Applicant: Itereleng Bakgatla Mineral Resources (Pty) Ltd1)€¦ · Date last printed 2015/07/30...

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL

MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME FOR CHANGES TO SURFACE

INFRASTRUCTURE AT SEDIBELO PLATINUM MINE

SUBMITTED IN SUPPORT OF EXISTING MINING RIGHTS IN TERMS

OF SECTION 39 AND OF REGULATIONS 50 AND 51 OF THE MINERAL AND PETROLEUM RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT,

2002 (ACT NO. 28 OF 2002) (THE ACT) AND

SUBMITTED IN SUPPORT OF AN APPLICATION TO AMEND THE EMP IN TERMS OF SECTION 102 OF THE MINERAL AND

PETROLEUM RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT, 2002 (ACT NO. 28 OF 2002) (THE ACT)

AND AS REQUIRED IN TERMS OF REGULATION 543 OF THE NATIONAL

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ACT (ACT NO. 107 OF 1998) 1) NOTE: On 13 February 2014, Ministerial consent was granted in terms of section 11 of the MPRDA,

ceding the remainder of the Itereleng Bakgatla Minerals Resources (Pty) Ltd (IBMR) Mining Right (Sedibelo Platinum Mine), to Pilanesberg Platinum Mines (Pty) Ltd (PPM) PPM.

Applicant: Itereleng Bakgatla Mineral Resources (Pty) Ltd1) DMR Reference Number: NW30/5/1/2/3/2/1/333MR DREAD Reference Number: NWP/EIA/89/2011

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

Title ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME FOR CHANGES TO SURFACE INFRASTRUCTURE AT SEDIBELO PLATINUM MINE

Project Managers Suan Mulder and Fiona Bolton Author Suan Mulder Reviewer Brandon Stobart and Alex Pheiffer Client Itereleng Bakgatla Mineral Resources (Pty) Ltd

On 13 February 2014, Ministerial consent was granted in terms of section 11 of the MPRDA, ceding the remainder of the Itereleng Bakgatla Minerals Resources (Pty) Ltd (IBMR) Mining Right (Sedibelo Platinum Mine), to Pilanesberg Platinum Mines (Pty) Ltd (PPM) PPM.

Date last printed 2015/07/30 02:55:00 PM Date last saved 2015/07/30 02:55:00 PM Keywords Environmental Impact assessment, Environmental Management Programme,

Sedibelo, Changes to infrastructure North West Province Project Number 710.02001.00003 Report Number 1 Status FINAL EIA and EMP report for decision-making Issue Date July 2015

SLR OFFICE Johannesburg, South Africa Physical Address: Unit 7 Fourways Manor Office Park Corner Roos and Macbeth Streets Fourways Johannesburg South Africa Postal Address: P O Box 1596 Cramerview 2060 Tel: +27 (011) 467-0945 Fax: +27 (011) 467-0978 Web: www.slrconsulting.com

IDENTIFICATION OF THE REPORT

Herewith I, the person whose name and identity number is stated below, confirm that I am the person authorised to act as representative of the applicant in terms of the resolution submitted with the application, and confirm that the above report comprises EIA and EMP compiled in accordance with the guideline on the Departments official website and directive in terms of Sections 29 and 39(5) in that regard. Full names and surname:

Dean Patrick ORaine Riley

Company:

Itereleng Bakgatla Minerals Resources (Pty) Ltd (IBMR) On 13 February 2014, Ministerial consent was granted in terms of section 11 of the MPRDA, ceding the remainder of the Itereleng Bakgatla Minerals Resources (Pty) Ltd (IBMR) Mining Right (Sedibelo Platinum Mine), to Pilanesberg Platinum Mines (Pty) Ltd (PPM) PPM.

