On April 24th, 2025, six months after leaving Base Titanium, I returned, no longer as part of the team this time, but as part of a delegation that was eager to see the progress of the rehabilitation efforts. Of course, nostalgia hit hard right from 'barrier one' as we famously called the first security stop, but nothing prepared me for what I would feel once I stepped in Bumamani. There, my excitement blew the roof off and it honestly felt like stepping into a living memory. This was a mine I had actively participated in bringing to life, both in it's commissioning and operation!
My mind vividly painted the memories of the high pressurized water arcs from the mining guns, the roaring engines of earth movers moving mounds of the earth, massive water pumps dewatering the mine when the rain decided to pour, humongous manifold valves proudly displaying the seriousness of the ongoing operations, the deep launders transporting slurry down to the Run-of-mine pump, and even our breakfast and lunch breaks that were filled with stories and laughter. Yooh, life in the Bundus was something else!
However, this time, things looked so different. The land that we had extensively excavated in order to extract the very valuable Ilmenite, Rutile and Zircon minerals, had been meticulously back-filled, and green grass now covered the active open pit where haul trucks once rumbled. Clearly, the scars of mining were gently healing. To top it all off, I got an opportunity to plant trees on the area where I’d once battled mud, rain and the scorching sun to meet production targets.
As a mining engineer, this moment was profound! Our work often centers on the extraction of minerals, but in all honesty, rehabilitation is where responsibility is borne. The minerals we extracted at Bumamani are as essential as steel and limestone since they are the silent enablers of our modern lives. Apart from the renewable energy and aerospace industries hinging on these minerals, they go into paints, giving buildings, cars, and industrial structures their bright, durable finishes. You can imagine how dull the urban landscapes would be without these minerals! Nevertheless, the land’s rehabilitation is equally critical. It just goes to show that sustainable mining isn’t just about extracting, it is about restoring.
Therefore, at that very moment, my heart was full! Seeing Bumamani transition from an active operation to a beautiful rehabilitated landscape was a great privilege and it proved that with strategic and intentional planning, mining and environmental stewardship can coexist!