Goedehoop Colliery, Hope No. 4 Seam Project A Division of Anglo Operations (Pty) Limited Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and Environmental Management Programme (EMPr) Compiled in terms of Appendix 3 and Appendix 4 of the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, 2014 (Government Notice No. R 982) (EIA Regulations, 2014) and Submitted as contemplated in Regulation 23 of Chapter 4 of the EIA Regulations, 2014) For The application for an Environmental Authorization and a Waste Management Licence in terms of the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998), National Environmental Management: Waste Act, 2008 (Act No. 59 of 2008), Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations 2014, Government Notice R983 - Listing Notice 1 of 2014, Government Notice R984 - Listing Notice 2 of 2014, Government Notice R985 - Listing Notice 3 of 2014 and Government Notice R921 – List of Waste Management Activities DMR Reference No.: MP 30/5/1/2/2/1 (122) EA NOVEMBER 2015 Goedehoop Colliery, Hope No. 4 Seam Project: EIR and EMPr Page i Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and Environmental Management Programme (EMPr) Anglo Operations (Pty) Limited: Goedehoop Colliery, Hope No. 4 Seam Project DRAFT EIR AND EMPr FOR THE HOPE NO. 4 SEAM PROJECT (COPY FOR REVIEW BY INTERESTED AND AFFECTED PARTIES) November 2015 GOEDEHOOP COLLIERY ANGLO OPERATIONS (PTY) LIMITED Goedehoop Colliery, Hope No. 4 Seam Project: EIR and EMPr Page i CONTENTS PAGE PART A EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................................................................................... 1 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................... 4 1.1 Who is Developing the EIR and EMPr? .................................................................................. 4 1.1.1 Name and contact details of the EAP who prepared the EIR and EMPr .............. 4 1.1.2 Expertise of the EAP who prepared the EIR and EMPr ........................................ 4 1.2 Who will Evaluate and Approve the EIR and EMPR? ............................................................ 5 1.3 DETAILS OF THE APPLICANT .............................................................................................. 6 1.3.1 Name of the Applicant ............................................................................................. 6 1.3.2 Name of the Mine ..................................................................................................... 6 1.3.3 Name of the Project ................................................................................................. 6 1.3.4 Postal Address of Mine ............................................................................................ 6 1.3.5 General Manager ..................................................................................................... 6 1.3.6 Contact Person ........................................................................................................ 6 1.4 DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPERTY (LOCATION OF THE PROJECT) ............................ 6 1.4.1 Regional Setting ....................................................................................................... 6 1.4.2 Physical Address and Farm Name of the Mine ...................................................... 6 1.4.3 Magisterial District & Regional Services Council .................................................... 6 1.4.4 Direction and Distance to Nearest Towns .............................................................. 7 1.4.5 Land Tenure of Immediate and Adjacent Land ...................................................... 7 1.4.6 Locality Plan ........................................................................................................... 11 1.4.7 Servitudes ............................................................................................................... 11 2 DESCRIPTION OF THE SCOPE OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT .............................................. 16 2.1 Listed Activities and Specified Activities ................................................................................ 16 2.2 Description of the proposed Hope No. 4 Seam Project ........................................................ 16 2.2.1 Target Mineral ........................................................................................................ 30 2.2.2 Mining Method Used at the Hope No. 4 Seam Project ........................................ 30 2.3 Hope No. 4 Seam Project Surface Infrastructure Description .............................................. 30 2.3.1 Access Shaft/Box cut ............................................................................................. 31 2.3.2 Access Roads ........................................................................................................ 31 2.3.3 Power line Infrastructure ........................................................................................ 31 GOEDEHOOP COLLIERY ANGLO OPERATIONS (PTY) LIMITED Goedehoop Colliery, Hope No. 4 Seam Project: EIR and EMPr Page ii 2.3.4 Water Supply Infrastructure ................................................................................... 32 2.3.5 Overland Conveyor Belt Infrastructure ................................................................. 33 2.3.6 Crushing and Screening Plant .............................................................................. 33 2.3.7 Workshops and Buildings ...................................................................................... 33 2.3.8 Waste Management............................................................................................... 33 2.3.9 Water Management ............................................................................................... 36 2.4 Hope No. 4 Seam Project Method Statement ....................................................................... 39 2.4.1 Construction Phase ................................................................................................ 39 2.4.2 Operational Phase ................................................................................................. 44 2.4.3 Decommissioning/Closure Phase ......................................................................... 47 3 POLICY AND LEGISLATIVE CONTEXT .......................................................................................... 50 3.1 Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act No. 108 of 1996) ..................................... 50 3.2 National Environmental Management Act ............................................................................. 50 3.3 National Environmental Management Air Quality Act ........................................................... 51 3.4 The National Heritage Resources Act ................................................................................... 51 3.5 National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act (Act 10 of 2004) (NEMBA) ............ 52 3.6 Mpumalanga Nature Conservation Act (Act 10 of 1998) ...................................................... 52 3.7 Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA) ......................................... 52 3.8 National Water Act (NWA) ...................................................................................................... 53 3.9 National Environmental Management: Waste Act (Act No. 59 of 2008) .............................. 53 3.10 EIA Guidelines......................................................................................................................... 53 4 NEED AND DESIRABILITY OF THE PROPOSED ACTIVITIES .................................................... 56 4.1 Ecological Integrity .................................................................................................................. 56 4.1.1 Considerations of the ecological integrity ............................................................. 56 4.1.2 Consideration of the disturbance or enhancement of the ecosystems and/or result in the loss or protection of biological diversity ............................................ 61 4.1.3 Consideration of pollution and degradation of the biophysical environment ...... 61 4.1.4 Waste to be generated by the proposed development and their management . 61 4.1.5 Consideration of the disturbance or enhancement of landscape ........................ 62 4.1.6 Consideration of the impacts on non-renewable natural resources .................... 62 4.1.7 Consideration of the impacts on renewable natural resources ........................... 62 4.1.8 Application of risk-averse and cautious approach ................................................ 63 4.1.9 Consideration of people’s environmental rights ................................................... 63 GOEDEHOOP COLLIERY ANGLO OPERATIONS (PTY) LIMITED Goedehoop Colliery, Hope No. 4 Seam Project: EIR and EMPr Page iii 4.1.10 Description of the linkages and dependencies between human wellbeing and ecosystem services ................................................................................................ 63 4.1.11 Impacts of the proposed project on ecological integrity objectives/targets/considerations of the project area .......................................... 64 4.1.12 Consideration of the need to secure ecological integrity and a healthy biophysical environment ....................................................................................... 64 4.1.13 Description of cumulative