Identity number: 620317 5139 082

http://www.slrconsulting.com/

SLR Consulting (Africa) (Pty) Ltd

SLR Africa Project No 710.02001.00003 Report No.1 July 2015

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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME FOR CHANGES TO SURFACE INFRASTRUCTURE

AT SEDIBELO PLATINUM MINE

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK ............................................................................................. I 1. DESCRIPTION OF THE BASELINE ENVIRONMENT ....................................................................... 1-2 1.1 ON-SITE ENVIRONMENT RELATIVE TO SURROUNDING AREA ............................................................... 1-2

1.1.1 GEOLOGY BASELINE .................................................................................................................................. 1-2 1.1.2 CLIMATE BASELINE .................................................................................................................................... 1-9 1.1.3 TOPOGRAPHY BASELINE .......................................................................................................................... 1-13 1.1.4 SOIL BASELINE ....................................................................................................................................... 1-14 1.1.5 PRE-MINE LAND CAPABILITY .................................................................................................................... 1-26 1.1.6 BIODIVERSITY BASELINE .......................................................................................................................... 1-29 1.1.7 SURFACE WATER .................................................................................................................................... 1-72 1.1.8 GROUNDWATER BASELINE ....................................................................................................................... 1-80 1.1.9 AIR QUALITY BASELINE ............................................................................................................................ 1-88 1.1.10 NOISE BASELINE ..................................................................................................................................... 1-91 1.1.11 VISUAL BASELINE ................................................................................................................................... 1-93

1.2 ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS WHICH MAY REQUIRE PROTECTION OR REMEDIATION.............................. 1-97 1.3 LAND USES, CULTURAL AND HERITAGE ASPECTS AND INFRASTRUCTURE .......................................... 1-97

1.3.1 LAND USES ............................................................................................................................................ 1-97 1.3.2 TRAFFIC BASELINE ................................................................................................................................ 1-104 1.3.3 CULTURAL ASPECTS .............................................................................................................................. 1-108 1.3.4 HERITAGE BASELINE (INCLUDING CULTURAL RESOURCES) ......................................................................... 1-108 1.3.5 SOCIO-ECONOMIC ................................................................................................................................. 1-112

1.4 MAPS SHOWING THE SPATIAL LOCALITY AND AERIAL EXTENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES .......... 1-120 1.5 SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS ............................................................................................................ 1-16 2. MINING OPERATIONS ...................................................................................................................... 2-1 OVERVIEW AND TIMETABLE ........................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.1 MINERALS TO BE MINED .................................................................................................................. 2-9 2.2 MINING METHOD TO BE EMPLOYED .................................................................................................. 2-9

2.2.1 OPEN PIT MINING .................................................................................................................................... 2-10 2.2.2 UNDERGROUND MINING – CENTRAL BLOCK ............................................................................................... 2-11 2.2.3 UNDERGROUND MINING - EASTERN BLOCK ............................................................................................... 2-14 2.2.4 ORE DELIVERY........................................................................................................................................ 2-15

2.3 LIST OF MAIN ACTIONS/ACTIVITIES/PROCESSES ON SITE .................................................................. 2-15 2.4 PLAN SHOWING LOCATION AND EXTENT OF OPERATIONS................................................................. 2-22

2.4.1 SITE FACILITIES DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE ................................................................................... 2-22 2.4.2 SITE FACILITIES DURING THE OPERATIONAL PHASE ...................................................................................... 2-23

2.5 LISTED ACTIVITIES IN TERMS OF NEMA EIA REGULATIONS ............................................................ 2-27 2.6 LISTED ACTIVITIES IN TERMS OF THE NEM:WA REGULATIONS ...................................................... 2-30 2.7 INDICATION OF PHASES AND TIMEFRAMES ASSOCIATED WITH THE MAIN ACTIONS / ACTIVITIES /

PROCESSES ................................................................................................................................ 2-30 2.8 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ............................................................................................................ 2-30

2.8.1 CONSTRUCTION PHASE............................................................................................................................ 2-31 2.8.1.1 HOUSING ............................................................................................................................................... 2-31 2.8.1.2 POWER SUPPLY ...................................................................................................................................... 2-31 2.8.1.3 TRANSPORT SYSTEMS ............................................................................................................................. 2-31 2.8.1.4 NON-MINERALISED WASTE MANAGEMENT ................................................................................................... 2-33 2.8.1.5 FUEL AND LUBRICANT STORAGE FACILITIES ................................................................................................ 2-33 2.8.1.6 EXPLOSIVES USE AND STORAGE ............................................................................................................... 2-34 2.8.1.7 EXPLOSIVE WASTE DESTRUCTION AREA ..................................................................................................... 2-34 2.8.1.8 LAYDOWN AREAS .................................................................................................................................... 2-35



