PURPOSE
Khweza Environmental Consulting has been appointed by Mpambanyoni Sands (Pty) Ltd to conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment (Basic Assessment) and Water Use License Application for the proposed mining activity.
This document aims to provide you, as an Interested and/or Affected Party (I&AP), with information regarding the EIA and WULA application process being undertaken for the above-mentioned project. Any person, company, authority, or other entity that might be directly or indirectly affected by the proposed activity is invited to register as an I&AP. This includes, but not limited to landowners, neighbours, tenants, municipal & provincial authorities, interest groups, non-government organisations & conservation groups..
This document details how you can become involved in the project, receive information, and raise any issues of concern or interest regarding the proposed project.
The sharing of information forms the basis of the Public Participation Process and offers you the opportunity to become actively involved in the project from the outset. Input from I&APs ensures that all potential environmental issues are considered within the context of the project.
LOCATION
The sites are situated on Portion 0 of Lot 12 No. 1849 and Portion 0 of Lot 13 No. 1841 and falls within the jurisdiction of the Umdoni Local Municipality which is part of the Ugu District Municipality in KwaZulu Natal. The GPS coordinates are 30°17’13.6S and 30°43’54.11E.
SITE DESCRIPTION
The plot of land in which the activity will take place is a vacant land owned by Crookes Brothers Ltd. The distance and direction of the nearest town is approximately 2.4km west of Scottburgh via the R102. Previous mining activity had taken place for many years whilst the most recent was in 2015/2016 which had cleared vegetation and created access roads. The vegetation cover now is mostly alien and invasive species. The surrounding area is mainly agriculture with Renishaw Village to the north, and some light industrial companies nearby.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Silica Sand is the targeted mineral for extraction, utilizing a basic Open Cast Mining approach. The area was legally mined previously and so the existing footprint will be used of approximately 1ha. A designated mining area will be established including a stockpile area and temporary office. The sand will be obtained using either an excavator, a dredger or a front end loader.
BASIC ASSESSMENT REPORT
The Basic Assessment Report will identify potential environmental impacts of the activity and propose mitigation measures to ensure best environmental practice. In terms of the National Environmental Management Act (No. 107 of 1998) (NEMA) and associated EIA Regulations, 2014 (as amended) there are listed activities which may not commence without environmental authorisation. The Department is of the opinion that the above-mentioned project constitutes a listed activity which is identified in terms of section 24 of the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA), Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations, 2014 as amended and therefore an environmental authorisation will be required
The listed activity potentially triggered by the activity is Activity 21 of LN1:
Any activity including the operation of that activity which requires a mining permit in terms of section 27 of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, 2002
(Act No. 28 of 2002), including —
(a) associated infrastructure, structures and earthworks, directly related to the
extraction of a mineral resource; or
(b) the primary processing of a mineral resource including winning, extraction,
classifying, concentrating, crushing, screening or washing; but excluding the secondary processing of a mineral resource, including the smelting, beneficiation, reduction, refining, calcining or gasification of the mineral resource in which case activity 6 in Listing Notice 2 applies.
WATER USE LICENSE APPLICATIO
In terms of Section 21 of the National Water Act, 1998 (Act No. 36 of 1998), the proposed activity will require a WULA for the (c) Impeding or diverting the flow of water in a watercourse; and (i) Altering the beds, banks, course or characteristics of a watercourse.
REGISTER & COMMENT AS AN I&AP
If you consider yourself an I&AP for the activity, we encourage you to make use of the opportunities created by the Public Participation Process to become involved and raise any issues or concerns which affect and/or interest you.
By compl
eting and submitting the accompanying registration form, we will ensure that you are registered as an I&AP for the project, and that your concerns or queries regarding the project will be noted. We will also ensure that you are provided with future information pertaining to the project as well as the availability of reports for review and comment purposes. Please direct all comments, queries or issues as per details below.
Figure 1: Site map.
CONTACT DETAILS
Nazeer Jamal, Reg. EAP (2020/989)
Position: Environment Assessment Practitioner
Email: info@khweza.net
Telephone: 076 151 3334