Exploration

Environmental Assessment Kavango East,

,

For Base Metals On EPLs 5606, 4934, 5712 & 5713 By

Enviro Dynamics November 2014

COPYRIGHT © ENVIRO DYNAMICS, 2014. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

PROJECT NAME Environmental Assessment for the exploration of base metals on exclusive prospecting licenses 5606, 4934, 5712 & 5713), Kavango East Region, Namibia

STAGE OF REPORT Environmental Scoping Report for Public Review

CLIENT Rio Tinto Mining and Exploration (Pty) Ltd & Rundu Exploration (Pty) Ltd Enquiries: Henry Stratford Tel: +264 (0) 816 118 589 E-Mail: [email protected]

LEAD Enviro Dynamics cc CONSULTANT Enquiries: Quzette Bosman Tel: +264 (0) 61 223 336 E-Mail: [email protected]

DATE OF RELEASE November 2014

AUTHOR Quzette Bosman, Eddy Kuliwoye, Sigi Horsthemke Internal Reviewer: Stephanie van Zyl

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ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT PRACTITIONER DECLARATION

I hereby declare that I do/will: (a) Have knowledge of and experience in conducting specialist assessments, including knowledge of the Environmental Management Act (Act 7 of 2007) and the Regulations and Guidelines that have relevance to the proposed activity; (b) Perform the work relating to the application in an objective manner, even if these results in views and findings that is not favourable to the applicant; (c) Comply with the abovementioned Act, its Regulations, Guidelines and other applicable laws.

I also declare that there is, to my knowledge, no information in my possession that reasonably has or may have the potential of influencing – (I) any decision to be taken with respect to the application in terms of the Act and its Regulations; or (ii) The objectivity of this report, plan or document prepared in terms of the Act and its Regulations.

Quzette Bosman Environmental Assessment Practitioner

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Executive Summary

As the holder of three prospecting licenses (EPL 5606, 5712 5713), Rio Tinto Mining and Exploration (Pty) Ltd (RTME) has embarked on obtaining Environmental Clearance to be able to conduct prospecting activities on them, please refer to the figure below. They have further entered into a joint venture with H Sands Trading Enterprises cc, together known as Rundu Exploration (Pty) Ltd (Rundu Exploration) regarding a fourth EPL (EPL 4934) which is located in the middle of the mentioned three. Enviro Dynamics cc (ED) have therefore been appointed to conduct the Environmental Assessment which will support an application for Environmental Clearance in terms of the Environmental Management Act, Act No 7 of 2007 (EMA). This Scoping Report and related Environmental Management Plan have been compiled to fulfil the environmental assessment requirements.

Proposed prospecting activities will be conducted in two phases. This first phase, referred to as non-invasive prospecting entails the process of information gathering through airborne geophysical surveys, ground truthing and analysis of data obtained from these activities. Findings of this non-invasive phase define the second phase of prospecting which is the invasive phase. During the invasive phase, target areas, which may accommodate base metals, are defined and delineated where drilling will be conducted. The type of drilling to be employed is dependent on the geological strata and would either be Reverse Circulation or Diamond Core drilling.

The impact exploration and related activities may have on the environment includes both bio-physical and social elements. Both of these have been considered and assessed in this report. This assessment has further endeavoured to consult local communities, authorities and non-Government Organisations (NGO’s) and invite them to participate in the assessment process which was conducted according to the EMA. Two conservancies have been established in the western and central portions of the site (Muduva Nyangana & Shamungwa) while two traditional authorities are also governing the area. Across the entire area subsistence farming is the main means of employment and provision.

Sensitive bio-physical environments have been identified along the Okavango River which forms the northern and eastern boundaries of the combined EPL area. There is a declared Ramsar site south and east of EPLs 5713 and 5712. Related to the sensitive bio-physical environment are various national and international conservation initiatives and programs which are linked to sustainable development and tourism. These communities and their related organisations have further been included on the project stakeholder list.

Adopting the general conditions that drilling will only be undertaken if deemed absolutely necessary in the sensitive riverine environment along the Okavango River (and with further specialist studies and consultation) during the invasive phase and that all mitigation measures, as set out in the Environmental Management Plan are adhered to; it is not foreseen that the proposed exploration activities will have any significant impacts on the bio- physical and social environment. It is therefore recommended that RTME and Rundu Exploration be granted Environmental Clearance for exploration.

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Figure A: Locality of EPL’s

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Table of Contents

Executive Summary ...... ii Table of Contents ...... iv Abbreviations & Acronyms ...... vi Glossary of Terms & Definitions ...... vii List of Figures ...... viii List of Tables ...... viii List of Photos ...... viii List of Appendices ...... ix 1. Introduction ...... 1 2. Environmental Assessment Process ...... 2 2.1 Environmental Assessment Requirements ...... 2 2.2 Reporting ...... 2 3. Project Description ...... 3 3.1 The Exploration Process ...... 3 3.2 Exploration Activities & Requirements ...... 4 3.3 Schedule of Planned Events ...... 5 4. Need and Desirability ...... 6 4.1. Alternatives ...... 6 5. Environmental Description ...... 10 6. Policy and Legal Framework ...... 17 6.1 National and International Legislation ...... 17 6.2 Local and Regional Spatial Planning ...... 18 7. Public Consultation ...... 19 7.1 Printed Media ...... 19 7.1.1. Background Information Document ...... 19 7.1.2. Newspaper Advertisements & Articles ...... 19 7.2.1. Site Notices ...... 19 7.2 Building a Stakeholder Database ...... 20 7.3 Stakeholder Meetings & Key Conversations ...... 20 7.3.1. Traditional Authorities and Cultural Groups ...... 20 7.3.2. Authorities and Conservancies...... 21 7.3.3. Community Members / Organisations and NGO’s ...... 21

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8. Environmental Impact Assessment ...... 22 9. Conclusion and Recommendations ...... 29 10. Bibliography ...... 30 Appendix A ...... 31 Appendix B ...... 32 Appendix C ...... 33 Appendix D ...... 34 Appendix E ...... 35 Appendix F ...... 36

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Abbreviations & Acronyms

ABBREVIATION DEFINITION & ACRONYMS

BID Background Information Document BNP DEA Directorate of Environmental Affairs

EC Environmental Clearance

ED Enviro Dynamics cc EIA Environmental Impact Assessment

EMA Environmental Management Act, 2007 (Act no. 7 of 2007) EPL Exclusive Prospecting License

GIS Geographic Information System IRDNC Integrated Rural Development and Nature Conservation.

