500179 Final EIA 2007.05.02.doc FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT FOR THE PROPOSED KALAHARI MANGANESE MINE NORTHERN CAPE PROVINCE PREPARED FOR: PREPARED BY: Kalahari Resources (Pty) Ltd STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL PO Box 98549 FOCUS (PTY) LTD P.O. Box 74785 SLOANE PARK LYNNWOOD RIDGE 2152 0040 Tel. No.: (011) 706 3999 Tel. No.: (012) 349-1307 Fax No.: (011) 463 6109 Fax No.: (012) 349-1229 e-mail: [email protected] SUBMITTED TO: Northern Cape Department of Minerals and Energy Reference Number: NC30/5/1/2/2/104MR SEF CODE: 500179 APRIL 2007 _____________________________________________________________________________________________ COPYRIGHT WARNING Copyright in all text and other matter, including the manner of presentation, is the exclusive property of the author. It is a criminal offence to reproduce and/or use, without written consent, any matter, technical procedure and/or technique contained in this document. Criminal and civil proceedings will be taken as a matter of strict routine against any person and/or institution infringing the copyright of the author and/or proprietors. Kalahari Resources Manganese Mine Final Environmental Impact Assessment Report EXECUTIVE SUMMARY INTRODUCTION Kalahari Resources (Pty) Ltd (KR) proposes to establish a new Manganese Mine located on three (3) contiguous farms namely, Umtu 281, Olivepan 282 and Gama 283, constituting a total area of approximately 6300 hectares (ha), located within the Northern Cape Province of South Africa. The study area falls within the Kgalagadi District Municipality, situated just outside the Gamagara Municipality. MOTIVATION The study area is underlain by the Kalahari Manganese Field (KMF), the world’s largest manganese deposit in the world (Council for Geoscience, 1998). Based on available information, South Africa’s economically exploitable manganese reserves are in excess of 15 Billion tons. In the 1990s South Africa’s production constituted 12.4 % of the world total of 23 Million tons (Mt), making it the third largest producer after the Commonwealth of Independent States and China (Grohmann, 1995). According to the Mine Works Plan (KR, 2006), the forecast levels of growth in the steel industry for the medium term future, it is predicted that there will be a need for new manganese production capacity. There is certainly space for well-situated, modern plants with low operating costs and access to their own ore deposits. The key factors for successful entry in the industry for a new producer are as follows: • Utilisation of quality ore reserves; • Utilisation of modern technology with low operating costs; • Well situated with respect to target markets; and • Ability to benefit from well established infrastructure. MINING METHOD The mine will be an underground mine and the ore body would be accessed by means of a twin decline, one of which would accommodate the Run of Mine (ROM) conveyor belt and the employees, material and roadway. The second decline would be mainly used as the return airway and serve as the statuary second outlet. The mining width is estimated five (5) metres and thus this ore-body would be extracted using the room and pillar method of mining. The ore will be crushed underground following which, a conveyor belt system will transport the ore out of the mine via one of the twin declines to a ROM surface stockpile. The ore beneficiation plant will consist of a secondary crushing and screening circuit, followed by a Dense Media Separation plant (DMS). Thereafter, the ore will be sintered in a sinter plant. Finally, the ore will be transported, by rail, to a smelter, which will be developed in the Industrial Development Zone of Coega, Eastern Cape. Compiled by Strategic Environmental Focus i DME: NC 30/5/1/2/2/104 MR SEF: 500179 Kalahari Resources Manganese Mine Final Environmental Impact Assessment Report The mine will be constructed during 2008 and 2009, and the mine complex should be at full production (1.5 million tons per annum (Mtpa) (ROM) and 1.0 Mtpa of sinter) by March 2009. LEGAL REQUIREMENTS Strategic Environmental Focus (Pty) Ltd (SEF), as independent Environmental Consultants, was appointed by KR to manage the environmental authorisation process in terms of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA), 2002 (Act No. 28 of 2002). Other applicable legislation includes the following: • National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998); • National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act (AQA), 2004 (Act No. 39 of 2004); • Air Pollution and Prevention Act, 1965 (Act No. 45 of 1965); • National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, 2004 (Act No. 10 of 2004) and National Spatial Biodiversity Assessment; • National Water Act, 1998 (Act No. 36 of 1998); • National Heritage Resources