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2.8.1.9 CON-CURRENT MINING OPERATIONS ......................................................................................................... 2-35 2.8.1.10 FIRST AID STATION .................................................................................................................................. 2-35 2.8.1.11 MOBILE CRUSHING AND GROUTING PLANT .................................................................................................. 2-35 2.8.1.12 TELECOMMUNICATIONS ........................................................................................................................... 2-35 2.8.1.13 FIRE CONTROL SYSTEM ........................................................................................................................... 2-35 2.8.1.14 SECURITY AND ACCESS CONTROL ............................................................................................................. 2-36 2.8.1.15 WEIGHBRIDGE, PARKING AND BUS/TAXI RANK ............................................................................................. 2-36 2.8.1.16 HELIPAD ................................................................................................................................................ 2-36 2.8.1.17 LIGHTING ............................................................................................................................................... 2-36 2.8.1.18 INTERNAL PIPELINES ................................................................................................................................ 2-36 2.8.1.19 ON-GOING CONTRACTOR WORK ................................................................................................................ 2-36 2.8.1.20 ONGOING EXPLORATION .......................................................................................................................... 2-37 2.8.2 OPERATIONAL PHASE .............................................................................................................................. 2-37 2.8.2.1 WATER SUPPLY AND MANAGEMENT ........................................................................................................... 2-37 2.8.2.2 POWER SUPPLY ...................................................................................................................................... 2-37 2.8.2.3 MINERAL PROCESSING ............................................................................................................................ 2-38 2.8.2.4 SURFACE CONVEYORS ............................................................................................................................ 2-44 2.8.2.5 LABORATORY ......................................................................................................................................... 2-44 2.8.2.6 STORAGE OF RAW MATERIALS / CHEMICALS ............................................................................................... 2-44 2.8.2.7 NON-MINERALISED WASTE MANAGEMENT ................................................................................................... 2-45 2.8.2.8 MINERALISED WASTE - TAILINGS STORAGE FACILITY ................................................................................... 2-46 2.8.2.9 MINERALISED WASTE - DMS WASTE ......................................................................................................... 2-50 2.8.2.10 MINERALISED WASTE - WASTE ROCK DUMPS ............................................................................................ 2-50 2.8.2.11 STORMWATER WATER MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL .................................................................................... 2-53 2.8.2.12 WATER BALANCE .................................................................................................................................... 2-56 2.8.3 DECOMMISSIONING AND CLOSURE ............................................................................................................ 2-58

2.9 PROJECT ALTERNATIVES .............................................................................................................. 2-60 2.9.1 INFRASTRUCTURE LAYOUT ALTERNATIVES ................................................................................................. 2-60 2.9.2 FUTURE GENERAL WASTE DISPOSAL OPTION .............................................................................................. 2-60 2.9.3 THE “NO PROJECT” OPTION ...................................................................................................................... 2-60

3. POTENTIAL IMPACTS ....................................................................................................................... 3-1 3.1 LIST OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS .............................................................. 3-1 3.2 LIST OF POTENTIAL CUMULATIVE IMPACTS........................................................................................ 3-4 3.3 POTENTIAL FOR ACID MINE DRAINAGE OR GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION ....................................... 3-5 4. ALTERNATIVE LAND USE OR DEVELOPMENT ............................................................................. 4-1 4.1 DESCRIPTION OF ALTERNATIVE LAND USE OF THE AREA .................................................................... 4-1 4.2 MAIN FEATURES AND INFRASTRUCTURE RELATED TO ALTERNATIVE LAND USE / DEVELOPMENT ........... 4-1 4.3 PLAN SHOWING LOCATION AND EXTENT OF ALTERNATIVE LAND USE / DEVELOPMENT ......................... 4-1 5. POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF ALTERNATIVE LAND USE OR DEVELOPMENT - ............................... 5-1 5.1 LIST OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS ........................................................................................................... 5-1 5.2 LIST OF POTENTIAL CUMULATIVE IMPACTS........................................................................................ 5-1 6. POTENTIAL SOCIAL AND CULTURAL IMPACTS ............................................................................ 6-1 6.1 LIST OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS OF THIRD PARTY LAND USE ACTIVITIES6-1 6.2 CULTURAL ASPECTS AND POTENTIAL IMPACTS THEREON .................................................................. 6-1 6.3 HERITAGE FEATURES AND POTENTIAL IMPACTS THEREON ................................................................. 6-1

6.3.1 HERITAGE (AND CULTURAL) FEATURES ........................................................................................................ 6-1 6.3.2 PALEONTOLOGICAL FEATURES ................................................................................................................... 6-1