KOAR Kavango Open Africa Route MET Ministry of Environment and Tourism

MME Ministry of Mines and Energy

NGO Non-Government Organisation OBMC Kavango Basin Management Committee PPE Personal Protective Equipment RTME Rio Tinto Exploration Ltd

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Glossary of Terms & Definitions

TERM DEFINITION

Biodiversity The variability among living organisms from all sources including, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are a part. Diamond Core Utilizes an annular diamond-holding drill bit attached to the end of hollow drill Drilling rods to cut a cylindrical core of solid rock. Diamond drilling is much slower than reverse circulation (RC) drilling due to the hardness of the ground being drilled.

Environment All physical, chemical and biological factors and conditions that influence an object and/or organism. Also defined as the surroundings within which humans exist and are made up of the land, water, atmosphere, plant and animal life (micro and macro), interrelationships between the factors and the physical or chemical conditions that influence human health and well-being. Environmental Documents that have to be submitted with technical reports to the Ministry of Questionnaires Mines and Energy (MME) and the Ministry of Environment and Tourism annually (MET) when applying for an EPL.

Geophysical survey The systematic collection of geophysical data for spatial studies. Geophysical surveys may use a great variety of sensing instruments, and data may be collected from above or below the Earth's surface or from aerial, orbital, or marine platforms.

Invasive Exploration activities which result in disturbance of the bio-physical Exploration environment, such as geology, soil and vegetation. It includes activities such as drilling. Non-invasive Exploration activities that do not cause a significant direct disturbance to the Exploration bio-physical environment. It includes activities such as aerial surveys. Reverse Circulation A technique which allows for full recovery of the soil and rock samples, without (RC) drilling any wall contamination. Performed by using a tri-blade, tri-cone or a down- hole hammer, the samples are evacuated through the face of the bit into the inside tube of a dual wall drill steel so that they never come in contact with the borehole wall. This technique is both cost effective and quick. The borehole usually has a diameter of 150 mm and a depth of 50 to 200 meters.

VIP System A pit toilet with a black pipe (vent pipe) fitted to the pit, and a screen (flyscreen) at the top outlet of the pipe.

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List of Figures

Figure 1: Location of four EPLs (ED, 2014) ...... 1 Figure 2: Conservancies and constituencies within the combined EPL area (ED 2014) ...... 11 Figure 3: Population density and area of archaeological interest ...... 14 Figure 4: Ecologically sensitive areas in the Kavango Region as per Integrated Land use planning ...... 15

List of Tables

Table 1: Description of exploration activities and related requirements ...... 4 Table 2: Alternative compression table...... 7 Table 3: Bio-physical Elements of the receiving environment summarised from (SPC, 2014) (Mendelsohn & el Obeid, 2003) ...... 12 Table 4: National and International Legislation framework ...... 17 Table 5: Environmental Sensitivity in relation to exploration activities ...... 22 Table 6: Potential impacts...... 25

List of Photos

Photo 1: An aircraft conducting airborne geophysical surveys (Photo: Ministry of Mines and Energy, 2006) ...... 4 Photo 2: Geophysicist conducting a geophysical survey (Photo: Rio Tinto) ...... 4 Photo 3: Physical pollution visible around a village on the eastern portion of the combined EPL area ...... 10 Photo 4: Typical depiction of subsistence agriculture practised (during October) on the N-W portions of the combined EPL area (Photo: Q Bosman) ...... 16 Photo 5: Typical depiction of topography and vegetation of the central portion of the combined EPL area prior to the rainy season (Photo: Q Bosman) ...... 16 Photo 6: Typical depiction of the topography. Okavango River and vegetation of the eastern portion of the combined EPL area prior to the rainy season (Photo Bosman) ...... 16 Photo 7: Site Notice 1 (Photo: Q Bosman) ...... 19 Photo 8: Site Notice 3 (Photo: R Philipps) ...... 19 Photo 9: Location of site Notice 2 (Photo: Q. Bosman) ...... 19 Photo 10: Omega Village of the Khwe people ...... 21

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List of Appendices

Appendix A: Environmental Management Plan Appendix B: EPL Boundaries Appendix C: Public Consultation Process Appendix D: Legal Framework Appendix E: Exploration Explained Appendix F: Curriculum Vitae: Quzette Bosman

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1. Introduction

Rio Tinto Mining and Exploration (RTME) is a division of Rio Tinto, a mining company which operates across the globe. The goal of the exploration division is to create value for Rio Tinto by discovering and acquiring new mineral recourses. The exploration division has been operational for approximately 70 years in over 20 countries by 2013.

In Namibia, Rio Tinto has been operating the Rössing Uranium Mine since 1976 and conducting various exploration programs. RTME recently applied for Exclusive Prospecting Licenses (EPLs) in the Kavango East region to examine the geology and determine base metal winning possibilities for commercial mining, unrelated to the Rössing operations. (Refer to Figure 1). RTME also entered a Joint Venture agreement with H Sands Enterprises cc, together known as Rundu Exploration (Pty) Ltd (Rundu Exploration) in August 2014 concerning EPL 4934. H Sands is a locally based company wholly owned by Namibians. The co-ordinates of the EPLs are attached in Appendix B.

Before any prospecting activities may commence, RTME & H Sands require Environmental Clearance (EC) to conduct any such exploration activities. Environmental Clearance for the combined EPL area (EPL 5606, 4934, EPL 5712 & EPL 5713) which extends approximately 70km E-W and 40km N-S from Botswana to the Angolan border, will be applied for in terms of the Namibian Environmental Management Act, 2007 (Act No 7 of 2007)(EMA).

Figure 1: Location of four EPLs (ED, 2014)

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Enviro Dynamics cc (ED) has been appointed to conduct an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the proposed prospecting activities as well as to compile a related Environmental Management Plan (EMP) as required for an EC application. This Scoping report has been compiled to fulfil these requirements. Quzette Bosman is the team leader for the project and her Curriculum Vitae are attached in Appendix F.

