Appendix D4 Desktop Palaeontological Impact Report

Somerset Street • Grahamstown • 6139 • Tel: +27(0)46 622 2312 • Fax: +27(0)46 622 2398 Associated Research Institute of Rhodes University http://www.ru.ac.za/affiliates/am/ Established 1855

Desktop Palaeontological Impact Assessment:

Kleinfontein Kalkmyn, Kouga Local Municipality

Specialist report by:

Rose Prevec Ph.D. (U. Wits, Palaeontology) Pr.Sci.Nat.

email: [email protected]

Contracted by:

Clayton Weatherall-Thomas Environmental Specialist

Algoa Consulting Mining Engineers 2 Deer Park Lane, Deer Park Estate, Port Elizabeth, 6070 Tel: 041 379 1899; Cell: 083 401 8091

15 April 2019

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Rose Prevec was appointed by Algoa Consulting Mining Engineers to perform a desktop assessment of the need for Palaeontological Impact Assessment (PIA) of the Kleinfontein Kalkmyn near Hankey, Kouga Local Municipality, Humansdorp Magisterial District, Eastern Cape Province. Most of the development area overlies strata of the palaeontologically low-sensitivity Gamtoos Group, with minimal overlap in the southernmost reaches of the development area, onto the palaeontologically high-sensitivity Kirkwood Formation of the Uitenhage Group. The purpose of this PIA (forming part of a Heritage Impact Assessment), is to identify and assess the potential for exposed palaeontological heritage, as well as potential heritage that may be impacted by the development, and to make recommendations as to how these impacts could be mitigated. The Kleinfontein Kalmyn is specifically targeting the dolomites and limestones of the Gamtoos Group, which is recognised by the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) as being of very low palaeontological sensitivity, and it is highly unlikely that fossil heritage is currently exposed or will be exposed during future activities. The comprehensive vegetation cover in the development area severely limits the amount of Kirkwood Formation bedrock exposed for inspection, and from previous experience and careful examination of Google Earth images, a site inspection is highly unlikely to contribute useful information at this early stage. However, any excavations during development of the site that expose Kirkwood Formation bedrock, in the southern-most reaches of the footprint, will need to be inspected and monitored by a qualified palaeontologist, due to the moderate potential for highly significant fossil finds. Damage to or destruction of any fossil during mining or construction activities would be a highly negative, permanent impact of national or international significance. However, in the highly unlikely event that fossils are exposed, appropriate mitigation measures could make an important, positive contribution towards heritage conservation and research.

SIGNIFICANCE RATING Impact severity of fossil Overall Probability / encounters during excavations Rock Unit Duration Extent palaeontological likelihood with without Significance mitigation mitigation Kirkwood Highly Highly permanent National Possible Medium Formation beneficial negative Gamtoos Highly Highly permanent National Improbable Very low Group beneficial negative

Recommendations: A site inspection of the development footprint is highly unlikely to lead to the detection of palaeontological heritage, due to the very low palaeontological sensitivity of the Gamtoos Group limestones that have been quarried previously on property, and because of the dense vegetation cover of the areas overlying the more sensitive Kirkwood Formation rocks (only in the very southernmost section of the development area). However, considering the palaeontological significance of the Kirkwood Formation regionally, regular monitoring of any bedrock disturbances of this formation during the course of the development must be carried out by an on-site inspector. Should any fossils from either the Gamtoos Group or the Kirkwood Formation be exposed during construction or mining activities, they should be left in situ, and the Eastern Cape Provincial Heritage Resources Agency (ECPHRA; Mr Sello Mokhanya, Tel: 043 745 0888; [email protected]) and the Albany Museum (Dr R. Prevec, Tel: 046 622 2312; [email protected]) should be contacted immediately, to ensure appropriate mitigation measures are implemented by a qualified palaeontologist.

2. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...... 2 3. INTRODUCTION AND BRIEF ...... 4 4. LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK ...... 4 5. METHODOLOGY ...... 5 6. DETAILS OF THE STUDY AREA ...... 5 7. GEOLOGICAL SETTING...... 5 8. PALAEONTOLOGICAL POTENTIAL ...... 11 11. RECOMMENDATIONS ...... 13 12. CONCLUSIONS ...... 14 13. REFERENCES ...... 14 DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE ...... 15

3. INTRODUCTION AND BRIEF

Algoa Consulting Mining Engineers appointed Dr Rose Prevec to perform a desktop Palaeontological Impact Assessment (PIA) of the area earmarked for mining activities at the Kleinfontein Kalkmyn, Portion 36 and 37 of the Farm Kleinfontein 172, near Hankey, Humansdorp Magisterial District, Kouga Local Municipality, Eastern Cape (Figs 1, 2). This report forms part of a Heritage Impact Assessment prepared for ELC Perm 2 (Pty) Ltd, trading as Kleinfontein Kalkmyn.

