# The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources welcomes a High Court judgment in Johannesburg protecting funds set aside for mine rehabilitation and environmental restoration. The department says the ruling reinforces the principle that these funds must be used for their intended purpose and protected from competing commercial interests. It adds mining companies must take responsibility for the environmental impact of their operations, ensuring the state and taxpayers are not left to cover the cost of environmental damage.
Court judgment reinforces mining companies’ responsibility to restore the environment