[miningmx.com] — THE department of mineral resources (DMR) said on Thursday that Imperial Crown Trading 289 (ICT) does not have any existing issued prospecting or mining rights in the Vaal region, apart from a pending prospecting right application close to Viljoenskroon.
It was reacting to the story ICT, state miner in Vaal licence swoop published in Miningmx on October 24.
The department said the application, which covered 11 farms, was received on May 22 2009 and accepted on May 29 2009. However, since five of the farms applied for were outside the boundaries of the Free State province, the applicant was requested to exclude those from the application and to submit an amended plan, which was done.
Furthermore, when this application was received, it was discovered that an existing prospecting right had already been issued in favour of Wits Consolidated Gold Resources for gold, silver and uranium; an existing application for a prospecting right by White Rivers Exploration for copper, gold, uranium and associated minerals is still pending.
However, since the two applications are for different commodities, the application was accepted. The applicant in this case needs to submit a memorandum of understanding, to be entered into between all parties involved before execution.
AngloGold Ashanti on January 27 2010 objected to the application, on the basis that ICT is technically and financially incompetent to be awarded a prospecting right.
According to the law, objections to applications must be lodged within 30 days after the department has accepted the applications. Anything submitted beyond the prescribed time is treated as a concern rather than an objection
The matter was referred to the regional mining development and environmental committee for processing.
The article further referred to the granting of rights to African Exploration Mining & Finance Corporation
The department said this company had lodged a total of 27 applications to prospect for coal in this region. Four were issued; two withdrawn, one rejected and the rest are still in process.
Only one application was received from the company before April 30 2009; it was lodged on November 19. The rest of the applications were received between June 8 2009 and August 17 2010.
“Of the four issued prospecting rights referred to above, none of was issued in 2009,’ said the department.”The first prospecting right ever to be awarded to the company by this office was only executed in 2010 on January 19.
“The DMR demands that Miningmx retract the false information presented as fact in its stories.’
