Fairbreeze Mine a Fresh Breeze of Prosperity in KZN

The KZN Sands Fairbreeze Mine in South Africa officially opened on April 19, 2016. See the media coverage in the Daily Tribune and the South African government’s press release below for information about the event. Both included comments from KZN Premier Senzo Mchunu on the new mine.

South Africa : Premier Senzo Mchunu on Fairbreeze Mine
20 April 2016
Daily Tribune
KwaZulu-Natal Premier Senzo Mchunu has described as a fresh breeze of prosperity the official opening of Fairbreeze Mine in Empangeni today. In total, more than R5 billion will be invested during the expansion of the mine which will take place over the next few years.

Fairbreeze mining operations will add enormous value to our minerals, and make a significant contribution to our foreign exchange earnings. These are vital contributions to the provincial economy.

Last year, we were all concerned following losses of about 23,000 jobs in the mining industry. We feared about the loss of household incomes for many families specially those living in rural areas whose breadwinners were in the mining sector.

It is for these reasons that as the provincial government we have always supported all efforts aimed at establishing the Fairbreeze Mine. More than 1,000 jobs were created during construction and a further 1,000 indirect and direct jobs will be created for the local community in the next few months.

The available literature shows that South Africa is one of the world’s most important mining countries in terms of the variety and quantity of minerals produced.

As government, we believe that Fairbreeze Mine is an integral part of our provincial industrial development strategy, which enjoins us to increase the level of mineral beneficiation as a means of increasing employment and adding more value to our natural resources before export. This process will eventually help move us from being a Third World exporter of primary commodities to a First World exporter of manufactured products.

The total mineral endowment in South Africa was estimated at 4.71 trillion US dollars while the country has been identified as the world’s richest in terms of its non-energy mineral reserves, which are worth an estimated 2.5 trillion US dollars.

The mining industry is also the third largest sector in the South African economy after the agriculture and industrial manufacturing sectors. It accounts for approximately 8% of GDP and creates approximately one million jobs (500,000 direct and 500,000 indirect).

As government we salute uThungulu, Umhlathuze and Umlalazi municipalities for ensuring all legal frameworks are adhered to. The involvement of mayors of these municipalities and their councils is encouraging and it gives me hope that we will eventually eradicate the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequalities.

I want to pay tribute to Amakhosi and local communities for working with the municipalities and the management of Tronox and Fairbreeze mine. I also want to express my appreciation to the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs including the Department of Minerals and Energy for handling with utmost care all matters related to environmental management plans and mining rights.

I do know that there have been many challenges but, I draw satisfaction from the fact that communities have been the main beneficiary of this project.

As government, we believe that Fairbreeze Mine is an integral part of our provincial industrial development strategy, which enjoins us to increase the level of mineral beneficiation as a means of increasing employment and adding more value to our natural resources before export.

This process will eventually help move us from being a Third World exporter of primary commodities to a First World exporter of manufactured products. KwaZulu-Natal ranks behind Gauteng as South Africa’s second largest contributor to the national manufacturing sector.

The size of the sector in KZN is measured by its diversity, with the province is especially active in various manufacturing sub sectors including metals, automotive, chemicals, plastics, food, beverages and biofuels.

As we celebrate the skill and the labour which accomplished this feat, we should see its completion as one of the things that will strengthen the manufacturing industry in the province and ultimately ensure that we overtake Gauteng in terms of contribution towards the national manufacturing sector.

See a press release from the South African government on the Fairbreeze mine.

Mayor of Umlalazi Councillor Zulu, Premier Senzo Mchunu, Tronox Chairman and CEO Tom Casey, and uThungulu District Mayor Thembeka Mchunu are pictured (from left to right) at the official opening of the Fairbreeze Mine at KZN Sands in South Africa.

Tronox’s Jean-François Turgeon, Executive Vice President and Titanium Dioxide President; and Neels Oosterhuis, South Africa General Manager; joined Tom Casey, Chairman and CEO, at the Fairbreeze opening ceremony.

One of two 138-foot (42-meter) diameter thickeners is used to clarify process water for recycling.