6.4 QUANTIFICATION OF IMPACT ON SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS ........................................................ 6-2 7. ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS....................................................... 7-1 7.1 SUMMARY OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS IDENTIFIED IN APPROVED EIA/EMP REPORT ................................ 7-1

7.1.1 ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................................... 7-1 7.1.2 SUMMARY OF IDENTIFIED IMPACTS WITH A HIGH SIGNIFICANCE ....................................................................... 7-1

7.2 LIST OF EACH POTENTIAL IMPACT .................................................................................................... 7-3 7.3 IMPACT RATING FOR EACH POTENTIAL IMPACT .................................................................................. 7-4



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GEOLOGY 7-5 7.3.1 ISSUE: LOSS AND STERILIZATION OF MINERAL RESOURCE .............................................................................. 7-5 TOPOGRAPHY ........................................................................................................................................................ 7-7 7.3.2 ISSUE: HAZARDOUS EXCAVATIONS AND INFRASTRUCTURE.............................................................................. 7-7 SOILS AND LAND CAPABILITY .................................................................................................................................. 7-11 7.3.3 ISSUE: LOSS OF SOIL RESOURCES AND LAND CAPABILITY THROUGH POLLUTION .............................................. 7-11 7.3.4 ISSUE: LOSS OF SOIL RESOURCES AND LAND CAPABILITY THROUGH PHYSICAL DISTURBANCE ........................... 7-16 BIODIVERSITY ...................................................................................................................................................... 7-21 7.3.5 ISSUE: PHYSICAL DESTRUCTION OF NATURAL VEGETATION AND ANIMAL LIFE .................................................. 7-23 7.3.6 ISSUE: LOSS OF WATER RESOURCES AS AN ECOLOGICAL DRIVER ................................................................. 7-30 7.3.7 ISSUE: GENERAL DISTURBANCE OF BIODIVERSITY ........................................................................................ 7-34 SURFACE WATER ................................................................................................................................................. 7-38 7.3.8 ISSUE: CONTAMINATION OF SURFACE WATER RESOURCES ........................................................................... 7-38 7.3.9 ISSUE: ALTERATION OF NATURAL DRAINAGE PATTERNS ................................................................................ 7-42 GROUNDWATER ................................................................................................................................................... 7-46 7.3.10 ISSUE: REDUCTION IN WATER AVAILABILITY / LEVELS .................................................................................. 7-46 7.3.11 ISSUE: CONTAMINATION OF GROUNDWATER RESOURCES ............................................................................. 7-50 AIR QUALITY ........................................................................................................................................................ 7-54 7.3.12 ISSUE: AIR POLLUTION ............................................................................................................................. 7-54 AMBIENT NOISE ................................................................................................................................................... 7-60 7.3.13 ISSUE: NOISE POLLUTION ......................................................................................................................... 7-60 VISUAL IMPACTS .................................................................................................................................................. 7-64 7.3.14 ISSUE: VISUAL IMPACTS ........................................................................................................................... 7-64 HERITAGE, PALEONTOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES ...................................................................................... 7-70 7.3.15 ISSUE: LOSS OF HERITAGE, PALEONTOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES ................................................. 7-70 IMPACTS ON LAND USE ......................................................................................................................................... 7-73 7.3.16 ISSUE: LOSS OF AGRICULTURAL, RESIDENTIAL, CONSERVATION AND/OR ECOTOURISM LAND USES .................... 7-73 7.3.17 ISSUE: BLASTING IMPACTS ........................................................................................................................ 7-78 7.3.18 ISSUE: IMPACT ON TRAFFIC CAPACITY AND ROAD ACCESSIBILITY ................................................................... 7-83 7.3.19 ISSUE: TRAFFIC IMPACTS ON ROAD SAFETY ................................................................................................ 7-85 SOCIO-ECONOMIC ................................................................................................................................................ 7-88 7.3.20 ISSUE: CONTRIBUTION TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY AS A RESULT OF EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES...................... 7-88 7.3.21 ISSUE: IMPACT ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ............................................................................................. 7-91 7.3.22 ISSUE: INWARD MIGRATION ....................................................................................................................... 7-94 7.3.23 ISSUE: DISPLACEMENT/RELOCATION OF PEOPLE ........................................................................................ 7-97