2. Environmental Assessment Process

2.1 Environmental Assessment Requirements

An Environmental Assessment is a planning process used to help ensure that environmental features are taken into consideration early in the project development phase. For the purposes of this assessment the EA is a valuable tool that identifies undesirable effects on the environment that may arise from prospecting activities, and provide measures for these to be avoided. This Scoping Report and related EMP are drafted to facilitate the aforementioned. The objectives thereof are to:

 Identify adverse environmental problems as well as benefits that might be expected to occur;  Allow the incorporation of appropriate mitigation measures into the project;  Identify the critical problems which require further study or monitoring; and  Enable the selection of optimal alternatives from the various relevant options available if feasible.

This report once completed and inclusive of public / stakeholder comments, will be submitted to the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) of the Ministry of Environmental and Tourism (MET) which is the custodian of the EMA, 2007. The contents of these documents are therefore legally binding and should the requirements not be adhered to, an EC may be subject to a compliance order process as stipulated in Section 20 of the EMA. 2007.

Should an EC Certificate be granted the exploration team may commence with their planned activities for a period of three years where after an extension of the EC may be applied for.

2.2 Reporting

Bordering each other in block format (Figure 1) and located across a commonly shared terrain and environment, one Scoping Report and related EMP, combining all four EPLs, have been compiled and will be submitted to the DEA for a combined EC.

This scoping report, as compiled in terms of the EMA and its regulations, includes the following:

 Project Description (technical overview of exploration activities and requirements),  Policy and Legal Framework (Identify all legislation and guidelines that have reference to the proposed project),  Description of the need and desirability of exploration,

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 Environment Description (Identify existing environmental (both bio-physical and socio- economic) conditions of the area in order to determine their environmental sensitivity),  Public Consultation Process (Inform Interested and Affected Parties (I&APs) and relevant authorities of the details of the proposed prospecting,  Impact Assessment (Consider the potential environmental and social impacts of the development, and assess the significance of the identified impacts).

The following section provides a description of what the proposed exploration activities will entail.

3. Project Description

3.1 The Exploration Process

The identified area of exploration is largely an unknown geological locale. Very little or any mapping thereof had been conducted in the past. The objective of the planned exploration is consequently to generate geological data and to identify any base metal deposits therein, copper in particular, which are viable for commercial mining. Such exploration is to be conducted in two phases. The second of these, invasive exploration, is fundamentally dependant on the first non-invasive exploration phase. The latter provides information on the broader geological structure of the area and is indicative of possible ore bodies which may be explored through drilling and resource evaluation (which forms part of invasive exploration).

Non-invasive exploration will be conducted through airborne geophysical surveying and data analysis. Photo 1 shows a typical aircraft conducting geophysical survey with related equipment. Once the information gathered through these processes have been evaluated and confirmed, target areas will be identified which may be drilled (as part of invasive exploration). A detailed explanation of the nature of exploration and the different phases for this project is attached in Appendix E.

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Photo 1: An aircraft conducting airborne geophysical Photo 2: Geophysicist conducting a surveys (Photo: Ministry of Mines and Energy, 2006) geophysical survey (Photo: Rio Tinto)

3.2 Exploration Activities & Requirements

The table below provides a list of the activities associated with both exploration phases as well as related labour and equipment requirements.

Table 1: Description of exploration activities and related requirements

NON-INVASIVE EXPLORATION INVASIVE EXPLORATION

Description of  Historical data collation  Field sampling Exploration Activities  File sampling  Reverse Circulation (RC)  Geological field mapping, and/or Diamond Drilling including soil sampling or  ground geophysical surveys (such as line cutting)  Fixed and rotary wing aerial geophysical surveys Equipment  Airborne survey aircraft  4x4 vehicle(s) Requirements (fixed or rotary wing)  Drilling support truck(s)  Geophysical survey  Reverse Circulation & vehicle(s) (4x4 vehicles) Diamond drill rig(s) and equipment  Compressor and generator(s)  Fuel to power the drill rigs (transported in drums or in

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NON-INVASIVE EXPLORATION INVASIVE EXPLORATION

a small fuel truck)

Approximate In-  Geologist(s) (two),  Geologist(s) (up to two) house Labour  Field assistant(s), (two)  Field assistant(s) up to four Requirements  Health and Safety Officer  Health and Safety Officer  Logistics Officer  Logistics Officer  Aircraft and geo-mapping  Drilling Crew (up to 10) operator (aerial surveyor & Pilot) Site Access  Via existing track  Via existing track  Development of new tracks will be kept to a minimum if required

Storage  Bag samples Lay down area to Requirements  Geo-mapping equipment accommodate:  Aircraft  Hydrocarbon and fuel (storage in bonded area)  Core sample storage  Drill rig equipment

Accommodation  Hired accommodation to Exploration Project Camp to Requirements accommodate all staff accommodate:   10 Crew and professional staff  In designated pre- determined, area

The above tabled activities and resulting actions are considered during the impact assessment section (Section 8) and in relation to the receiving environment. The overall timing of exploration is discussed below. Exploration involves the identification, prioritisation and testing of geological, 3.3 Schedule of Planned Events geochemical and geophysical targets. RTME and Rundu Exploration have agreed that should The exploration process ends when a EC be granted, communication with regards to non- discovery is handed over to one of Rio invasive exploration will be initiated through Tinto’s product groups (i.e. Aluminium, established community communication channels. Copper, Diamonds & Minerals, Energy Thereafter such activities will be conducted. Due to and Iron Ore) for detailed evaluation. the nature of exploration, the long term duration thereof will be determined by its findings. Experience has proven that this phase may last from a couple of months to up to three years. Once the results of its findings have been verified and proven feasible for continued exploration, a drilling programme will be drafted and invasive explorations conducted accordingly. Again

Rio Tinto Mining and Exploration (Pty) Ltd & Rundu Exploration (Pty) Ltd Scoping Report November 2014 6 this process is also result-driven and may last for a couple of months to many years. The following section outlines the need and desirability of exploration while considering various project alternatives.-

4. Need and Desirability

It has been briefly mentioned in Section 3, that limited geological information of the area has been generated, especially with regard to the possibility of occurrence of base metals. Apart from investigating the geology for traces of these and determining whether it is commercially minable, all of the geological information will be made available to the Ministry of Mines and Energy which will make the information available to the Geological Survey of Namibia.

