EIA for DiamonEx Botswana Limited Martin’s Drift Diamond Project., Central District, Botswana TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Objectives.................................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Diamonds in Botswana ............................................................................................................. 1 1.3 The Martin’s Drift Diamond Mine............................................................................................ 2 1.4 DiamonEx Botswana Ltd. ......................................................................................................... 2 1.5 Existing Facilities ..................................................................................................................... 2 1.6 Approach of the EIA Study........................................................................................................ 3 1.6.1 Report Structure ............................................................................................................. 3 1.7 Applicable Legislation .............................................................................................................. 3 2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION .............................................................................................................. 8 2.1 Location .................................................................................................................................... 8 2.2 Mine Development .................................................................................................................. 11 2.2.1 The Process .................................................................................................................. 11 2.2.2 Equipment, Facilities and Materials ............................................................................. 13 2.2.3 Transportation corridors ............................................................................................... 16 2.2.4 Resource Requirements................................................................................................ 17 2.2.5 Manpower, Housing and Accommodation................................................................... 17 2.2.6 Health and Safety ......................................................................................................... 18 2.2.7 Transport to and from the Mine.................................................................................... 18 3 EXISTING ENVIRONMENT ........................................................................................................ 19 3.1 Geology................................................................................................................................... 19 3.1.1 The Archean Basement Complex................................................................................. 19 3.1.2 The Middle Precambrian Palapye Group ..................................................................... 21 3.1.3 Quaternary Deposits..................................................................................................... 22 3.1.4 Geological Structures ................................................................................................... 22 3.1.5 Geology Local to the Martin’s Drift Mining Lease...................................................... 22 3.1.6 Hydrogeology............................................................................................................... 24 3.2 Climate.................................................................................................................................... 24 3.3 Topography............................................................................................................................. 31 3.4 Soil .......................................................................................................................................... 31 3.5 Pre-development Land Capability ......................................................................................... 33 3.5.1 Soil Erosion.................................................................................................................. 33 Wellfield Consulting Services (Pty) Ltd., i P. O. Box 1502, Gaborone. EIA for DiamonEx Botswana Limited Martin’s Drift Diamond Project., Central District, Botswana 3.6 Land Use within 2km Radius of the Mining Area ................................................................... 34 3.7 Ecology ................................................................................................................................... 35 3.7.1 Veld products ............................................................................................................... 37 3.7.2 Medicinal plants ........................................................................................................... 37 3.7.3 Fire ............................................................................................................................... 38 3.8 Fauna...................................................................................................................................... 38 3.8.1 Mammals...................................................................................................................... 38 3.8.2 Avifauna....................................................................................................................... 39 3.8.3 Reptiles and Amphibians.............................................................................................. 39 3.8.4 Insects........................................................................................................................... 40 3.9 Old and Current Prospecting in the Lease Area..................................................................... 40 3.10 Surface Water.......................................................................................................................... 41 3.11 Hydrogeological Regime......................................................................................................... 41 3.11.1 Aquifer Characteristics................................................................................................. 41 3.11.2 Groundwater Quality.................................................................................................... 43 3.11.3 Current Groundwater Abstraction. ............................................................................... 44 3.11.4 Current Supply/Demand and Monitoring..................................................................... 45 3.12 Air quality ............................................................................................................................... 48 3.13 Noise and Vibration ................................................................................................................ 48 3.14 Archaeological and Cultural Aspects ..................................................................................... 48 3.14.1 Introduction.................................................................................................................. 48 3.14.2 Previous Research ........................................................................................................ 49 3.14.3 Previous Development ................................................................................................. 49 3.15 Sensitive Landscapes and Protected Areas............................................................................. 49 3.16 Visual Aspects ......................................................................................................................... 49 3.17 Regional and Socio-Economic Structure ................................................................................ 49 3.18 Communication links............................................................................................................... 50 3.19 Public Services........................................................................................................................ 50 3.20 SWOT Analysis........................................................................................................................ 50 3.21 Employment Pattern................................................................................................................ 51 3.22 Sources of Income................................................................................................................... 51 3.23 Potential for Economic Diversification................................................................................... 52 4 SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT................................................................................................ 54 4.1 Methodology .......................................................................................................................... 54 4.2 Knowledge of the Proposed Project........................................................................................ 56 Wellfield Consulting Services (Pty) Ltd., ii P. O. Box 1502, Gaborone. EIA for DiamonEx Botswana Limited Martin’s Drift Diamond Project., Central District, Botswana 4.3 Impacts of the Project as perceived by the Affected Community ............................................ 56 5 POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS ..........................................................................