Waste Management Licence (WML) Application in respect of Tubatse Chrome (Pty) Ltd for the Decommissioning of Historical Slurry Ponds (Area 5)

Tubatse (a subsidiary of Samancor Chrome) is a ferrochrome smelting operation situated in Steelpoort, Limpopo Province and is in close proximity to the Eastern Chrome Mines (ECM) where their raw material is mined. Tubatse produces approximately 375 000 tonnes of ferrochrome annually. The plant, established in 1975, has six submerged arc furnaces, a Chrome Recovery Plant (CRP) and a Pelletising and Sintering Plant (PSP).
The CRP slurry ponds were unlined earth dams historically used to store thickener underflow from the CRP. These ponds were established in 1988-1990. The earth dams were replaced in 2004 by two concrete silt dams and operations of the earth dams therefore ceased in 2004.
Due to the extent of the area where slurry has been historically disposed, the Cr 6+ load to the environment is considered to be of high significance, calculated as 271 kg/annum. Therefore, it is essential for Tubatse to remove this source of contamination and to remediate the footprint of the waste facility to reduce the Cr 6+ load to groundwater. Therefore, Tubatse proposes to decommission Area 5 and to remove the waste from the footprint for disposal to the existing licenced hazardous waste disposal facility (referred to as the HH Facility).
Tubatse was issued with a WML for the decommissioning of Area 5 on the 20th June 2017, with reference number 12/9/11/L60588/5. The WML validity however lapsed due to delays in the construction of the HH facility and hence the availability of airspace for the facility to accept the Area 5 waste. Therefore, Tubatse seeks to re-apply for the WML so that they can decommission and rehabilitate the historical slurry ponds at Area 5.
Province(s): Limpopo