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A research report submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering, 2016 / The purpose of this research is to identify and outline the sustainable funding models for BEE transactions in the South African mining industry. It is proposed that from the early 2000s to 2014 the sustainability of BEE funding models was driven by regulatory pressure. In the absence of regulatory pressure, there would be a need to develop alternative funding models. The study uses a quantitative research methodology by examining the frequency of use of various funding models, the impact of regulatory interventions and use of various funding sources on the sustainability of funding models, regression analysis and significance testing. The research results show that the percentage of third party finance in funding structures has a negative correlation with the success of BEE transactions. Vendor finance shows a positive correlation with the sustainability of transactions, more so above 60% in the funding structures. Equity finance has a positive impact on the success of transactions from as low as 20% in the funding structures. An ideal funding structure would consist of the following funding sources:  Third party: Vendor: Equity = 40%: 20%: 40%, in the case of a BEE company that has equity available and  Third party: Vendor = <40%: > 60%, where no equity is available to BEE entrepreneurs. In the absence of BEE laws third party finance will dominate funding of empowerment transactions. Funding models based on third party finance must rely more on cash flow based payments rather than dividend payments to service debt.

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Patrick Edward Connor was a military officer who was given the duty of guarding the overland mail route in the West during the civil war. In addition to this he was to watch the Mormons in Utah and determine their loyalty to the government of the United States. He was the commander of the Military District of Utah and he established his headquarters at Camp Douglas which was near Salt Lake City, Utah.While stationed in Utah, Connor saw action against hostile Indians on the Bear River in Idaho and other places; had some problems with the Mormons; and became interested in the mining possibilities of the Utah territory.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Public Administration)) -- University of Limpopo, 2017 / This study was undertaken in four villages which are Makgemeng, Maroga Phalatseng, Mooihoek, and Legabeng, in the Limpopo Province. The aim of the study was to examine whether local communities were benefitting from the local mine, whether the mine promoted an acceptable number of LED projects; whether the mine complied with the Mineral Petroleum and Resources Development Act 2002 (MPRDA), initiatives such as Black Economic Empowerment and Social Labour Policies, and whether the mine helped the development of the local economy, and whether the mine promoted job creation through down-streaming beneficiation which is the core beneficiation form where a mineral is extracted, processed and sold as a finished product and side streaming beneficiation which is an extended form of beneficiation through infrastructures, roads, harbours, airports, railways, institutions The study was anchored on the modernisation theory with a focus on the Sachs economic stages. Four hundred participants took part in the study. The mixed methods research design which integrates both quantitative and qualitative was applied since the study was aimed at exploring and giving in-depth analysis of the relationship between mineral resource wealth gained by the mining industry, and the ongoing poverty and marginalisation in the four rural mining communities. Literature reviewed for the study establishes that despite mining legislation, local economic development growth in rural mining communities remains problematic due to lack of compliance of the Mining Charter which is a legislative instrument of the MPRDA. South Africa has not managed to advance its state of manufacturing through mineral beneficiation as it continues to export minerals partially processed thereby missing out on the full economic value of job creation and industrialisation. Moreover, minimal transformation amongst the Blacks in the rural mining communities has transpired as envisioned under the MPRDA. Instead, an elite core of Blacks have broken into the mining industry while a majority remain marginalised. It is argued that for South Africa to succeed in promoting mineral industrialization through LED in rural communities, it will have to address the challenges that rural typologies mining communities face which include challenges at municipal capacity level, lack of policy alignment between local and national government, historical mistrust between the mining industry and the community, spatial economics and minimal business attraction. Globalisation it is argued can also be addressed better through the modernization framework which promotes strong state intervention of legislative oversight. Most industrialised states it is asserted reached the final economic stage of services through iii interventionist procedures unlike neoliberalism which promotes minimal state participation in the business sector. Neoliberalism has been the bedrock of South Africa’s economic policies since 1994. Due to neoliberalism, South Africa has been forced to take into consideration global trends focused on increasing economic interdependence, and also constrained the ability of South Africa’s ability to diversify its mining sector and communities. The findings confirm that the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) should create a program that will serve as a one stop shop to provide mining information for the local government on mining programs facilitated, and ensure that they are managed properly with the communities involved. This program should also capacitate the local government officials in addressing legislative oversight issues such as Social labour policies with the mines so that they don’t go unchecked. Most of the community members perceived that the mine was not genuinely interested in promoting the development of their communities, particularly in regards to LED projects. The government also need to address the low literacy rate at the mining rural communities which has become a roadblock for transformation. Industrialisation requires a qualified human stock that would be able to professionally deliver on BEE related services and development. For MPRDA to succeed as a beneficiation tool, it can only be accomplished through human resource development beginning at basic education. Value-addition to minerals is only achievable by a well-trained and fully equipped labour force The study also confirmed that the mines were unwilling to engage with the communities, did not understand the communities, were not transparent with them on tenders or procurements, and made minimal effort to assist develop the communities. A majority of the mines did not participate in the integrated development plan, and most of the community members indicated that the mine did not view them as stakeholders. Lack of corporate social responsibility efforts to alleviate poverty in the communities will only further tension and conflict within the community. Moreover, this continued practice by the mines perpetuates lack of transformation as required by the MPRDA leading the mining industry to remains predominately under the control of white owned companies and rural communities to remain marginalized and undeveloped. In summary, the DMR should stop relying on the mines to transform and comply to all the MPRDA requirements without any form of effective oversight. / Human Science Research Council (HSRC)

