JSE-listed DRDGOLD has reported that only 0.6% out of 632 dust monitoring sites registered an exceedance in terms of the stipulated regulatory thresholds across its operations.
“Because our operations are by and large in the city, the amount of dust that comes with various reclamation and deposition sites is important. We measure those very, very closely. DRDGOLD is now putting very little dust into its surrounding communities.
“If you live next to one of our tailings dams, you no longer have to wash your curtains twice a month, as was the case some 15 years ago,” CEO Niël Pretorius said on February 14 during the company’s interim results presentation for the six months ended December 31, 2023.
Dust exceedances were reduced at the company’s Ergo and Far West Gold Recoveries (FWGR) owing to various efforts to continuously reduce dust fallout through rehabilitation programmes and other mitigation measures.
The company spent a total of R11.2-million on environmental rehabilitation during the period, down from R18.2-million a year prior. At Ergo, 1.6 ha was vegetated at the Brakpan/Withok tailings storage facility (TSF).
Pretorius said the hectares vegetated were limited owing to the establishment of the step-in and new raise on the TSF. Installation of stormwater measures and launders then followed.
Pretorius noted that the company expected cladding to restart on the Brakpan/Withok TSF in the upcoming quarter and that it was relooking at the service contractors at Crown complex to resume some vegetation.
At FWGR, 13.2 ha was vegetated at Driefontein 5 and Driefontein 4.