RTME are in the process of obtaining two of the five EPL’s (which were applied for together) from the Ministry of Mines and Energy who is the custodian of mineral rights as owned by the state of Namibia. In essence the state, in terms of the Minerals Act, Act No 33 of 1992 has the right to provide such rights (EPLs) for any minerals as per their requirements and application processes.

These required exploration activities may be conducted in a range of alternative ways. Therefore various project alternatives are considered in the next section, which also indicates the preferred alternative.

4.1. Alternatives

Various alternatives have been identified in terms of the exploration and its related activities. The most significant of these being technology, timing and sanitation. Technology alternatives refer to the various drilling techniques and equipment available. These will largely be informed by the geology and results on the non-invasive exploration activities. Timing and location of any exploration activities are further highlighted in terms of sensitive receptors which are to be considered in this tourism sensitive environment.

RTME and Rundu Exploration have confirmed that their intention is not to directly abstracted from the Okavango River unless as a last resort and not without required permits and additional community communication. Water will be obtained from existing sources for domestic and operational use. All attainment of water will be discussed and negotiated with the holder of the water rights, for each particular source from which it may be required.

All alternatives are listed below in a comparison table which indicates the preferred alternative.

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Table 2: Alternative compression table

ALTERNATIVE ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE DESCRIPTION

Energy Requirements: Cooking

Gas for Cooking  Portable and  Explosive properties in  During the non-invasive phase there will be removable source terms of health and limited cooking as staff will reside in hired  Renewable and not safety requirements. accommodation and related meal provision. obtained from the  Transportation of If and when cooking is to be conducted, it receiving environment hazardous material will be done as per electricity or gas.  Require training in use  During the invasive phase energy Purchased Wood for  Investment in local  Limited registered requirements are proposed to be met Cooking economy vendors available through the use of gas and purchased wood  Natural source which have harvesting (from registered permit holding vendors). permits

Electricity for  Inexpensive  No infrastructure Cooking  Readily usable and available consumer friendly Energy Requirements: Operations

Fuel  Readily available  Required safety and  No alternative energy sources area feasibly  Cost effective emergency procedures implementable during the non-invasive  No repair requirements – storage and phase. During the invasive phase, it is  transportation training proposed that fuel be used as the  Waste by-product (gas conventional energy provide. The amount emissions) thereof is proposed to be decreased by the  Extensive Storage area employment solar technologies where

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ALTERNATIVE ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE DESCRIPTION

Solar  Renewable resources  Dependent on sunny available and feasible – such as for lightning.  Easily transportable to days radiation required application  Expensive capital area expenditure  Limited storage area  Repair requirements costly and time consuming

Sanitation

Trench Latrine  No artificial chemicals  Limited capacity  Ablution facilities for the non-invasive phase  Very cost effective  Short term will be those as per the hired  Limited vegetation  Fixed area accommodation. disturbance   It is proposed that the invasive phase VIP System  No artificial chemicals  Soil and vegetation consider a combination of the VIP system  Extensive Capacity disturbance and portable camp toilet. Depending on the  Fixed area drilling program, a VIP system may be established at the contactors camp while Portable Camp Toilet  Easily transportable  Artificial chemicals portable camp toilets should be taken and  No direct impact on  Transportation of removed daily to drill sites. the environment and hazardous material ecology (if disposed  Disposal required at legitimately) existing facility

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The assessment of impacts is based on the use of the preferred alternatives as presented above. The preferred alternatives have further been incorporated into the EMP. This section concludes the exploration related description and the following section focuses on a description of the receiving environment.

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5. Environmental Description

The combined EPL area is located across the Ndiyona and Mukwe constituencies of the Kavango East Regional Council. It is accessed by the B8 national road which traverses the area from west to east as it extends from Rundu to . Registered conservancies are located on the central and western portions of the area while the Bwabwata National Park (BNP) forms the eastern boundary. MET officials have confirmed that the Shamungwa conservancy is not functional and that there is a no fly zone s-w of the area. The combined EPL area falls outside this zone. The Forestry Department have established programmes not only in this area, but across the combined EPL area and are joined by the Department of Inland Fisheries who also have established programmes in the area around the Okavango River.

The Giriku Traditional Authority governs the NW portions of the area while the Hambukushu Traditional Authority is located across the central and eastern portions. The Khwe people reside adjacent to the area in the Buffalo Core locale of the BNP, refer to Figure 2 overleaf. The NW portions are characterised by subsistence crop farming practices. Various villages and homesteads personify the landscape. Although the central and eastern portions have such villages and homesteads, there are basically no crop fields cultivated. Agricultural initiatives focus on goat and cattle farming. Village areas are degraded with physical pollution evident in the absence of waste management systems.

Framing the northern and eastern borders is the Okavango River which is the border between Namibia and Angola where after it meanders south into Botswana. The Botswana / Namibia national border is also the southern perimeter of the combined EPL area. Along the Okavango River are numerous tourism enterprises and establishments which have formalised a representative organisation, the Kavango Open Africa Route (KOAR). KOAR promotes tourism and is one of numerous associations and organisations which aim at conserving the Okavango River Ecology and surrounding environment. National and International NGO’s and government programmes are active in the areas surrounding the Okavango River. A list of these organisations is included in Appendix. B. A summary of the bio-physical and social elements of the receiving environment are presented in the Table below.

Photo 3: Physical pollution visible around a village on the eastern portion of the combined EPL area

(Photo: Q Bosman)

EPL 5712 and 5713 border a declared Ramsar site east of the combined EPL are (Figure 4).

