South Africa’s mineral resources department has withdrawn its plan to impose a moratorium suspending the issuance of new mining and prospecting rights, which had drawn a court challenge by an industry group.

The department said in a statement that based on various submissions from industry players on its proposed move it would not go ahead with the moratorium.

Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane said in July he intended to suspend the granting of applications for prospecting and mining rights. South Africa’s Chamber of Mines lodged a court application to prevent the moratorium.

The chamber has also filed a court challenge against a new mining charter that proposes to increase the required level of ownership of mining firms by black people.

Reporting by Tanisha Heiberg; Editing by James Macharia