Zitholele Consulting Reg. No. 2000/000392/07 PO Box 6002 Halfway House 1685, South Africa Building 1, Maxwell Office Park, Magwa Crescent West C/o Allandale Road & Maxwell Drive, Waterfall City, Midrand Tel + (27) 11 207 2060 Fax + (27) 86 674 6121 E-mail : [email protected] REPORT ON DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT FOR THE NEW KOFFIEFONTEIN SLIMES DAM DEVELOPMENT DESTEA Reference Nr: EMR/23(ii), 3, 15/14/11 NEAS Reference Nr: FSP/EIA/0000379/2014 Report No :13034-46-Rep-003-DEIR-Rev0 Submitted to: Koffiefontein Mine JV 1 du Preez Street Koffiefontein 9986 DISTRIBUTION: 2 Copies - Koffiefontein Mine JV 1 Copy - Zitholele Consulting (Pty) Ltd – Library February 2016 13034 Directors: S Pillay (Managing Director); N Rajasakran (Director); Dr AM Van Niekerk (Director) February 2016 i 13034 YOUR COMMENT ON THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT The Draft Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIR) is available for comment from Wednesday, 02 March 2016 to Friday, 15 April 2016. This DEIR has been distributed to the authorities, and copies thereof are available at public places in the project area (see below). List of public places where the Draft Environmental Impact Assessment Report is available: VENUE CONTACT DETAILS Printed Copies Letsemeng Local Municipal Offices, 7 Groot Trek Street,Tel.: 053 205 9200 Koffiefontein Koffiefontein Public Library, 29 Groot Trek Street, Koffiefontein Tel.: 053 205 0147 Ditlhake Public Library, 429 Ttsane Street, Ditlhake, Koffiefontein Tel.: 053 205 0383 Ethembeni Clinic, 100 Jacobsdal Road, Koffiefontein Tel.: 053 205 0977 ELECTRONIC COPIES Zitholele Consulting Website http://www.zitholele.co.za/eia-for-koffiefontein-slime-dam Available on CD on request via email Nicolene Venter Tel.: 011 207 2060 E-mail: [email protected] The DEIR is also available electronically from the Public Participation office or on the Zitholele website: http://www.zitholele.co.za/eia-for-koffiefontein-slime-dam, or the Koffiefontein Diamond Mine website http://www.petradiamonds.com (Koffiefontein Mine) DUE DATE FOR COMMENT ON THE DEIR IS FRIDAY, 15 APRIL 2016 Send your comment to the Public Participation Office: Nicolene Venter or Shandre Laven Zitholele Consulting PO Box 6002, Halfway House, 1685 Tel: (011) 207 2060 or Fax: 086 676 9950 Email: [email protected] ZITHOLELE CONSULTING February 2016 ii 13034 TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION PAGE 1 INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................. 11 1.1 Project Background........................................................................................11 1.2 Context of this report......................................................................................12 1.3 Project Proponent ..........................................................................................12 1.4 Details of the Environmental Impact Assessment Practitioner........................13 1.5 Department of Economic, Small business development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs Case officer contact details .........................................15 1.6 KDM Reports considered...............................................................................15 2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION............................................................................... 16 2.1 Project Location.............................................................................................16 2.2 Description of existing activities .....................................................................20 2.3 Description of proposed new infrastructure (FRSF) .......................................26 2.4 Description of proposed Installation of a Mill ..................................................28 2.5 Major activities to be undertaken during project execution .............................30 3 NEED AND DESIRABILITY OF PROJECT..................................................... 31 4 ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION ................................................................. 36 4.1 The constitution of South Africa .....................................................................36 4.2 National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998)..........37 4.3 National Environmental Management: Waste Act, 2008 (Act 59 of 2008) ......39 4.4 National Environmental Management: Waste Amendment Act (Act no 26 of 2014) .............................................................................................................41 4.5 Additional Legislative requirements................................................................42 5 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT PROCESS .............................. 45 5.1 Scoping Phase...............................................................................................45 5.2 EIA Phase......................................................................................................46 5.3 Environmental Impact Reporting phase .........................................................55 6 RECEIVING ENVIRONMENT ......................................................................... 59 6.1 Climate ..........................................................................................................59 6.2 Wind regime ..................................................................................................60 6.3 Geology .........................................................................................................61 6.4 Soils and Land Capability ..............................................................................64 6.5 Topography ...................................................................................................68 6.6 Surface and Groundwater Resources ............................................................68 6.7 Terrestrial Biodiversity ...................................................................................73 6.8 Avifauna.........................................................................................................78 6.9 Air quality.......................................................................................................80 6.10 Socio-Economic Profile..................................................................................80 7 SUMMARY OF SPECIALIST STUDIES AND PROCESSES ......................... 86 7.1 Introduction....................................................................................................86 7.2 Terms of Reference (ToR) for Specialist Studies ...........................................86 8 ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT....................................................................... 93 8.1 Site selection workshop .................................................................................95 8.2 Site selection criteria......................................................................................96 8.3 Fine Residue Storage Facility alternative .....................................................102 8.4 Design and Layout for disposal facility .........................................................103 8.5 Proceeding with the project..........................................................................105 8.6 “No-Go” Development alternative.................................................................105 9 IMPACT ASSESSMENT RATING................................................................. 106 ZITHOLELE CONSULTING February 2016 iii 13034 9.1 Planning Phase............................................................................................106 9.2 Construction Phase: Slurry Pipeline.............................................................106 9.3 Construction Phase: Environmental Impact Assessment - Construction of Slimes Dam .................................................................................................125 9.4 Operational Phase .......................................................................................139 9.5 Decommissioning Phase .............................................................................141 9.6 Consideration of Dam Failure ......................................................................141 10 KNOWLEDGE GAPS AND LIMITATIONS.................................................... 145 10.1 Impact Assessment......................................................................................145 10.2 Scope of Work .............................................................................................145 10.3 Specialist Studies ........................................................................................146 11 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT .................................................. 148 11.1 Key Findings of Impact Assessment ............................................................148 11.2 Proposed conditions for Environmental Authorisation ..................................148 12 CONCLUSION AND WAY FORWARD ......................................................... 149 13 REFERENCES............................................................................................... 150 APPENDIX A: CURRICULUM VITAE OF EAP...................................................... 154 APPENDIX B: APPLICATION FORM FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AUTHORISATION.......................................................................................... 155 APPENDIX C: ACCEPTANCE OF APPLICATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AUTHORISATION FORM.............................................................................. 156 APPENDIX D: ACCEPTANCE OF FINAL SCOPING REPORT...........................