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Figure 2: Conservancies and constituencies within the combined EPL area (ED 2014)

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Table 3: Bio-physical Elements of the receiving environment summarised from (SPC, 2014) (Mendelsohn & el Obeid, 2003)

BASELINE ENVIRONMENT

BIO-PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT

 Flat topography with undulating plains dipping towards the  Possible human Settlement of the past around the east Okavango River (about 5km wide) as well as around Topography  1000 – 12000 m above sea level Archaeology areas with shallow cover of dune sand (SPC, 2014) & Elevation  Possible sites of importance and interest on the eastern portion of site as indicated in Figure 3

 Underlain by Kalahari and Namib Sands of the Kalahari  Area is mostly Communal governed by the Group Land Ownership, Hambukushu Traditional Authority in the east and the Geology &  Medium soil fertility as part of Ferralic Arenosols conservancies & Giriku Traditional Authority in the west. Soils Traditional  Maduva Nyangana and Shamungwa Communal Authorities Conservancies  Some privately owned properties along the river

 The productive porous ground water aquifer and all surface  Main agriculture activity: Crop farming (53%), Livestock Surface & runoff drain north towards the Okavango River. Part of the farming (23%), Poultry farming (8%) international Kavango Basin  North-western portion and portions along the river have Ground Land Use  Almost all groundwater is considered to be potable been cleared for subsistence farming Water  Various Tourism establishments along the river in the high potential tourist zone.

 Summer rainfall varies from 500mm in the west up to 600mm  Average population growth rate in comparison with in the north and eastern portions of the site National rate 2  High radiation levels 6 – 6.2 kWh/m /day through 7 – 9 Population  Area is part of greater Kavango region with highest Rainfall and hours of sunlight/day death rate in Namibia Density & radiation  South east density is low (0-1people) per m2)gradually Distribution increasing towards the north to medium (10-40 people per m2)) Figure 3  Density increases towards the urban centre of Divundu

Temperature  Warm climate with temperatures exceeding 30⁰C for most  Kavango unemployment rate– 50.1% (higher than and of the year apart from May, June and July Economy national of 36.9%) Humidity  Average maximum temperatures are between 32⁰ C and  Main employment industries: Agriculture, Forestry & 34⁰ C, whilst average minimum temperatures are around 8⁰ Fishing Rio Tinto Mining and Exploration (Pty) Ltd & Rundu Exploration (Pty) Ltd Scoping Report November 2014 13

BASELINE ENVIRONMENT

BIO-PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT

C to 10⁰ C  Unemployment factors attributed to large-scale  Humidity levels average 10-20% during winter months but subsistence farming exceed 80% during summer  Limited formal employment opportunities  Regional main source of income: Farming activities (42.96), wages and salaries (21.91), old age pensions (12.21) and business activities(non-farming)(11.94)  Regional estimated median annual expenditure per person between N$1000 and N$2 000

 High evaporation which peak in the windy months of  Malaria infection rate is highest during the raining Wind & September and October. Winds are however moderate season with an average of 100 – 300 for every 1000 Human Health Evaporation and mostly from the east, throughout the year people  High HIV infection rate

 North –eastern Kalahari Woodland and Northern Kalahari  The main – the Trans-Caprivi Highway from vegetation biome which has a high to very high plant Ngoma to Katima Mulilo and then westwards towards Infrastructure & Flora production rate and overall diversity although average Rundu – availability of grazing. Services  Rundu has an airstrip  Area is prone to bush fires

 Apart from reptiles the area has an extremely high diversity  Regional literacy rate: 79% (below the national rate in all faunal species yet a low occurrence of large 89%) Fauna mammals Education  58% of children in the region over 15 have left school  21% of children over the age of 15 in the region have never attended school (the national average is 13%)

Aquatic  Okavango River has 79 freshwater fish species Language &  The entire area speaks Rumanyo and Thimbukushu. Sensitivity Cultural Groups

The population density and archaeological zones are indicated in Figure 3 while Figure 4 summarises the sensitive ecological areas of the Okavango River. These areas include floodplains, rocky outcrops and areas of riverine forest as well as the declared Ramsar site.

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Figure 3: Population density and area of archaeological interest Rio Tinto Mining and Exploration (Pty) Ltd & Rundu Exploration (Pty) Ltd Scoping Report November 2014 15

Figure 4: Ecologically sensitive areas in the Kavango Region as per Integrated Land use planning Rio Tinto Mining and Exploration (Pty) Ltd & Rundu Exploration (Pty) Ltd Scoping Report November 2014 16

Photo 4: Typical depiction of subsistence Photo 5: Typical depiction of topography and Photo 6: Typical depiction of the topography. agriculture practised (during October) on the N-W vegetation of the central portion of the combined Okavango River and vegetation of the eastern portions of the combined EPL area (Photo: Q EPL area prior to the rainy season (Photo: Q portion of the combined EPL area prior to the Bosman) Bosman) rainy season (Photo Bosman)

The Okavango River system hosts 79 fresh water fish species while the related vegetation biome has a high to very high plant production rate and overall diversity. Related to the Okavango River are also possible site of archaeological interest. It is a sensitive area which has various initiatives to conserve it. The western and central portions of the area seem to focus on development with various agricultural and subsistence farming programs initiated by government agencies. The natural ecology of large portions of the area has been compromised by such practises.

Conservation initiatives around the sensitive areas have been legislated to a national and international extent. Related programs, policies and conventions all form part of the legal framework which this assessment has taken into account. This legislative framework is presented in the following section.

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6. Policy and Legal Framework

6.1 National and International Legislation

Namibia’s Environmental Assessment Policy has been legislated by the EMA 207 and its Regulations. Exploration activities fall within the ambit of Listed Activities 3.1 & 3.2 of Government Notice No. 29 (2012) of these regulations. These listed activities state:

3.1) “The construction of facilities for any process or activities which requires a license, right or other form of authorisation, and the renewal of a license, right or other form of authorisation, in terms of the Minerals (Prospecting and Mining Act), 1992”.

3.2) “Other forms of mining or extraction of any natural resource whether regulated by law or not”.

Additional legislation which was considered and included in this assessment is listed below. A full description of these Acts and policies, and its bearing on this project is attached in Appendix D.

