From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, this is the Real Economy Report. Black-owned green technology company G-Tech is currently running a mine dump rehabilitation project in Randfonetin, West of Johannesburg, on one of South Africa-focused gold miner Mintails’ tailings sites. Anine Vermeulen has the story.

Anine Vermeulen:
G-Tech is rehabilitating the wasteland by restoring indigenous biomes and biodiversity by planting Poly-lactic Acid (PLA) - a biodegradable thermoplastic roll planter that allows the growth of uprooted plants and produce on any type of surface – on a 1 ha piece of land.

G-Tech business developer and marketing manager Bonga Masoka tells Mining Weekly that G-Tech is trying to demonstrate the viability of rehabilitating wasteland using G-Tech’s strategies through this pilot project.

He adds that the cost of the pilot project is R350 000 and it is wholly funded by G-Tech. The next phase of the project will include the planting of bio-fuel and other bio-energy feedstock to produce bio-diesel.

G-Tech business developer and marketing manager Bonga Masoka

Anine Vermeulen:
He points out that the benefits of PLA include the rehabilitation of mine dumps, the restoration of indigenous biomes and biodiversity, greening of gardens, fields and land and the mitigation of soil erosion and water run-off.

Masoka states that G-Tech has been in talks with gold miner Harmony Gold to plant biofuel feedstocks, in the form of sorghum, as part of its next pilot project and hopes to use between 1 ha and 3 ha of one of Harmony Gold’s tailings dumps for the pilot project.

The new pilot will involve partnerships with the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) and the Council for Scientific Industrial Research. The ARC will mainly be involved with the first phase of the pilot, which will include planting the feedstocks and overseeing the harvesting process.

Bonga Masoka

Anine Vermeulen:
Seed manufacturer Sacada is also involved in the project, which uses Sacada’s seed blend called Biomosome, a combination of pioneer sub-climax and climax grass species, specifically formulated for this kind of application.

Sacada sales representative Eleanor Glaum says that lot of research and development has gone into the Biomosome blend.

Sacada sales representative Eleanor Glaum

Shannon de Ryhove:
Other news making headlines this week: DBSA is bullish on its loans ramp-up as it reports record disbursements; Clover’s African expansion plans to get a $34-million boost; And, Independent Elements upgrades its technology.

The Development Bank of Southern Africa remained optimistic that it could ramp up loan disbursements to R25-billion a year by 2018.

DBSA CEO Patrick Dlamini

JSE-listed dairy products producer Clover, which has been voted the fifth-strongest brand in South Africa, is eyeing a $34-million investment in Africa in line with its expansion strategy.

Clover CEO Johann Vorster

Benoni-based industrial elements manufacturer Independent Elements is adopting a number of new technologies that will enhance the reliability of the company’s product range.

Independent Elements chairperson Harry Flowers

Shannon de Ryhove:
That’s Creamer Media’s Real Economy Report. Join us again next week for more news and insight into South Africa’s real economy.