Kleinfontein Kalkmyn plans to commence mining activities targeting dolomites and limestones of the Gamtoos Group, with associated mine infrastructure development, although the latter will mostly be restricted to the upgrade of existing infrastructure. The mine was previously operated for 66 years by PPC, and partially rehabilitated following cessation of mining in 2000.

The purpose of the PIA (forming part of a Heritage Impact Assessment, as per the SAHRA Minimum Standards for Palaeontological Components of Heritage Impact Assessment Reports, 2013), is to identify and assess exposed palaeontological heritage, as well as potential heritage that may be impacted by the development, and to make recommendations as to how these impacts could be mitigated.

4. LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK

The primary piece of legislation protecting national heritage in South Africa, is the South African Heritage Resources Act (Act No. 25) of 1999. In accordance with Section 38 (Heritage Resources Management) of the act, developers must apply to the relevant authority (ECPHRA in the Eastern Cape) for authorisation to proceed with their planned activities. This application must be accompanied by documentation detailing the expected impact this will have on national heritage in particular. Categories of heritage resources recognised as part of the National Estate in Section 3 of the Heritage Resources Act, and which therefore fall under its protection, include among others:  geological sites of scientific or cultural importance;  objects recovered from the soil or waters of South Africa, including archaeological and palaeontological objects and material, meteorites and rare geological specimens;  objects with the potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of South Africa’s natural or cultural heritage. To address concerns relating to the protection of these particular heritage resources, a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) may be required to assess any potential impacts to archaeological and palaeontological heritage within the footprint of the proposed development.

This report represents the palaeontological component of the HIA.

5. METHODOLOGY

The aim of this report is to: 1) identify exposed and subsurface rock formations that are considered to be palaeontologically significant; 2) assess the level of palaeontological significance of these formations by consulting the literature and Palaeontological Impact Assessments for prior records of heritage in the area and geological formation; 3) comment on the possible impact of the development on potential fossil resources; 4) make recommendations as to how the developer should conserve or mitigate damage to these resources.

6. DETAILS OF THE STUDY AREA

1:50 000 Topographical map: 3324DD Hankey (Fig. 3); 1:250 000 Geological map: 3324 Port Elizabeth (Fig. 4).

The project involves the development of the Kleinfontein Kalkmyn, a new enterprise on the property formerly mined by PPC Loerie. The property is situated 8 kms east of Hankey, on one of a series of hilly ridges defining the eastern boundary of the Gamtoos Valley. This series of roughly east-west trending ridges form part of the Cape Fold belt.

The vegetation cover, particularly on the south-western slopes of these ridges, is extremely dense, impenetrable thicket vegetation. Soils are deep as evidenced in the farm roads that cut through the vegetation, and represent the only exposures visible in the development area, apart from the old quarries of the mine.

7. GEOLOGICAL SETTING

As per the 1:250 000 Geological map Port Elizabeth (3324; Fig. 3), the area identified for development is predominantly underlain by very ancient rocks of the Gamtoos Group.

A narrow section in the southernmost part of the development footprint (to the south of the public road transecting the property) overlies rocks of the Kirkwood Formation, Uitenhage Group.

Figure 1. Google Earth image of location of proposed mining activity at Kleinfontein Kalkmyn, near Hankey, in the Eastern Cape Province.

Figure 2. Google Earth image of location of proposed housing development near Patensie, in the Eastern Cape Province. Figure 2. Google Earth image of proposed development footprint of Kleinfontein Kalkmyn, near Hankey, in the Eastern Cape Province.

Figure 3. Extract from 1:50 000 topographical map 3324DD Hankey (2000), indicating the location of the Kleinfontein Kalkmyn, east of Hankey.

Scale: 0 10 km Figure 4. Extract from 1:250 000 geological map 3324 Port Elizabeth, indicating the regional and local geology of the Kleinfontein Kalkmyn in the Gamtoos Valley, east of Hankey.

