Council asks for R20bn for SA mapping

State-funded Council for Geoscience wants to undertake a geological mapping of the whole of SA but needs R20bn over 10 years to complete the project.

Less than 5% of the country is covered by geotechnical maps of a 1:50,000 scale, which provides the most clarity of geological resources.

The country has been fully covered in terms of 1:1,000,000 and 1:250,000 scale maps, and the aim is to cover it entirely with 1:50,000 scale maps.

CEO Mosa Mabuza noted that Namibia, Canada and Australia had fully mapped their countries with 1:50,000 scale maps and combined had attracted about 40% of the global mining exploration budget.

“Exploration activity is attracted by the availability of geological information. It is important to invest in the geosciences today to secure the future that we seek,” Mabuza said. Mineral explorers required maps on a scale of 1:50,000.

The council applied to the government for R1.8bn for the mapping programme over the three years from 2018-19 to 2020-21 but received only R386m for this. The government’s total allocation to the council for the medium-term expenditure framework period is R1.4bn. In addition, it generates its own revenue.

Council chief financial officer Leonard Matsepe said it was difficult “to plan, employ the requisite capacity and deliver when funding is not guaranteed. An increase in the baseline allocation is required to plan for the long term.”

Despite funding challenges, Matsepe said the council was in good financial standing in the short term and had for the past 15 years obtained unqualified audit opinions. The council is the repository of all geoscience data in the country and has a budget in 2018 of R414m, rising to R526m in 2019-20.

Mabuza said geological mapping was important to facilitate mineral, energy and agricultural development. It could identify nodes for mineral and upstream petroleum exploration and act as a catalyst for junior mining activities. Another purpose would be to identify potential hazards, such as landslides.

Geological mapping also contributed to the assessment and sustainable management of mineral, geohydrological and geo-environmental resources and assisted with the development of infrastructure.

Acting executive for applied geoscience Christo Craill said geological mapping was an expensive exercise in terms of the skilled personnel and the equipment required.

The council is also involved in the management of derelict and ownerless mines and deep drilling in the Karoo, where the exploration of shale gas is under way. It is doing a five-year study to assess the potential effect of exploitation of shale gas.