A major objective in the design stage of an underground mine is the reliable prediction of roof falls' size, frequency and location. Probabilistic simulation of potential roof control problems allows a designer to test the performance of competing mine layouts against assumed roof conditions. By comparing different roof control plans using the simulation, the option that provides the lowest overall cost can be selected. The program ROCSIM (Roof control Optimization Cost Simulation) was developed to provide a theoretical solution to this problem. The occurrence and frequency of roof falls are related to the type of roof support, support density, geology, structural discontinuities, location in the mine, and elapsed time between mining and the roof fall. Using a Roof Rating System (RRS) developed for this research, a numerical rating can be given to each area of roof. Using this rating, specific parameters can be assigned to these probability distributions to simulate the occurrence of roof falls within a given geologic setting. Once the location of a roof fall is determined, a cost is calculated taking into account the production delay that would result and the direct cost of cleaning up the fall and resupporting the roof. Assigning a cost to a roof fall allows the comparison of competing roof support designs relative to their overall cost. The final decision on the amount of support and room width must be determined based on legal restraints and minimization of mining costs. / Master of Science

LL.M. (International Law) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

This study's main focus was to analyse the methodology used by gold mines when obtaining reference samples required for gold fingerprinting analysis. Such methodology is also regulated by legislation in that in terms of the Precious Metals Act 37 of 2005 sect 22(1), "Any producer or any person who imports precious metals must submit to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) of the South African Police Service (SAPS) such specimens of any precious metals produced or imported by him or her as may be prescribed". The gold mines are producers of precious metals, specifically gold, and they are therefore required to submit reference samples, which are then used by the SAPS FSL to maintain a database of gold samples. This database can then be used for comparison purposes during the forensic science of gold fingerprinting. The supporting regulations of the Precious Metals Act, Section 19 stipulate seven requirements for the submission of reference samples and this study intends to give guidelines to security officials employed on the gold mines of South Africa to ensure that these requirements are met and that the validity of the SAPS gold fingerprint database is enhanced through improved sample-collection techniques. The use of gold fingerprinting is part of the forensic investigation process used when trying to establish the origin of gold confiscated as an exhibit during police and mining security crime operations and recoveries, and this allows for victim identification in the resultant criminal trial and proper disposal of recovered gold-bearing materials that are recovered. It is important for the mine security official responsible for reference sample collection to keep in mind that the methodology used when obtaining these samples could be challenged in court and that, therefore, definitive guidelines should be followed to ensure that the most representative samples are collected and that the collection and handing over of samples meet chain of evidence requirements. / Criminology / M.Tech (Forensic Investigation)

The promulgation of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act 28 of 2002 (MPRDA) led to a significant increase in the number of junior exploration companies. In this regard, International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) 6 allows companies to develop their own accounting policies for exploration and evaluation expenditure. However, there is no definition of either prospecting or exploration in the Income Tax Act 58 of 1962 (Income Tax Act). The objective of this study was to perform a literature review and to carry out empirical research by using questionnaires that were distributed to junior exploration companies to investigate whether accounting and taxation practices are consistently applied. Accordingly, the findings confirmed that the accounting and taxation practices followed by junior exploration companies are not consistently applied. / Financial Accounting / M.Com. (Accounting)

This study focuses on Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) in the three basins of the Witwatersrand’s goldfields in the Vaal River System in South Africa. AMD has become a highly contested issue. A difference in its definition exists between two groups of role-players identified in the study: government and consultants/activists/NGOs. This study unpacks the differences in the way AMD is defined, the situation of AMD in each of the three basins and the socio-economic implications caused by AMD. A crucial finding was that these definitions determine how the issue is understood and what solutions these role-players propose. The main purpose of the study was to determine whether the South African government’s policy response was appropriate given the socio-economic impacts of AMD and imperatives of sustainable development. This study concluded that, in the policy, there was no clear indication as to what the socio-economic impacts are, and limited attention was therefore given to these impacts. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)