Africa-Press – Botswana. A local prospecting company, Sonya Mod has ventured into mineral exploration, specifically targeting lime deposits at Gasita in Kanye West.
In an interview, one of the company directors, Mr Modisa Montsho said they had drilled for the lime stone with some private company to determine the lime availability in the area.
Mr Montsho said Sonya Mod was currently awaiting the Landboard to fulfill their part in awarding temporary land surface rights since there was evidence that lime deposits existed in the area. He was worried that Maokane Sub Landboard was taking long to process temporary land surface rights.
“I have long made a submission at Mookane Sub-Landboard requesting to prospect lime stone at Gasita in July 2024,” he said adding that the sub-landboard had requested his designs to see the planned site coordinates.
Mr Montsho said he had found investors who had expressed interest in purchasing limestone. He said his prospective investors, Sino Power Company which operates in Zimbabwe and China, was beginning to doubt the long process.
“The investors are now scouting in South Africa (Carletonville) for opportunities to access limestone because they are running a business,” he said noting that the prolonged landboard processes might cost his company.
Mr Montsho said once given temporary surface rights his company would be able to conduct Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). He said the land surface rights together with the EIA report would reassure their investors that there was progress. He further said Sonya Mod intended to carry out this project in three phases.
He said phase one would produce cement by the use of coal and lime while phase two was intended for production of roof ceiling and accessory materials, partitioning and rhino boards. The third phase, he said would supply local coal mines with lime powder for electricity generation.
Mr Montsho said local prospective clients were Morupule Coal Mine and they had sought for the necessary documentations to be ready in order for them to get into agreements on the basis that they were convinced of the supply and official authorisation.
Mr Montsho anticipated more people to get employed since there would be three projects under one roof. Concerning the prospective partnership, he said they were yet to evaluate the quantity of the limestone and how much the investor brought to the table.
Meanwhile, landboard officials said the resolution on the Sonya Mod temporary land surface rights application would be made in a meeting yet to be scheduled. According to Mr Montsho, Sonya Mod had been registered and had acquired the mining license through financial assistance from Styles Group.
“The Department of Mines had been able to assist with geological services and as such the request had been accepted and a Prospecting License (PL) was awarded to Sonya Mod,” said Mr Montsho.
He said the intent of the license was to allow prospective miners to mine what the department believed existed in the place. Moreover, Mr Montsho highlighted that the Department of Mines through their geological services, guided prospective miners on where the mineral existed.
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