Minerals Council South Africa legal deputy head Mxolisi Ngubane says that, although the prevalence of illegal mining is not new, the brazenness and evolving nature at which operations are taking place, is becoming increasingly concerning to the wider mining industry and especially to miners in hotspot or sensitive areas.

Illegal mining continues to pose an “unprecedented crisis” to the legitimate mining industry and especially mines in hotspot areas in Mpumalanga and Limpopo, reports Minerals Council CEO Roger Baxter.