- The R31.5bn SUISO coal-to-fertiliser project moves closer to environmental and land-use milestones.
- SUISO (Pty) Ltd is a pioneering South African company specialising in blue ammonia production at its state-of-the-art facility in Kriel, Mpumalanga.
- The Department of Mineral Resources has approved Section 102 which opens the door for industrial rezoning.
- Scoping and environmental assessment are complete which were submitted at pre-application meeting.
The Hiryo Plant, SUISO’s R31.5-billion coal-to-fertiliser project in Kriel, Mpumalanga, continues to gain momentum with the recent achievement of critical regulatory and environmental milestones, including official land rezoning and steady progress on key environmental authorisation.
The plant will serve as a major industrial anchor in the region, converting coal feedstock into high-quality fertiliser. The R31.5-billion project will support 4 000 jobs in construction phase and around 1 000 jobs in steady state; enhance regional infrastructure and advance sustainable industrial development in Mpumalanga.
The company received word in early April that the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy has given Section 102 approval for the development of the Hiryo Plant on land now officially rezoned for industrial use.
“The rezoning confirmation, coupled with progress in our environmental approvals, reflects a commitment by both the government and SUISO to ensure the project proceeds with full compliance and transparency,” says Paul Erskine, SUISO founder. “This is a vital step forward in preparing the site for the construction and operation of the plant.”
SUISO is working closely with environmental consultants Elemental Sustainability (Pty) Ltd to secure the full suite of licences required under South African environmental law. These include environmental authorisation (under the National Environmental Management Act), securing a Waste Management licence (under the National Environmental Management Waste Act), securing an air emission licence (under the Air Quality Act), and a water use licence (under the National Water Act).
The Competent Authority (CA) will be the Mpumalanga Provincial Environmental Department for the Application of Environmental Authorisation in terms of NEMA and associated listed activities. The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment is CA for the waste licensing and hazardous waste activities.
The authorisation process, initiated in May 2024, has completed several milestones. These include a financial scoping report and an environmental impact assessment (with an environmental management programme under development). Draft reports for Hiryo’s environmental management programme will be ready for public review by the beginning of July 2025.
“Specialist site visits for biodiversity, hydrology and other studies are on track for completion this month. Financial reports on these studies are expected by mid-May,” Erskine says, adding that water use licence processes are well underway, with a final decision on water use expected by February next year.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
