A group of highly endangered black rhinos is protected until 6 March to be peacefully protected by the conservation areas - Sorris Sorris, Uibasen Twyfelfontein and Doro ! Nawas - to walk. Then the court dispute will proceed to determine whether mining operations may continue in this area. Acting High Court Judge Anne-Doris Hans-Kaumbi ordered on Tuesday that the trial over planned open-pit tin mines in the area will not proceed until March. Until then, interdicts against further development of any new mining operations in the area remain in force. The three conservation areas and Ultimate Safaris filed the court case against the government and the tin miners involved last year and obtained the interdict. "The review application is now at the point where the applicants must submit amended notices and affidavits by February 25," said Tristan Cowley, the managing director of Ultimate Safaris. In this court application, the court reviewed the procedure followed in issuing the environmental clearance certificates and mining licences to the respective aspiring tin mine developers, Ottilie Ndimulunde and Timoteus Mashuna.