Lesego Platinum Mine
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Technical Report AS-R-2012-12-13 Draft Scoping Report as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment process for the proposed construction and operation of Lesego Platinum Mine and associated infrastructure located on the farms Koppieskraal 475 KS, Spelonk 478 KS, Dal Josaphat 461 KS, Olifantspoort 479 KS, Eerste Regt 502 KS, Zaaikloof 480 KS and Stofpoort 481 KS, Limpopo Province Prepared for: Lesego Platinum Mining (Pty) Ltd December 2012 Document version 1 – Draft Technical report: AS-R-2012-12-13 Prepared by Technical report: AS-R-2012-12-13 Scoping Report: AS-R-2012-12-13 Draft Scoping Report as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment process for the proposed construction and operation of Lesego Platinum Mine and associated infrastructure located on the farms Koppieskraal 475 KS, Spelonk 478 KS, Dal Josaphat 461 KS, Olifantspoort 479 KS, Eerste Regt 502 KS, Zaaikloof 480 KS and Stofpoort 481 KS, Limpopo Province December 2012 Conducted on behalf of: Lesego Platinum Mining (Pty) Ltd Compiled by: M Grobler (Pr.Sci.Nat; BSc Hon. Conservation Ecology) C Smith (BHSC Hons. Archaeology) GAUTENG PROVINCE: Block E, The Village Office Park, 309 Glenwood Road, Faerie Glen, Postnet no 74, Private Bag X07, Arcadia, 0007 Tel: +27-12 751 2160 Fax: +27 (0) 86 607 2406 www.ages-group.com Offices: Eastern Cape Gauteng Limpopo Province Namibia North-West Province Western Cape Zimbabwe AGES Board of Directors: SJ Pretorius JA Myburgh JJP Vivier JH Botha H Pretorius THG Ngoepe SM Haasbroek R Crosby JC Vivier FN de Jager CJH Smit AS Potgieter AGES Gauteng Directors: JJP Vivier JC Vivier E van Zyl M Grobler Lesego Platinum Mine Scoping Report REPORT DISTRIBUTION LIST Name Institution I&APs Refer to Appendix A5 Director Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment & Tourism Richard Montjoie Lesego Platinum Mining (Pty) Ltd DOCUMENT HISTORY Report no Date Version Status AS-R-2012-12-13 13 December 2012 1.0 Draft for Comments AGES iv Lesego Platinum Mine Scoping Report Although Africa Geo-Environmental Services (Pty) Ltd exercises due care and diligence in rendering services and preparing documents, Africa Geo-Environmental Services (Pty) Ltd accepts no liability, and the client, by receiving this document, indemnifies Africa Geo- Environmental Services (Pty) Ltd and its directors, managers, agents and employees against all actions, claims, demands, losses, liabilities, costs, damages and expenses arising from or in connection with services rendered, directly or indirectly by Africa Geo-Environmental Services (Pty) Ltd and by the use of the information contained in this document. This document contains confidential and proprietary information of Africa Geo-Environmental Services (Pty) Ltd and is protected by copyright in favour of Africa Geo-Environmental Services (Pty) Ltd and may not be reproduced, or used without the written consent of Africa Geo- Environmental Services (Pty) Ltd, which has been obtained beforehand. This document is prepared exclusively for Lesego Platinum Mining (Pty) Ltd and is subject to all confidentiality, copyright and trade secrets, rules, intellectual property law and practices of South Africa. AGES v Lesego Platinum Mine Scoping Report Executive Summary 1. Introduction Africa Geo-Environmental Services (Pty) Ltd (AGES), was appointed by Lesego Platinum Mining (Pty) Ltd to facilitate the Scoping and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Process contemplated in the National Environmental Management Act, 107 of 1998 read with the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations 2010, for the proposed mining activities on the farms Koppieskraal 475 KS, Spelonk 478 KS, Dal Josaphat 461 KS, Olifantspoort 479 KS, Eerste Regt 502 KS, Zaaikloof 480 KS and Stofpoort 481 KS, Limpopo Province. The Scoping and EIA Process is being undertaken in support of an environmental authorisation application submitted to the Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism in terms of the National Environmental Management Act (Act No 107 of 1998) (NEMA) read with the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, 2010 (GNR 543 of 2010) (EIA Regulations). The proposed project will involve platinum mining activities and related infrastructure. The resource battery limit of the identified platinum resources is 350 m below ground surface. The ore body underlying the site consists of Merensky as well as UG2 reefs, which will be exploited via access from two vertical shafts. The shaft system will go to a depth of 1700 m with one shaft to be used for man and material and the other for ventilation. Mining will consist of two phases, with phase 1 having an eight years life of mine and phase 2 a fifteen years life of mine. The proposed site is located on the farms Koppieskraal 475 KS, Spelonk 478 KS, Dal Josaphat 461 KS, Olifantspoort 479 KS, Eerste Regt 502 KS, Zaaikloof 480 KS and Stofpoort 481 KS. The proposed site is located next to the Phosiri dome, also known as the Zaaikloof or Fortdraai dome, in the Limpopo Province of South Africa and is approximately 240 km north east of Johannesburg and 65 km northwest of Burgersfort. 