Aprospecting right for the farm Zandheuwel, in Saldanha Bay, in the Western Cape, was granted to Adelaide Ruiters earlier this year.

She applied for the right as an individual and, according to the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR), she is the first woman to accomplish this without using consultants.

Ruiters, who is currently the group business development manager for structural steel product manufacturer Structa Group, will explore for phosphates on the farm as she wants to assist in transforming the South African mining industry, and phosphates have a direct link to agriculture and food security.

Ruiters tells Mining Weekly that she plans to eventually beneficiate the ore.

Ruiters says she believes she came up with a formula that other South Africans, particularly women, could follow to get their foot in the door in the mining industry without having extensive capital at their disposal.

After Ruiters had decided on phosphates, she visited the Council for Geoscience (GCS) to do research, which she did herself, as she did not have the capital to appoint a consultant.

“I narrowed my scope to Saldanha Bay, as previous prospecting had been done in the area, and became aware of the farm Zandheuwel, which I believed was ideal for my needs,” she says.

To kick-start the prospecting rights application process, Ruiters went to the DMR’s Western Cape office, where she was informed of the process to be followed in terms of compliance. To lodge her prospecting right application, she went to the DMR’s Gauteng office, where she was assisted with the application.

“I lodged my application as an individual, without a consultant, and was not turned away by the department,” she says.

Following this, Ruiters had to come up with a prospecting right programme and draw up a geological map.

“As I did not have access to extensive capital, I bought a map from the GCS, cut out the portions that I needed and made my own map.

“Further, I needed a sketch plan, for which I was referred to an architect who assisted me,” she added.

About one month after Ruiters had lodged the prospecting right programme, the geological map and sketch plan with the DMR, she received an acceptance letter stating that the consultation report had to be submitted within 30 days and the environmental-impact assessment (EIA) and heritage report within 60 days.

Ruiters was told by the DMR that there was a template for the consultation report that had to be followed by any applicant and, therefore, if her report complied with the template, the DMR would have no reason to turn down the application.

“I wrote my own consultation report using the template and conducted consultation meetings in Saldanha Bay with the interested and affected parties.

“As a result of my personal consultations, the farmers were positive,” she states.

After the consultation report had been submitted, Ruiters moved on to the EIA and heritage report.

“I did not have the funds to employ an EIA consultant, but, as the environmental aspects are important, I needed assistance. Therefore, I went to the University of the Western Cape, where a qualified botanist, currently completing a master’s degree, assisted me.

“I did the heritage report myself, as I have a degree in music, social sciences and history from the University of Cape Town, by once again following the template provided by the DMR. After both reports had been submitted, I was notified that I was compliant,” says Ruiters.

“This proves that an individual can success- fully apply for prospecting rights without using consultants and with minimal capital expenditure.”

However, after the DMR had notified Ruiters that her reports were compliant, she had to prove to the department that she had the financial capability to carry out the explora- tion. At this stage, she approached a publicly listed company to form a joint venture (JV).

“I approached the JV company, an agreement was signed and the guarantees were paid. This company is helping me to fund the prospecting programme and will help provide the capital to eventually develop the project into a mine,” she says.

Ruiters emphasises that she will not sell the prospecting right and will be actively involved in the prospecting and, eventually, if successful, phosphate mining at Zandheuwel.

A prospecting programme at Zandheuwel is expected to start as soon as the land has been rezoned for mining.

“There are many opportunities for individuals in the mining industry and South Africa’s legislation is enabling. However, people are often not aware of these opportunities or give up too easily.

“There is much scope for women in mining and I wish more women would follow what I have done,” she concludes.