Gamtoos Group

The development will primarily impact rocks of the Lime Bank (Nl) and Klein River (Nk) formations of the Gamtoos Group. These ancient Namibian-aged rocks, together with the overlying Cape Supergroup rocks in the area, were folded and deformed during the Cape Fold event, and have formed the erosion-resistant, parallel series of ridges running roughly in an East- west direction in the region. The deposits reflect mostly shallow marine, turbidite fan and alluvial settings. These rocks have been exposed in the development area by previous mining activities (Figs 2,3,4).

Uitenhage Group

The Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous rocks of the Kirkwood Formation, Uitenhage Group (J- KK), were deposited during the Late Jurassic/ Early Cretaceous in the Gamtoos Basin and are today exposed in the catchment area of the Gamtoos River. It was one of a string of Mesozoic basins that spanned the southern part of South Africa from the Algoa Basin in the east across to Worcester in the west. These isolated, fault-controlled basins formed during the separation of the Falkland Plateau to the south, during the breakup of Gondwana, and they captured the most complete sedimentary record of the Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous in South Africa (for a more detailed explanation see McLachlan and McMillan, 1976; Johnson, 1994; McMillan et al., 1997; Shone, 2006; Muir et al., 2015).

As described in the overview of the regional geology by Torien and Hill (1989), the Uitenhage Group comprises three formations: Enon, Kirkwood and Sundays River formations, representing different depositional environments within a generally contemporaneous fluvial system. The Kirkwood Formation (J-Kk; Fig. 4) represents palaeosols and flood-plain deposits mostly associated with meandering river systems, as well as lacustrine, and possibly even some coastal, settings. The Kirkwood Fm. comprises mostly silty mudstone and sandstone, and the easily weathered, variegated reddish brown, pinkish or greenish grey palaeosols are characteristic. Sandstones are whitish, yellowish or pale grey.

In the development area, the Kirkwood Formation rocks are covered in deep soils and dense vegetation, with no clear exposures available for survey (Figs 2, 4).

8. PALAEONTOLOGICAL POTENTIAL

Gamtoos Group

These ancient Namibian-aged rocks (approximately 800 Ma) are considered by the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) to be of low palaeontological significance (see Almond et al., 2008). Acritarchs (organic-walled microfossils) are found throughout the group, but are only observable with a microscope, and following various specialist laboratory preparation techniques. There is potential for stromatolites (layered structures with multiple, fine layers of trapped sediments and precipitated carbonates produced through the growth of successive mats of cyanobacteria) in the carbonate rocks of the Lime Bank Formation, as well as elements of the Ediacaran fauna in the siliciclastic sediments (Almond et al., 2008). However, the extreme historical rarity of fossils in these rocks, combined with (and partly because of) the highly tectonically deformed nature of the deposits, SAHRA’s classification of this group as being of Very Low Palaeontological Significance is well qualified.

Uitenhage Group

The Kirkwood Formation is palaeontologically highly sensitive (see McLachlan and McMillan, 1976, for an overview). As per the SAHRIS website (information based on Almond et al., 2008 and the supporting literature therein), the Kirkwood Formation (J-Kk in Fig. 5) has yielded a ‘variety of small to large dinosaurs (theropods, sauropods, ornithopods), other reptiles, Mesozoic mammals, important floras of petrified wood (“Wood Beds”), leaves (ferns, cycads, conifers), freshwater invertebrates (bivalves, crustaceans)’, and it is categorised as being of High Palaeontological Significance.

The Kirkwood Formation of the Algoa Basin is the most important source of Late Jurassic/ Early Cretaceous dinosaurs in South Africa, and these have been well-documented. In addition to dinosaurs (which include stegasaurid, diplodicid, dicraeosaurid, and brachiosaurid forms, as well as little iguanadontids and coelosaur theropods), the Kirkwood Formation has yielded a wealth of animal fossils including turtles, crocodiles, frogs, sphenodontid and other lizards, small mammals and fish (McLachlan and McMillan 1976; Ross et al, 1999; de Klerk et al, 1998; de Klerk et al., 2000; McPhee et al., 2016). Invertebrate fossils have also been found in abundance in the Kirkwood Formation of the Algoa Basin, and in the Kirkwood area in particular, including freshwater and estuarine molluscs and oysters, and crustaceans such as conchostracans and ostracods (McLachlan and McMillan 1976; Prevec, 2017).

