closure and rehabilitation sprout that transformcommunities, the environment, private businesses, and government institutions.

Jodene de Villiers is a first year PGdip student at the CST.