Table 4: National and International Legislation framework

NAMIBIAN NATIONAL NAMIBIAN NATIONAL INTERNATIONAL PRINCIPLES, LEGISLATION: ACTS LEGISLATION: ORDINANCES, POLICIES and GUIDELINES POLICIES, GUIDELINES

United Nations Convention to The Constitution of the Republic Hazardous Substances Combat Desertification in those of Namibia Ordinance 14 of 1974 Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa, 1994

Environmental Management The Nature Conservation Convention on Biological Act, 2007 (Act No7 o 2007)) Ordinance ( No. 4 of 1975) Diversity, 1992

Minerals Act No 33 of 1992 Convention on Biological Helsinki Rules Diversity, 1992

Pollution Control and Waste The revised SADC Protocol on Forestry Act No 27 of 2004 Management Bill Shared Watercourses Systems

White paper on the UN Convention on the Non- Responsible Management of The Labour Act No 11 of 2007 navigational Use of International Inland Fisheries in Namibia Watercourses

Water Act 54 of 1956 & Water The Parks and Wildlife The Ramsar Convention on Resources Management Act Management Bill 2009 Ministry Wetlands 24 of 2004 of Environment and Tourism

The Nature Conservation Namibia’s Draft Wetland Policy Okavango River Basin Amendment Act 5 of 1996 (November 2004) Ministry of

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NAMIBIAN NATIONAL NAMIBIAN NATIONAL INTERNATIONAL PRINCIPLES, LEGISLATION: ACTS LEGISLATION: ORDINANCES, POLICIES and GUIDELINES POLICIES, GUIDELINES

Ministry of Environment and Environment and Tourism Commission (OKACOM) Tourism

Soil Conservation Act 6 of Kavango Zambezi Trans Frontier

1969 Ministry of Agriculture, Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) Water and Forestry treaty

Communal Land Reform Act 5 of 2002 Ministry of Lands and Resettlement

Namibia Tourism Board Act 21 of 2000

Regional Councils Act No 22 of 1992

National Heritage Act 27 of

2004 Ministry of Youth Sports and Culture

The Traditional Authorities Act 25 of 2000

Several of the policies, acts and conventions have translated into programs that are actively pursued and administered mainly around the Okavango River and related ecosystems. All of these provisions as well as all national legislation have been integrated into the EMP.

6.2 Local and Regional Spatial Planning

In addition to the above tabled legislation, various local and regional plans and processes have been considered. These, as obtained from the Integrated Regional Land Use Plan for the Kavango Regions (East and West) (SPC, 2014) include the following:

 The Future Kavango(TFO),  Okavango River Basin SEA (OKACOM, underway at present),  Bwabwata-Okavango River Ramsar Site Management Plan (MET, 2013),  Kavango Delta Ramsar Site SEA (Botswana Dept Environmental Affairs, 2012),  NNF Land Use Planning Framework for Kavango Regions (MET, 2010),  Okavango River TransBoundary Diagnostic Analysis (OKACOM, 2009),  2002 EIA on Jatropha plantations in Kavango Regions.

Synthesised with the international initiatives, the above listed plans and initiatives provide a tapestry of conservation and development plans. All of these are to be taken into account with any new planned development, such as the proposed prospecting. These plans and programs are governed by various institutions with an array of contact persons who have

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7. Public Consultation

Informing stakeholders who may be affected by, or who are interested in the proposed prospecting activities, is a key component of the EA process. The public consultation process, as set out in Section 21 of Regulation No 30 of EMA, has been allowed for during this assessment and the details thereof documented below. Although the proposed activity is of a small magnitude, initial misconception confusing the prospecting application with a mining application ensured considerable participation in the public consultation process.

7.1 Printed Media

7.1.1. Background Information Document A Background Information Document (BID) was drafted at the onset of the EA process to act as a useful information Photo 7: Site Notice 1 (Photo: Q Bosman) handout about the proposed prospecting activities and related EA process. In addition, the BID provided details on the public consultation process with contact details for further information. This document was distributed though various means of newspaper articles, social media (Facebook), meetings and the internet, Appendix C. It was further sent to all registered stakeholders.

7.1.2. Newspaper Advertisements & Articles Press notices about the proposed prospecting activities and related EA was circulated in two newspapers for three weeks. These notices appeared in the “Namibian” and “Republikein” on the 7th, 14th and 21st of October 2014 respectfully. In addition to the press notices which were Photo 8: Site Notice 3 (Photo: R Philipps) placed by ED, various articles about the proposed prospecting activities have appeared in national as well as international media releases. Please refer to Appendix C to view these notices and articles.

7.2.1. Site Notices Three site notices were distributed and erected throughout the area. These provided information about the proposed project and related EA while providing contact details of the project team. Apart from erecting two notices at the locations as indicated below, a third laminated notice was provided to the Hambukushu Photo 9: Location of site Notice 2 Traditional Authority to be placed as per their discretion. (Photo: Q. Bosman)

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Photo 8 depicts some of the headman posing with the poster and some BIDs as provided for their perusal and additional distribution.

 Site Notice 1: Hombe Supermarket  Site Notice 2: Buffalo Core Area Entrance Gate (adjacent to the EPL boundary)

The Hombe Supermarket is the only formal commercial entity in Divundu (at the time) who traded groceries. This supermarket is part of the only commercial fuel station complex in a radius of 200km. In addition, a copy of the BID was left with each respective manager.

7.2 Building a Stakeholder Database

A stakeholder database for the project was built up through a variety of means. Initially stakeholder lists from previous projects in the area were used as a base list. During the advertisement of the project (though public notices in national newspapers and site-notices) the list was augmented as Interested & Affected Parties (I&AP) registered and contact information of stakeholders updated.

Information about the proposed project was further made available on the internet and social media providing stakeholders contact information to register as I&AP though means of:

 Telephone (+264 61 223 336)  Fax line (+264 61 307 437  Sms (+264 81 374 9411)  Email ([email protected])

Meetings followed with the client (and their on-site representative), regional and local authorities as well as key stakeholders provided valuable contact details as per network and chain referral. Not only did these meetings serve to update the stakeholder list, but also helped to identify key community communication channels to be used during future phases of the project.

7.3 Stakeholder Meetings & Key Conversations

Multiple stakeholder meetings were held with a variety and combination of authorities, Non- Government Organisations (NGO’s) Traditional Authorities, community members and constituency leaders.