The fossil floras in the Algoa Basin, particularly along the Bezuidenhouts River near Kirkwood, are the most well-represented for this time period in South Africa (Anderson & Anderson, 1985; Bamford, 1986; Muir et al., 2015). At one time a part of the Kirkwood Formation was referred to as the ‘Wood Beds’ because of the abundance of fossilised logs in the sequence. The Bezuidenhout River locality studied by Muir et al (2015) has produced an abundance of logs, as well as fossil charcoal. Fossil wood tends to be more resistant to weathering than the host matrix, and can frequently be found at surface, or standing proud on outcrop. In addition to fossil wood, amber, lignite and plant impression fossils can be found in the area. Plant impressions are generally only exposed through the breaking of siltstones or mudrocks along bedding planes to expose the impressions within. They are seldom visible at surface, require the splitting of excavated rock, and may be difficult to see (this illustrates the importance of having an expert inspecting active excavation sites). Plants such as ferns, cycads, benettitaleans, liverworts, conifers such as araucarialeans are generally preserved in this way, within the finer-grained siltstones and mudrocks. The Bezuidenhouts River banks have yielded some of the most important and well- preserved impression fossil collections in blue-grey siltstones.

The Gamtoos Basin has been less well explored than the Algoa Basin, and there is a high potential for more discoveries, particularly of plant fossils in the area. High quality plant impression localities have been found in grey/greenish siltstones, particularly in the Loerie area, and there have been previous reports of significant amber and lignite deposits along the banks of the Gamtoos River (McLachlan and McMillan 1976; Anderson & Anderson, 1985).

No significant outcrops of Kirkwood Formation are visible from aerial images of the development area, because of the thick soils and dense vegetation. Regionally there are some excellent exposures of classic Kirkwood Formation ‘variegated marls’, particularly in roadcuttings, which the present author has previously explored for fossil evidence (eg. Prevec, 2016). These pinkish, mottled, deep palaeosols are very similar to dinosaur-bearing deposits of the Algoa Basin, although in the Gamtoos Basin they are apparently less fossiliferous, and have a slightly deeper, more orangey hue. They are often intercalated with prominent off-white ‘bands’ or lenses that represent weathered channel deposits of fine-grained sandstone (pale grey in fresh exposure), as well as coarser sandstones and conglomerates. In the Algoa Basin, fossil wood is frequently found weathered out at surface. There may be fossilised wood at surface in the development footprint, but it is very difficult to locate surface occurrences in dense bush, and it is only once bush has been cleared that these become apparent.

10. IMPACT SIGNIFICANCE

The fossil faunas and floras of South Africa form part of the National Estate, and are of international interest. Any loss of this heritage due to development activities is permanent, and should be regarded as a highly significant negative impact. Alternatively, discovery of fossils during excavation of bedrock, followed by effective mitigation in collaboration with a palaeontologist, would result in the curation of new and important fossil material. The development could therefore potentially have a positive, beneficial impact on South Africa’s palaeontological heritage, although the probability of encountering fossils is fairly low in Kirkwood Formation rocks, based on the paucity of prior discoveries in the Gamtoos Basin, and is extremely low in the case of the very ancient and highly metamorphosed (altered) rocks of the Lime Bank and Klein River formations of the Gamtoos Group.

11. RECOMMENDATIONS

Gamtoos Group: the chances of finding fossils in these very ancient, highly altered, metamorphosed rocks are so low that regular monitoring and site inspections are not recommended by the present author.

Kirkwood Formation: abundant fossils have been found in Kirkwood Formation deposits in this formation in the Algoa Basin, although in the Gamtoos Basin bone and teeth may be considerably rarer. However, reports of plant fossils, lignite and amber from the Kirkwood Formation of the Gamtoos Basin, support a recommendation that a palaeontologist should be consulted to inspect any freshly exposed rock during development activities south of the public road transecting (E-W) the development area. Additionally, any fossils (such as fossil wood) exposed at surface during vegetation clearing should be reported for conservation.

Since any bedrock of the Kirkwood Formation that will be exposed during excavations has the potential to contain fossils. The following actions are recommended: • Regular on-site monitoring of all excavations that impact bedrock;

• Training of responsible supervisory personnel, by a qualified palaeontologist in the recognition of palaeontological heritage; • If any palaeontological heritage is identified on site, this must be reported immediately to the ECPHRA (Mr Sello Mokhanya, Tel: 043 745 0888; [email protected]). Ideally the fossil material should be left in situ until a palaeontologist has provided input as to how to proceed with regard to mitigation.

