[miningmx.com] — Coal of Africa on Monday set the record straight on its proposed 22.5km railway spur between the group’s Makhado coking coal project and the existing rail line between Musina and Makhado town.
This followed a report on Friday which stated 400 indigenous trees would have to removed for the construction of the railway line, while game farmers were considering court action to halt the project.
The anticipated cost of the spur is R330m.
“CoAL believes this to be a significant and very specific contribution towards infrastructural development in Limpopo to further the province’s minerals potential,” read a company statement.
“Indeed, permission will be sought for the removal of some 400 trees on the protected list, to accommodate the railway spur.
“The intention is to re-locate as many of these trees as possible. Size will be a factor in how many can be re-located, and this has yet to be determined.”
CoAL said some 80ha of land would be required for the railway spur, adding that none of the farmers it engaged with had raised objections over how the railway line may impact on animal migration patterns.
“In fact, interested and affected game farm owners specifically requested of CoAL that game fences – as opposed to conventional five-strand wire fences – be installed on either side of the railway line as a precaution against poaching, and CoAL has factored in this request, together with installation on some properties of underpasses to allow for animal movement.”