7.4 DEFINITION OF CRITERIA USED..................................................................................................... 7-100 7.5 PHASES AND TIMEFRAMES OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS ....................................................................... 7-100 7.6 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS ................................................................................................................ 7-102

7.6.1 LOSS AND STERILISATION OF MINERAL RESOURCES .................................................................................. 7-105 7.6.2 HAZARDOUS STRUCTURES/EXCAVATIONS/SURFACE SUBSIDENCE ............................................................... 7-105 7.6.3 LOSS OF SOIL RESOURCES AND LAND CAPABILITY THROUGH PHYSICAL DISTURBANCE ................................... 7-105 7.6.4 LOSS OF SOIL RESOURCES AND LAND CAPABILITY THROUGH POLLUTION ...................................................... 7-106 7.6.5 LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY THROUGH DESTRUCTION, DISTURBANCE OR THROUGH THE LOSS OF ECOLOGICAL DRIVERS7-106 7.6.6 POLLUTION OF SURFACE WATER RESOURCES ........................................................................................... 7-110 7.6.7 ALTERATION OF SURFACE DRAINAGE PATTERNS ....................................................................................... 7-110 7.6.8 REDUCTION IN GROUNDWATER LEVELS / AVAILABILITY ............................................................................... 7-111 7.6.9 CONTAMINATION OF GROUNDWATER ....................................................................................................... 7-112 7.6.10 AIR POLLUTION ..................................................................................................................................... 7-114 7.6.11 DISTURBING AMBIENT NOISE .................................................................................................................. 7-114 7.6.12 NEGATIVE LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACTS ............................................................................................ 7-115 7.6.13 DISTURBANCE OF HERITAGE (INCLUDING CULTURAL) RESOURCES .............................................................. 7-115 7.6.14 LOSS OF PALEONTOLOGICAL RESOURCES ............................................................................................... 7-116 7.6.15 BLASTING HAZARDS .............................................................................................................................. 7-116 7.6.16 TRAFFIC IMPACTS ................................................................................................................................. 7-116 7.6.17 ECONOMIC IMPACTS .............................................................................................................................. 7-117 7.6.18 INWARD MIGRATION ............................................................................................................................... 7-118 7.6.19 RELOCATION/DISPLACEMENT OF PEOPLE ................................................................................................ 7-118 7.6.20 LAND USE IMPACTS ............................................................................................................................... 7-119

8. ALTERNATIVE LAND USE OR DEVELOPMENT ............................................................................. 8-1



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8.1 ALTERNATIVE LAND USES WHICH COULD BE IMPACTED ON ................................................................ 8-1 8.2 RESULTS OF SPECIALIST COMPARATIVE LAND USE ASSESSMENT ....................................................... 8-1 9. LIST OF SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS - UPDATE ................................................................................... 9-1 10. STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PROCESS (UPDATE WITH PLANNED EIA FEEDBACK) ........ 10-1 10.1 IDENTIFICATION OF INTERESTED AND AFFECTED PARTIES ............................................................... 10-1 10.2 DETAILS OF ENGAGEMENT PROCESS ............................................................................................. 10-2

10.2.1 STEPS IN THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PROCESS .......................................................................................... 10-3 10.2.2 SPECIALIST TEAM .................................................................................................................................... 10-5 10.2.3 REVIEW OF EIA AND EMP REPORT BY REGULATORY AUTHORITIES ............................................................... 10-6 10.2.4 REVIEW OF THE EIA AND EMP REPORT BY IAPS ....................................................................................... 10-6 10.2.5 FEEDBACK MEETINGS .............................................................................................................................. 10-7

10.3 MANNER IN WHICH ISSUES RAISED WERE ADDRESSED .................................................................... 10-7 11. ADEQUACY OF PREDICTIVE METHODS AND ASSUMPTIONS AND UNCERTAINTIES ........... 11-1 11.1 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT LIMIT ............................................................................................. 11-1 11.2 PREDICTIVE MODELS IN GENERAL .................................................................................................. 11-1 11.3 CLIMATE ...................................................................................................................................... 11-1 11.4 TOPOGRAPHY .............................................................................................................................. 11-1 11.5 SOILS .......................................................................................................................................... 11-2 11.6 LAND CAPABILITY ......................................................................................................................... 11-2 11.7 BIODIVERSITY .............................................................................................................................. 11-2

