Cape Town -Potentially toxic black dust from manganese ore being loaded on to a cargo ship at the Port of Cape Town is the subject of an investigation by the City of Cape Town.
The city is probing how Transnet Port Terminals allowed a Panamanian-registered vessel to dock and load tons of manganese ore emitting the dust, without the necessary licence.
However, Transnet says it did not need a licence as the cargo was less than the 100 000-ton benchmark.
Weekend Argus has established the manganese ore was transported by road from a mine in the Northern Cape and stored in a shed in H Berth before being loaded on the vessel last week.
Manganese dust is known to be toxic and prolonged exposure can cause health risks for humans and threaten the environment.
According to sources in the shipping industry, manganese ore, which is usually exported from Port Elizabeth and Saldanha Bay, is now being exported through the Port of Cape Town at intervals of 30 to 90 days.
Mayoral committee member for health Siyabulela Mamkeli said the city had been unaware the ore was being exported through the port.
He said Transnet had not requested a licence to handle the manganese.
“No application for an atmospheric emission licence has been received for this activity and we are not aware that the activity is currently taking place,” Mamkeli said.
“Yes, the city is aware that manganese has the potential to pose a health risk to humans and a risk to the environment if not correctly transported, stored or managed.”
Mamkeli said environmental management inspectors from the city’s Air Quality Management Unit would investigate, and take the appropriate action if the Air Quality Act had been contravened.
“The storage threshold that triggers the need for an atmospheric emission licence in terms of Listing Notice 893 of the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act is for locations designed to hold more than 100 000 tons,” Mamkeli said.
If the commodity is less than 100 000 tons, no licence is required according to the law.
Transnet has said it is dealing with less than this amount at the port.
South Africa accounts for about three quarters of the world’s manganese resources. Metallic manganese is used primarily in steel production to improve hardness, stiffness, and strength. It is used in carbon steel, stainless steel, and high-temperature steel, along with cast iron and superalloys.
“From an air quality management perspective, the operator of the listed activity would need to demonstrate compliance with the prescribed minimum emission standards and would also be required to develop and implement a fugitive dust management plan once licensed”, Mamkeli said.
According to Earthlife Africa, manganese dust is dangerous to humans and sea life because of its toxicity.
Excessive exposure to the dust can lead to manganism, also known as manganese poisoning, which has symptoms similar to Parkinson’s Disease, such as pychiatric and motor disturbances.
“Manganese ore dust is particularly problematic for all life. At the sharp end of mining, workers are likely to develop upper respiratory tract problems. Other effects can include paralysis and central nervous system problems,” said Muna Lakhani, Earthlife Africa’s Cape Town branch co-ordinator.
Lakhani said studies showed the dust was also harmful to sea life.
Transnet spokeswoman Lipuo Lebakeng said: “Transnet Port Terminals is currently exporting manganese ore from the multi-purpose terminal in Cape Town. The manganese ore handled on behalf of various clients is facilitated in a shed in the terminal to ensure nuisance dust and air emissions are contained within the shed.”
She said the cargo was being handled via the Port of Cape Town as a result of the “increased demand from the Asian market”.
When Weekend Argus last week watched the ore being loaded on to the vessel, black dust could be seen coming from the shed. The ore was loaded on to open bins which were then lifted by cranes and emptied on to the ship. Clouds of black dust could be clearly seen during this loading process.
Lebakeng said safety measures were in place.
“Before the facilitation process, an environmental risk assessment was conducted to assess the potential risks and adequate controls were implemented to minimise the perceived impact.
A safety risk assessment was also conducted and the appro-priate safety controls implemented,” she said.
How it should be done
Manganese ore should ideally be transported by rail in closed bags or containers to suitably equipped ports where it is loaded on to vessels via conveyor belt, to avoid endangering people or the environment.
This is the view of Lihle Madyibi, an independent consulting geologist with experience in manganese mining.
According to Madyibi, transporting manganese ore by road raises questions about how the seller of the commodity, which is often the mining company, handles, stores and transports its resource.
Weekend Argus received a tip-off about manganese ore being shipped to Asian countries from the Port of Cape Town.
The source, who is well-placed in the shipping industry, also raised concern about emissions of black dust when the ore was stored in a shed and when it was loaded on to vessels.
Between Friday and Sunday last week, a Panama-registered vessel, Star Crimson, was loading manganese ore, causing dust emissions.
The ore was removed from the shed and loaded in large bins which were transported on trucks to the vessel where a crane lifted them and emptied the contents into the ship.
According to information on the Transnet National Ports Authority website, the Port Elizabeth port is the country’s main export terminal for manganese ore, with Cape Town mainly used to export timber, steel, cement and fresh produce.
Saldanha Bay is described as the main terminal for iron ore, while Richards Bay is mainly used for coal exports.
“According to my knowledge, Port Elizabeth terminal is the designated manganese terminal in the country and the largest manganese export facility in Africa with innovative handling capability,” Madyibi said.
He said consuming water with high manganese concentration and breathing air polluted with manganese dust could be dangerous for humans.
Weekend Argus