Open cast mining causes huge amounts of physical damage to the geology of the land, which has direct implications on the extent to which it can be used after the ore has been extracted. In South Africa, mining companies are required to submit rehabilitation plans before permits are granted, but the guidelines they must follow are often loose and do not take into account how the land was used before mining took place. Generally, mining companies plan on returning land to grassland within three to five years, without recognizing that restoring a sustainable, healthy, mixed farming community can take decades. By pushing for accurate feasibility studies before mining commences, mining companies and communities can get a true sense of the cost of open cast mining and what a just and sustainable approach to the industry might look like. Feature Randfontein Mine, Johannesburg.