2. Approach to the Study Lesego Platinum Mining (Pty) Ltd submitted the environmental authorisation application in terms of section 24 of the NEMA read with regulation 26 of the EIA Regulations on the 26th of April 2012 to the Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (LEDET). Acknowledgement of receipt of the application was received from LEDET on the 26th of April 2012 and a reference number was subsequently issued, AGES vi Lesego Platinum Mine Scoping Report namely: 12/1/9/2-C17. In addition, a Mining Right Application will submitted to the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR). AGES has been appointed to undertake the Scoping and EIA process on behalf of Lesego Platinum Mining (Pty) Ltd. 3. Project Description The proposed project will involve platinum mining activities and related infrastructure. The resource battery limit of the identified platinum resources is below 350 m below ground surface. The ore body underlying the site consists of Merensky as well as UG2 reefs within the Bushveld Igneous Complex, which will be exploited via access from two vertical shafts. The mining method will be mechanised long hole open stoping from depths of 350 m to 1,200 m and then conventional breast stoping using scraper cleaning on the stope faces, strike and dip gullies from depths of 1,200 m to 2,350 m. Ore will be processed at an onsite processing plant, and tailings will be disposed of at an on-site tailings disposal facility (TDF). The overall life of mine for the combined deposits will be approximately 60 years. Infrastructure Requirements Envisaged infrastructure will comprise of the following: • Underground mining infrastructure; • A tailings disposal facility (TDF); • A processing plant and associated infrastructure; • Offices and workshops; • Water management and distribution infrastructure; • A 132 kV electricity line; • Diesel storage facilities; • Sewage treatment plant; • Water treatment plant; • Haul and access roads and bridges • Perimeter and internal fencing; • Waste rock dumps; and • Topsoil stockpiles. AGES vii Lesego Platinum Mine Scoping Report 4. Public Participation The details of the public participation process as well as a summary of the issues raised by interested and affected parties (I&APs) and the Environmental Assessment Practitioner’s (EAP) response to the issues raised as contemplated in regulation 28(a) and 29(1)(h) of the EIA Regulations 2010 are captured in a Comments and Response Report which will be submitted along with this Scoping Report. Preliminary key issues raised by the I&APs include inter alia the following: • Ecological Impact o Guarantee of rehabilitation of the area after mining • Groundwater Impact • Surface water Impact o Impact of contaminated water on the Olifants River o Control of contaminated water • Air Pollution • Heritage Impact o Impact on graves and old buildings o Respect for cultural sites o Preservation of graves • Socio-economic impacts o Communication and interaction with local community o Job creation, social investment, health, safety and security o Outsourcing of non-core business to local community o Skill training for local community AGES viii Lesego Platinum Mine Scoping Report o Sustainable development projects o Request for assistance with community projects o Access to the Social Labour Plan (SLP) • Change of land use 5. The Site • The proposed site is located next to the Phosiri dome, also known as the Zaaikloof or Fortdraai dome. The dome rises approximately 950 meters above mean sea level (mamsl) reaching a maximum height of 1,112 mamsl along the southern flank and a maximum of 992 mamsl on the eastern flank (Henning, 2011). The regional topography of the study area can generally be classified as low mountainous terrain throughout most parts of the central, eastern and western sections of the study area often forming deep valleys and a gorge where the Olifants River cuts through the mountainous area. • The site is situated within a rural area utilised for subsistence farming and rural settlements. The agricultural potential associated with the site is classified as low due to soil and climate constraints and is utilised mainly for extensive grazing purposes. The site is classified as Ohrigstad Mountain Bushveld as well as Sekhukhune Plains Bushveld. (Mucina and Rutherford, 2006). • The study area is located within the Olifants Water Management Area and falls mainly within the Quaternary surface water catchment B52E, with parts of the site situated within B52D and B52B quaternary surface water catchments. The Olifants River is the main surface water feature on site transecting the site mainly in a north easterly direction. • The study area is drained mainly by sheet wash with surface run-off draining into non- perennial streams that cut through the proposed development area. These non- perennial streams eventually drain into the Olifants River or one of its two main tributaries, namely the Mohlaletsi River in the south and the Pelangwe River in the north.