Research outputs

The full list of research outputs, including reports, publications, articles and other products is available here. In addition, visit the project's Inputs to have a look at the strengths that the project team brings.

Phase II Research Papers

Amaral Filho, J., Bhorat, H., Harrison, S., Hill, R., Rumjeet, S.and Steenkamp, F. (2024). The Biorefinery as a Pathway to Building Economic Complexity in the Post-Mine Landscape. Development Policy Research Unit Working Paper 202407. DPRU, University of Cape Town.

The biorefinery concept, investigated in this paper, assists in making use of residual biomass to build economic value and reduce materials waste. Using inter-disciplinary methods and the expertise of bio-process engineers, material scientists and development economists, we develop a novel inter-disciplinary micro industrial policy approach (IMIP) that makes use of economic complexity and relatedness metrics, and technofeasibility studies. We find that lignocellulosic biomass can serve as feedstock to a wide array of products using different conventional and biorefinery technologies via different production platforms: namely, thermochemical, sugar and lignin, and seed oil. We identify 60 biorefinery products, which can be categorised into high-value platform chemical, low-value biomass products, energy products, and high-value bioplastics. Of these products, we identify 22 frontier biorefinery products that could drive economic development along multiple avenues, including inequality reduction, labour absorption, and positioning South Africa in growing global markets. Given the constraints of limited biomass availability, we further make use of pre-liminary techno-economic feasibility studies to identify and investigate three product clusters that lie within concomitant product value chains, to determine the technical readiness of these clusters, and the impact of these products on economic development outcomes. We do not find that any one cluster is strongly more advantageous than another, and the informed policymaker would have to assess the economic trade-offs in tandem with South Africa’s technological readiness for various production processes before choosing which cluster of biorefinery products would best suit their needs and best cater to the end goals of the chosen micro-industrial policy.

News

20 August 2020. "In pursuit of a positive mining legacy" by Nadia Krige, news story for UCT Research and Innovation.

 

mining image

5 Feb 2020: A 5-part opinion piece, authored by Aysha Lotter, that investigates a potential solution to the detrimental environmental and social impacts of the mining industry. The series introduces the circular economy thinking to the mining industry in South Africa to bring the industry into a greener future. 

Mine(d) Over Matter:

Project Reports

The full set of research reports was published in October 2019. 

Policy Briefs

The full set of policy briefs was published in mid-October 2019. 

Publications & Events

SUBMITTED & FORTHCOMING

H Mostert, A Paterson, B Kengni, CL Van Schalkwyk, F Steenkamp, S Rumjeet, J Broadhurst, T Chimbganda, H Bhorat: Innovation and the Law in Mine Rehabilitation: The Case of Fibrous Plants in the Mining Industry Unpublished Paper submitted to the South Africa Journal of Science Special Issue: Waste & Wealth: The Circular Economy.

B Kengni & Vusumuzi Nkosi Analysis of the Current Legal Framework Protecting the Health of Communities Near Gold Mine Tailings in South Africa paper submitted to the Journal of Energy & Natural Resources Law, 5 November 2022.

B Kengni Sustainable Development Post-Mining: Regulating Transition from Coal-Based Energy to Renewable Energy paper submitted to the Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal, end of February 2023.

PUBLISHED

2 November 2022: Dr B Kengni Community Health and Safety in the South African Mining Sector paper presented at the Mineral Law in Africa Colloquium VII.

29 August 2022: Dr B Kengni "Intricacies of the Protection of Community Health and Safety in the South African Mining Sector" Paper Presented at Leaders for Justice Conference: The Rule of Law and Security, Arusha, Tanzania.

April 2021: Exploring the potential to create post-mining industrial development through fibre-rich plants. Chimbganda, T., Rumjeet, S, Broadhurst, J.L. and Harrison, S.T.L. Conference Paper/proceedings published in International Mineral Processing Congress, hosted by the International Mineral Processing Council.

3-5 September 2019: Abstract accepted: Tapiwa Chimbganda, Gregory Hangone and Jennifer Lee Broadhurst: Exploring the potential use of fibre-rich plants for creating post-mining industrial development. 13th International Conference on mine Closure, Perth. Western Australia.

22 May 2018: Occasional Paper: H Mostert & C Young ‘From promise to practice: Can South Africa’s legal framework for mineral resources and the sustainable development goals?’ South African Institute of International Affairs - SAIIA Ocassional Paper No 279. This paper assesses the extent to which the legal framework governing mineral resources is capable of facilitating the realisation of two targets within the broader goal of ‘responsible consumption and production’. 

2018: Book & publication launch event: C Digby, D Bradshaw, H Mostert & B Chicksen (eds) Green Mining: Beyond the Myth – Perspectives on the Future of Mining (Juta, 2018).

On the 4 February 2018, the Green Mining: Beyond the Myth Publication was launched at the Two Oceans Aquarium, Cape Town. This event featured guest speakers: Dr Max Price (Vice Chancellor, University of Cape Town), Sipho Pityana (Chairman of UCT Council and Independent Non-Executive Chairman, AngloGold Ashanti), and The Honourable Minister Jeff Radebe (Member of Parliament and Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, RSA). 2018The publication itself widely acknowledges that 'business as usual' is no longer possible when it comes to mining and assists in mapping the direction towards a new mining and minerals beneficiation vision.

15 July 2018: The Conversation Op-Ed: Finding ways to keep communities alive after mine closures

Co-authored by Bernelle Verster, Cheri-Leigh Young, Francois Steenkamp, Jennifer Lee Broadhurst and Sue Harrison, this article discusses the research investigating different approaches to mine closures, viewed from several angles, including how value can be added by treating acid mine drainage through biomining, evaluating sustainable development in the context of mines preparing for closure, evaluating the legal requirements to facilitate mine transformation and investigating the economic complexity required to grow the South African economy beyond primary resource extraction. Read full article.

 

 

17 July 2018: Classic FM / Moneyweb Radio (Classic Business Breakfast) Interview: Keeping communities alive after mine closures

Bernelle Verster interviewed by presenter Arabile Gumede, discussing the options available for mining communities after mine closures.  Download full interview.

 

 

5 November 2018: Paper Presentation: Prof H. Mostert presented "Innovations in Mine Waste Land Rehabilitation: the Two Sides of the Law", at the Middle-East Environmental Law Conference, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar, to an audience of about 100 scholars, students and practitioners.