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Basic Assessment Report and Environmental Management Programme Report: Lylyveld North WRD and Haul Road Expansions

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Basic Assessment Report and Environmental Management Programme Report: Lylyveld North WRD and Haul Road Expansions 1 BASIC ASSESSMENT REPORT And ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME REPORT SUBMITTED FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AUTHORIZATIONS IN TERMS OF THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ACT, 1998 AND THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT WASTE ACT, 2008 IN RESPECT OF LISTED ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE BEEN TRIGGERED BY APPLICATIONS IN TERMS OF THE MINERAL AND PETROLEUM RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT, 2002 (MPRDA) (AS AMENDED). NAME OF APPLICANT: Sishen Iron Ore Company TEL NO: 053 739 2821 FAX NO: 053 739 2179 POSTAL ADDRESS: Private Bag X506, Kathu 8446 PHYSICAL ADDRESS: Hendrik Van Eck Street, Kathu 8446 FILE REFERENCE NUMBER SAMRAD: N/A 3 Basic Assessment Report and Environmental Management Programme Report: Lylyveld North WRD and Haul Road Expansions Western Waste Rock Residue Deposits Technical Report: E-R-2015-05-02 Prepared for: Sishen Iron Ore Company (Pty) Ltd Prepared by: Exigo Sustainability (Pty) Ltd iv Table of contents 1. CONTACT PERSON AND CORRESPONDENCE ADDRESS ...................................... 1 1.1 Details and expertise of the EAP ...........................................................................................................1 2. LOCATION OF THE OVERALL ACTIVITY .............................................................. 1 2.1 Description of the scope of the proposed overall activity ....................................................................4 2.1.1 Plan showing location of listed activities and associated infrastructure ..........................................4 2.2 Listed and specified activities ...............................................................................................................6 3. DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTIVITIES TO BE UNDERTAKEN ..................................... 6 3.1 Lylyveld North Expansion of Waste Rock Residue Deposit ...................................................................6 3.2 Lylyveld Haul Road Expansion over the farm Bruce .............................................................................6 4. POLICY AND LEGISLATIVE CONTEXT .................................................................. 8 5. NEED AND DESIRABILITY OF THE PROPOSED ACTIVITIES .................................. 8 5.1 Socio-economic value of the activity ....................................................................................................8 5.2 Need and desirability of the activity .....................................................................................................9 5.2.1 Benefits for local communities ...................................................................................................... 10 6. MOTIVATION FOR THE OVERALL PREFERRED SITE, ACTIVITIES AND TECHNOLOGY ALTERNATIVES ................................................................................. 10 7. FULL DESCRIPTION OF THE PROCESS FOLLOWED TO REACH THE PROPOSED PREFERRED ALTERNATIVES WITHIN THE SITE ......................................................... 11 7.1 Details of the development footprint alternatives considered ......................................................... 11 7.1.1 Lylyveld North Dump Locality/Layout ............................................................................................ 11 7.1.2 Lylyveld North Dump Technology (Backfill vs stockpiling) ............................................................. 13 7.1.3 Lylyveld Haul Road Expansion ........................................................................................................ 13 7.1.4 No Go Alternative ........................................................................................................................... 13 8. DETAILS OF THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PROCESS FOLLOWED ....................... 15 8.1 Newspaper Advertisement ................................................................................................................ 15 8.2 Site notice .......................................................................................................................................... 15 8.3 Direct Notification of Identified I&AP’s.............................................................................................. 15 8.4 Summary of issues raised by I&Aps ................................................................................................... 15 9. THE ENVIRONMENTAL ATTRIBUTES ASSOCIATED WITH THE ALTERNATIVES ... 21 9.1 Type of environment affected by the proposed activity ................................................................... 21 v 9.1.1 Regional setting .............................................................................................................................. 21 9.1.2 Vegetation ...................................................................................................................................... 21 9.1.3 Geology and soil types ................................................................................................................... 25 9.1.4 Hydrology and drainage ................................................................................................................. 25 9.1.5 Baseline Water Quality ......................................................................................................................... 25 9.1.6 Climate ........................................................................................................................................... 30 9.1.6.1 Rainfall ............................................................................................................................................ 30 9.1.6.2 Temperatures ................................................................................................................................. 31 9.1.6.3 Evaporation .................................................................................................................................... 31 9.1.6.4 Wind Direction and Speed ............................................................................................................. 32 9.1.7 Air Quality ...................................................................................................................................... 32 9.1.7.1 PM10 Data from the Ambient Network at Sishen ......................................................................... 32 9.1.7.2 Dust fallout ..................................................................................................................................... 34 9.1.8 Visual .............................................................................................................................................. 37 9.1.9 Archaeological ................................................................................................................................ 37 9.1.10 Socio-Economic Structure .............................................................................................................. 40 9.1.11 Economic Development ................................................................................................................. 42 9.1.12 Description of the current land uses. ............................................................................................. 42 9.1.13 Description of specific environmental features and infrastructure on the site. ........................... 43 9.1.14 Environmental and current land use map. .................................................................................... 44 10. IMPACTS IDENTIFIED ...................................................................................... 45 10.1 Methodology used in determining the significance of potential environmental impacts and risks; 45 10.2 Identification of Key Issues ................................................................................................................ 47 10.3 Impact analysis and proposed mitigation measures ......................................................................... 47 10.4 The positive and negative impacts ..................................................................................................... 47 10.4.1 Ecological Impacts .......................................................................................................................... 48 10.4.1.1 Direct habitat destruction .......................................................................................................... 48 10.4.1.2 Habitat fragmentation ............................................................................................................... 48 10.4.1.3 Increased Soil erosion and sedimentation ................................................................................. 48 10.4.1.4 Soil and water pollution ............................................................................................................. 49 10.4.1.5 Air pollution................................................................................................................................ 49 10.4.1.6 Spread and establishment of alien invasive species .................................................................. 49 10.4.1.7 Negative effect of human activities and road mortalities ......................................................... 50 10.4.2 Groundwater Impact ...................................................................................................................... 50 vi 10.4.3 Surface water ................................................................................................................................. 50 10.4.4 Topography ..................................................................................................................................
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