Tronox Says Court Ruled Mtunzini Conservancy Must Pay Some Cost

Tronox Limited

today announced that the Durban High Court "dismissed with costs" an application filed by the Mtunzini Conservancy for an injunction to halt early-phase construction at the company's  Fairbreeze mine project in northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.     The point of law under inspection by the court related to whether the Fairbreeze mine had lawfully commenced mining related operations in light of provisions contained in the Town Planning Ordinance 27 of 1949. In its judgment, the High Court affirmed Tronox's legal position that the South African Minerals Act 50 of 1991 governed mining at the commencement of the Fairbreeze project and trumped all other legislation (barring specific other national legislation) prevailing at the time. The High Court found that 1991 Minerals Act provides sufficient legislative checks and balances for government administrators to regulate the industry and that additional regulation under the Town Planning Ordinance of 1949 was not required. The High Court also ruled that the Mtunzini Conservancy must pay legal costs of Tronox which included costs of counsel in responding to the application.