12. CONCLUSIONS

The development will almost exclusively impact rocks of the Gamtoos Group, which are considered to be very low palaeontological sensitivity. Monitoring of the future mining activities by a palaeontologist is therefore not recommended, although workers should be encouraged to report to their management any unusual occurrences that may be fossiliferous in nature, and these should be brought to the attention of a palaeontologist for further investigation.

Along the southernmost reaches of the development area, south of the public road, any activities impacting bedrock of the highly palaeontologically sensitive Kirkwood Formation should be regularly monitored. A palaeontologist should be consulted to inspect any freshly exposed rock.

13. REFERENCES

Almond, J.E., de Klerk, W.J. and Gess, R. 2008. Palaeontological heritage of the Eastern Cape. Interim technical report for SAHRA, 25 pp, Natura Viva cc, Cape Town.

Anderson, J.M. and Anderson, H.M. 1985. Palaeoflora of Southern Africa: Prodromus of South African Megafloras; Devonian to Lower Cretaceous. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam, 423 pp.

Bamford, M.K. 1986. Aspects of the palaeoflora of the Kirkwood and Sundays River Formations, Algoa Basin, South Africa. Unpublished M.Sc. Thesis, Univ. Witwatersrand, 160pp.

De Klerk, W. J., Forster, C. A., Ross, C. F., Sampson, S. D. and Chinsamy, A. 1998. A review of recent dinosaur and other vertebrate discoveries in the Early Cretaceous 8 Kirkwood Formation in the Algoa Basin, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Journal of African Earth Sciences 27:55.

De Klerk, W.J., Forster, C.A., Sampson, S.D., Chinsamy, A. and Ross, C.F. 2000. A new Coelurosaurian dinosaur from the early Cretaceous of South Africa. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 20(2):324-332.

McLachlan, I.R. and McMillan, I.K. 1976. Review and stratigraphic significance of Southern Cape Mesozoic palaeontology. Trans. Geol. Soc. S.A . 79(2):197-212.

McMillan, I.K., Brink, G.J., Broad, D.S. & Maier, J.J. (1997) Late Mesozoic sedimentary basins of the south coast of South Africa. In: African Basins. Sedimentary Basins of the World, 3 (Ed. R.C. Selly), pp. 319--376. Elsevier, Amsterdam.

McPhee, B.W., Mannion, P.D., de Klerk, W.J. and Choiniere, J.N. 2016. High diversity in the sauropod dinosaur fauna of the Lower Cretaceous Kirkwood Formation of South Africa: Implications for the Jurassic-Cretaceous transition. Cretaceous Research 59: 228-248.

Muir, R.A., Bordy, E.M. and Prevec, R. 2015. Lower Cretaceous deposit reveals first evidence of a post-wildfire debris flow in the Kirkwood Formation, Algoa Basin, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Cretaceous Research 56:161-179.

Prevec, R. 2016. 16001 - Proposed Housing Development in Patensie, Eastern Cape Province. Palaeontological Specialist Study: Desktop Assessment. Booth Heritage Consulting.

Prevec, R. 2017. Habata Boerdery – Falcon Ridge expansion of citrus farming, Kirkwood, Eastern Cape Province. Palaeontological Specialist Study: Phase 1 Assessment. Public Process Consultants.

Ross, C.F., Sues, H-D. and de Klerk, W.J. 1999. Lepidosaurian remains from the lower Cretaceous Kirkwood Formation of South Africa. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 19(1), 21-27.

Shone, R. 2006. Onshore post-Karoo Mesozoic deposits. In Johnson, M.R., Anhaeusser, C.R. and Thomas, R.J. (Eds.), The Geology of South Africa, Geological Society of South Africa, Johannesburg/Council for Geoscience, Pretoria, pp. 541-552.

Toerien, D.K. and Hill, R.S. 1989. The geology of the Port Elizabeth area. Explanation to 1: 250 000 geology Sheet 3324 Port Elizabeth, 35 pp. Council for Geoscience, Pretoria.

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

I, Rosemary Prevec, declare that I am an independent specialist consultant and have no financial, personal or other interest in the proposed development, nor the developers or any of their subsidiaries, apart from fair remuneration for work performed in the delivery of palaeontological heritage assessment services. There are no circumstances that compromise the objectivity of my performing such work.

Dr Rose Prevec Pr.Sci.Nat

Curator and Head Department of Earth Sciences Albany Museum Makhanda 6139 email: [email protected] tel: 079 523 4302