7.3.1. Traditional Authorities and Cultural Groups The greater part of the central and eastern portions of the combined EPL area fall within the traditional rule of the Hambukushu Tribe. A meeting with its leader, Fumu Mbamba and his headmen was held on the 22nd of October 2014. During the gathering, which was held at the traditional palace, the EA process was introduced and the proposed project discussed with the leader. His comments and concerns have been incorporated in the comments and responses trail attached in Appendix C. Photo 8 depicts some of the headman and the secretary present at the meeting which was also attended by representatives of RTME, H Sands and ED. The regional councillor for this region, as well as the western region was included in communication and information sharing. The councillor for the Ndiyona constituency deals with the Giriku Traditional Authority

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Bordering the eastern portion of the combined EPL is the Buffalo Core Area which is part of the BNP. This area is inhabited by the Khwe people. Although a meeting was arranged with the chairman of their organisation, he could not attend and therefore discussions were held with the secretary and community field officer to whom the BID was provided on the 23rd of October 2014. The organisation had been contacted through not only this meeting, but also through email and telephonic communications.

Photo 10: Omega Village of the Khwe people

(Photos: Q Bosman)

7.3.2. Authorities and Conservancies MET officials at the Rundu branch were met to introduce and discuss the proposed prospecting activities but also to gather information related to the EA process. The meeting, which was held on the 24th of October 2014 further included discussions regarding possibly affected conservancies (Muduva Nyangana & Shamungwa conservancy) and establishing effective communication channels with them. Three officials, responsible for the two affected conservancies were consulted and concurred that although some of the conservancies were gazetted, they were not functional or active such as the Shamungwa conservancy.

Local and Regional Government was informed through the Chief Regional Officer, Mr S Kantema after which a meeting was held with the Mukwe Constituency Councillor, Mr K Murki on the 22nd of October.

Informative telephonic and email correspondence translated between the local and regional Forestry department as well as Mrs Mangundu a councillor of the Ndiyona constituency.

7.3.3. Community Members / Organisations and NGO’s From the established stakeholder database and ongoing registration process, key community and NGO leaders were identified with who meetings were held. Additional meetings were set as per chain referral. These include:

 Fidi Alpers IRDNC  Cameron Wilson (Treasurer) KOAR  Charlie Paxton (Chairman)(OBMC)  Mark Paxton (chairman) KOAR

Based on the consultation conducted it was determined that the area is rich with traditional knowledge and cultural practises. There are however continued power struggles which taint the social fabric of the region. Within this social environment the management of people’s expectation will have to be conducted carefully.

Once the public had been informed about the proposed activities this report was compiled and the below Impact Assessment phase completed. It will be distributed to all registered stakeholders for comments.

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8. Environmental Impact Assessment

Exploration activities will impact the receiving environment. The scale and significance of these impacts are assessed in this section. It includes a rating before and after mitigation measures are implemented. Exploration activities as identified in Section 3 of this report are expanded on and the related sensitivity factor of the environment and potential listed below.

Table 5: Environmental Sensitivity in relation to exploration activities

ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION SENSITIVITY POTENTIAL IMPACT

Non-Invasive Phase Flying of  Low flying aircraft  Low flying aircraft  Visual Impact Aircraft with survey are visually  Noise Impact equipment obtrusive and  Sense of place noisy to nearby (tourism) inhabitants and wildlife Movement  During ground  Sensitive  Sense of place of vehicles truthing there is receptors such as (tourism) and continual tourism facilities geologists movement of vehicles and 2 to 3 people Lodging of  Accommodation is  Tourism based  Local Economy exploratio hired from tourism accommodation n staff facilities establishments (geologist & field assistants)

Invasive Phase Drill rig  Drill rigs are kept on  Rigs are visually  Visual Impact site obtrusive,  Soil and / or especially on water and areas groundwater dependent on pollution tourism  Biodegradable drilling additives  If no drip trays are used oil and lubricants may spill Movement  During exploration  Sensitive nearby  Noise Impact of vehicles there is continual receptors  Sense of place and

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ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION SENSITIVITY POTENTIAL IMPACT people movement of affected by the vehicles and noise, especially equipment after hours  Drill rigs create noise while in use Camping  A tented camp  Nearby  Safety and of and lay down area inhabitants security threats exploratio will be set up in the  Wildlife  Littering n staff veldt for  Poaching exploration team  Noise  Community Disturbance

Core  The cutting of core  Fine airborne  Dust generation cutting on site fibrous materials  Health impacts  Noise impact  Community disturbance

Vegetatio  Vegetation needs  Protection of  Soil erosion n removal to be cleared to indigenous  Biodiversity enable movement species impact of equipment Waste  Various forms of  Shallow water  Physical creation waste is created table pollution with such activities  Sensitive visual  Chemical including receptors pollution hazardous waste (tourism)  Groundwater and domestic  Wildlife contamination waste Makeshift  A sump is dug  Tears in the  Visual impact sump during DD and plastic  Soil pollution lined with thick  Improper  Groundwater plastic method of sump pollution removal  Injuries or  Forgetting to fatalities of remove sump animals and  No filling of hole people falling dug for sump into open hole

The impacts as identified above are expanded on below and a significance rating provided. The significance of the impacts is rated high, medium or low and is defined as follows.

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 “High” significance means that it is an impact that will have a regional and or permanent impact.

 “Medium” significance is an impact of moderate severity and may have a local or regional impact but not of permanent duration.

 “Low” significance would be allocated to impacts of any severity but at a local scale and temporary duration. The table below details the potential impacts which may be derived from the various activities which have been identified. Mitigation measures will also function as management measures to ensure that impact significance is reduced. The management measures are brought forward into the EMP which will guide prospecting activities should environmental clearance be provided for the proposed prospecting activities.

Mitigation in this table is based on principles, but the details are contained in the EMP. While some of these impacts are general for all exploration activities others depend on the exact target area and their sensitivities. More investigations will therefore be recommended if required.

RTME and Rundu Exploration have agreed to avoid sensitive ecological and tourism zones (along the Okavango River) in the fact that no invasive exploration activities will be considered or carried out in these areas without further consultation. This commitment extends to villages, crop fields and urban centres. The impact assessment is therefore based on the rest of the area excluding sensitive environments.