Act, 1999 (Act No. 25 of 1999); • National Forest Act, 1998 (Act No. 84 of 1998); • Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act, 1983 (Act No. 43 of 1983); and • Provincial ordinances of the Northern Cape Province. ENVIRONMENTAL AUTHORISATION PROCESS The environmental authorisation process in terms of the MPRDA, was initiated on the 28th September 2006, which entailed the submission of the mining right application, social and labour plan and the mine works programme to the Northern Cape Department of Minerals and Energy (DME). The application was submitted in request for authorisation to mine the mineral manganese on the Farms Umtu 281, Olivepan 282 and Gama 283 as defined by the prospecting right area. In order to comply with the MPRDA and the associated Regulations it was necessary to undertake a comprehensive scoping exercise as part of the EIA process. The Final Scoping Report was submitted to the DME on the 10th November 2006. The Scoping phase fulfilled the following objectives: • Identified and notified all Interested and Affected Parties (IAPs) of KR’s intention to construct a new manganese mine; • Ensured that all concerns and issues of IAPs were taken into account during the EIA stage of the process; • Provided sufficient information to all IAPs to ensure that they could effectively participate in the EIA Process; Compiled by Strategic Environmental Focus ii DME: NC 30/5/1/2/2/104 MR SEF: 500179 Kalahari Resources Manganese Mine Final Environmental Impact Assessment Report • Focused on the EIA on specific issues, which are important for the decision makers, thereby reducing the potential for any delays as a result of requests for additional information; and • Developed the necessary terms of reference for all specialist studies to be undertaken as part of the EIA. Subsequently, the environmental impacts associated with the proposed development were thoroughly assessed during the EIA phase of the process. Specialists assessed baseline conditions, predicted the impacts and developed the necessary management measures. Management measures developed through the EIA process serve to mitigate the negative impacts and optimise the positive impacts as outlined in the Environmental Management Programme (EMP). PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PROCESS Phase 1 The initial public participation process commenced on the 3rd February 2006 and included advertisements in local and regional newspapers, erection of notices on site, in Kuruman, Kathu, Black Rock and Hotazel; direct notification of key stakeholders by means of a Background Information Document (BID) in both English and Afrikaans, distribution of five hundred flyers, two (2) focus group meetings (17th February 2006) and an information Session followed by a Public Meeting (18th February 2006). On the 17th July 2006, the draft Scoping Report was made available for a 30 day comment period ending on the 23rd August 2006. Phase 2 Two Public Information Sessions were held on the 1st August 2006 at the Kuruman Town Hall and the Hotazel Recreation Club. The purpose of these information sessions was to discuss the findings contained within the draft Scoping Report and acquire additional public input. Phase 3 The Draft EIA and EMP were available for public review from the 9th to the 30th March 2007 in the Kuruman Library, Wrenchville Library, Mothibestad Library, Hotazel Recreation Club, and Cassel Library. Public comments and concerns were incorporated into the Final EIA and EMP, which will be submitted to the Northern Cape DME for their consideration on the 5th April 2007. Public meetings were held on the 15th (15h00 in Hotazel) and 16th (09h30 in Kuruman) March 2007 to discuss key findings of the EIA. Once the comment period ended, the EIR was updated and the Final EIR is submitted to the DME for review. Registered IAPs will be informed of the DME’s decision, once issued. Compiled by Strategic Environmental Focus iii DME: NC 30/5/1/2/2/104 MR SEF: 500179 Kalahari Resources Manganese Mine Final Environmental Impact Assessment Report Public comments and concerns Assessing the comments / concerns received during the public participation process, it was evident that the main concerns are: • Local employment and contractors; • Housing concerns; • Health risks; • Dust pollution; • Light pollution; • Infrastructure: Roads and Railway; • Water usage; and • Tourism. The above-mentioned concerns were carefully considered and appropriate mitigation measures form part of the EIA and EMP. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA) The following steps were taken as part of the EIA: • Assessment of alternatives; • Investigation of baseline data; • Specialist studies; • Environmental Impact Assessment; • Cumulative Impact Assessment; • Compilation of mitigation measures incorporated into the Environmental