BCL’s 10-Year Liquidation Nears Closure

The regulator clears safe closure works, with access road blockage remaining before license surrender The long-running liquidation of BCL Mine is nearing completion after the mining regulator confirmed that all major safe closure works at the mine site have been completed, paving the way for the liquidator to surrender the company’s mining license. Responding to a parliamentary question from Selibe Phikwe West Member of Parliament Reuben Kaizer on when the liquidation process, which has now stretched over 10 years, will be concluded, the Minister of Minerals and Energy Bogolo Kenewendo said the process could be completed within a week. BCL Mine ceased operations in October 2016 after the government decided to place the loss-making state-owned mining company under provisional liquidation, bringing an end to mining operations in Selebi-Phikwe.

The liquidation process has since stretched for nearly a decade and has cost the government billions of pula. Kenewendo revealed that, following the completion of the safe closure programme, the mining regulator conducted a final on-site inspection of the BCL Mine Site on 16 July 2026. “The safe closure programme, undertaken by the liquidator and overseen by a government-appointed Task Team, commenced on 29 October 2025 after several closure work streams were identified as necessary before the surrender of the mining licence,” the minister stated.

According to Kenewendo, the final inspection found that all safe closure works had been completed to the regulator’s satisfaction, with only one outstanding requirement: for the liquidator to block the access road leading to the open pit. The process of blocking the access road is expected to take less than a week to complete. “Once this has been done, the liquidator is expected to surrender the BCL mining license and will be released from any further rehabilitation obligations relating to the mine site,” the minister added.

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The development marks a significant step towards concluding the liquidation of the state-owned mining company, which has been under liquidation for almost 10 years. However, Kenewendo indicated that the remaining matters required to finalize the liquidation process are outside the ministry’s control. According to the ministry, these matters are regulated by the applicable provisions of the Companies Act, under which the Master of the High Court and the High Court supervise the liquidator in the performance of her duties.

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