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Table 6: Potential impacts

POTENTIAL IMPACT MITIGATION BEFORE AFTER MITIGATION MITIGATION

BIO-PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

Soil and or groundwater  Avoid lubricant, fuel and oil spillage or remediate  High  Low pollution immediately  Use drip trays at all times when drill rigs are stationary  Apply sound waste management principles  Select only competent drilling contractors  Only use biodegradable drilling additives whilst Impact on crops and orchards  A buffer zone of at least 200m should be followed around  Medium  Low any crops or orchards, (if this is not possible, consult with landowner/farmer)  No work may be conducted within cultivated areas (if this is not possible, consult with landowner/farmer) Loss of faunal and floral diversity  No unnecessary damage to plants and wildlife (local and  Medium  Low traditional knowledge to be engaged to avoid such plant and wildlife)  Consider the recommendations of a vegetation specialist to identify and avoid destruction of sensitive flora species  Protected trees should not be removed  Make use of a singular access road that is demarcated  No off road driving allowed on site  New roads to be constructed only if necessary / last resort with appropriate planning Poaching  No poaching and or killing of any animals, reptiles or birds  High  Low  No unsupervised movement of exploration staff

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 Adequate food must be provided for staff Fires and use of firewood  No open fires to be made in the veldt  High  Low  No smoking allowed at drill sites. Cigarette is to be put out and discarded in a predetermined location at contractor’s camp.  Any firewood to be used on site (for cooking purposes) is to be purchased

SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT

Visual Impact  Minimize new tracks  Medium  Low  No tracks on steep slopes  No off road driving allowed  No tree felling (of trees as identified by a vegetation specialist during target drill site selection) allowed  No stockpiling allowed outside laydown area  No littering allowed  Waste disposal systems to be implemented on site, for both hazardous waste (oil, fuel) and domestic waste (plastic, paper)  All exploration accessories to be removed from site after activities Noise Impact  No exploration activities – including driving of vehicles to  Medium  Low take place between dusk and dawn unless otherwise arranged with close sensitive receptors and neighbours  No exploration/field activities allowed on Sundays and public holidays Damage to roads  No drilling equipment allowed to move during rainy spells  Medium  Low

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Community Communication  Adopt and Community Communication Plan  Medium  Low and Cultural aspects  Develop a complaints and grievance mechanism through which communities may raise issues  Project camp induction including appropriate behaviours for all staff  Communities are to be informed when exploration activities are considered in neighbouring areas  A person with knowledge of traditionally and culturally significant areas are to accompany the exploration crew to identify and avoid such sites  Consider the recommendations of a Archaeological specialist to identify and avoid destruction of sensitive sites where applicable  All staff to carry identification badges  All vehicles to be marked for identification purposes  Staff must be restricted to certain areas, especially when camping on site Job Creation  A locals first policy to be adopted when providing  Low  Medium employment opportunities for unskilled labour positive positive  Local and traditional knowledge to be employed in identification of sensitive plant and animal species as well as with regards to culturally sensitive areas Impacts associated with  No unsupervised camping of staff  Medium  Low camping of exploration staff  No unauthorised visitors allowed  Ablution facilities to be provided at the drilling site and project camp  No individual social interaction with local workers apart from group social gatherings or unless authorised by RTME  A perimeter around the project camp must be established within which the team may reside

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Dust generation impacting  If excessive dust is created, dust abatement techniques  Medium  Low crops and tourism facilities should be implemented e.g. spraying of water.

Littering  Proper waste disposal systems to be implemented at drill  Medium  Low sites and project camp, for both hazardous waste (oil, fuel) and domestic waste (plastic, paper) Health impacts on workforce  Malaria awareness and related preventative  Medium  Low means/measures to be provided to all staff  Provision of adequate drinking water in close proximity to drill site to avoid dehydration  Short breaks taken regularly and in rotation, so that work is not halted  Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) should be worn to prevent dust inhalation, particularly where there is a risk of inhalation of fibrous minerals created when cutting core

As per the table above, no highly significant impacts are expected to occur in the area due to the proposed prospecting activates, if mitigation measures are employed and sensibly managed. Essential to environmental management is the effective communication of actions and their implications and remediation, (where required) combined with predetermined set actions to avoid ecological scarring and degradation.

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9. Conclusion and Recommendations

Sensitive bio-physical environments have been identified along the Okavango River which forms the northern and eastern boundaries of the combined EPL area. Related to the sensitive bio-physical environment are various national and international conservation initiatives and programs which area linked to sustainable development and tourism. These communities and their related organisations have further been included on the project stakeholder list.

Adopting the general conditions that drilling will only be undertaken if deemed absolutely necessary in the sensitive riverine environment along the Okavango River (and with further specialist studies and consultation) during the invasive phase and that all mitigation measures, as set out in the Environmental Management Plan are adhered to; it is not foreseen that the proposed exploration activities will have any significant impacts on the bio- physical and social environment. It is therefore recommended that RTME and Rundu Exploration be granted Environmental Clearance for exploration.

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10. Bibliography

(IECN), I. E. (2011, September). Retrieved November 5, 2014, from Namibia Ministry of Environment and Tourism: http://www.met.gov.na/AAP/TechnicalStudies/CCALeadershipTraining/Documents/Caprivi% 20and%20Kavango%20Toolkit-web.pdf

ASDI Inc. (2014). Retrieved November 06, 2014, from ASDI Inc: http://www.asdi.com/applications/remote-sensing/ground-truthing

Mendelsohn, J., & el Obeid, S. (2003). Sand and Water A profile of the Kavango Region. cape Town: Struik.

Ministry of Mine and Energy. (2006). Retrieved November 07, 2014, from Geological Survey of Namibia: http://www.mme.gov.na/gsn/geophysicsdiv.htm

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Appendix A: Environmental Management Plan

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Appendix B: EPL Coordinates

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Appendix C: Public Consultation

C1 – Proof of Public Participation (Photo’s Newspaper advertisements etc)

C2 – Background Information Document

C3 – Written comments received and responses

C4 – Stakeholder list

C5 – List of issues

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Appendix D: Legal Framework

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Appendix E: Exploration Explained

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Appendix F: Curriculum Vitae Quzette Bosman

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