11.7.1 VEGETATION LIMITATIONS ........................................................................................................................ 11-2 11.7.2 ANIMAL LIFE LIMITATIONS ......................................................................................................................... 11-3 11.7.3 AQUATIC ECOLOGY LIMITATIONS ............................................................................................................... 11-3 11.7.4 MINING AND BIODIVERSITY GUIDELINES .................................................................................................... 11-4

11.8 SURFACE WATER ......................................................................................................................... 11-4 11.9 GROUNDWATER ........................................................................................................................... 11-4 11.10 AIR .............................................................................................................................................. 11-6 11.11 NOISE ......................................................................................................................................... 11-8 11.12 VISUAL ........................................................................................................................................ 11-9 11.13 TRAFFIC ...................................................................................................................................... 11-9 11.14 HERITAGE AND CULTURAL RESOURCES ....................................................................................... 11-10 11.15 PALEONTOLOGICAL RESOURCES .......................................................................................... 11-10 11.16 SOCIO-ECONOMIC ...................................................................................................................... 11-10 11.17 BLASTING .................................................................................................................................. 11-11 11.18 ECONOMIC................................................................................................................................. 11-11 11.19 GEOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS ............................................................................................................ 11-11 11.20 GEOTECHNICAL ANALYSIS ........................................................................................................... 11-13 11.21 CLOSURE COST CALCULATIONS ................................................................................................... 11-13 11.22 CUMULATIVE ASSESSMENT ......................................................................................................... 11-13 12. ARRANGEMENT FOR MONITORING AND MANAGEMENT OF IMPACTS .................................. 12-1 12.1 IMPACTS THAT REQUIRE MONITORING PROGRAMMES ...................................................................... 12-1 12.2 FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS OF MONITORING PROGRAMMES ......................................................... 12-1 12.3 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ...................................................................................................... 12-2 12.4 TIMEFRAMES FOR MONITORING AND REPORTING ............................................................................ 12-2 13. TECHNICAL SUPPORTING INFORMATION .................................................................................. 13-1 14. ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES AND SPECIFIC GOALS FOR CLOSURE ................................ 14-1 14.1 ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS THAT DESCRIBE THE PRE-MINING ENVIRONMENT .................................... 14-1 14.2 MEASURES REQUIRED FOR CONTAINMENT OR REMEDIATION ........................................................... 14-1 15. ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES AND SPECIFIC GOALS FOR MANAGEMENT OF IDENTIFIED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS ................................................................................................................. 15-1 15.1 IMPACTS THAT REQUIRE MONITORING PROGRAMMES ...................................................................... 15-1



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15.2 ACTIVITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE ................................................................................................ 15-1 15.3 MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES ............................................................................................................. 15-1 15.4 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ...................................................................................................... 15-2 16. ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES AND SPECIFIC GOALS FOR SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS16-1 16.1 ASPECTS OF THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS ........................................................................... 16-1 16.2 OBJECTIVES AND GOALS ............................................................................................................... 16-1 17. ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES AND SPECIFIC GOALS FOR HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL ASPECTS................................................................................................................................................. 17-1 18. APPROPRIATE TECHNICAL AND MANAGEMENT OPTIONS CHOSEN FOR EACH IMPACT ... 18-1 18.1 TECHNICAL AND MANAGEMENT OPTIONS ........................................................................................ 18-1 19. ACTION PLANS TO ACHIEVE OBJECTIVES AND GOALS ........................................................... 19-1 20. EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROCEDURES ................................................................................... 20-1 20.1 ON-GOING MONITORING AND MANAGEMENT MEASURES .................................................................. 20-1 20.2 PROCEDURES IN CASE OF ENVIRONMENTAL EMERGENCIES ............................................................. 20-1

20.2.1 GENERAL EMERGENCY PROCEDURE......................................................................................................... 20-1 20.2.2 IDENTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY SITUATIONS ............................................................................................. 20-2

20.3 TECHNICAL, MANAGEMENT AND FINANCIAL OPTIONS ....................................................................... 20-2 21. PLANNED MONITORING AND EMP PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT ........................................ 21-1 21.1 PLANNED MONITORING OF ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS .................................................................... 21-1

21.1.1 SOILS .................................................................................................................................................... 21-1 21.1.2 WATER RESOURCES................................................................................................................................ 21-2 21.1.3 AIR QUALITY ........................................................................................................................................... 21-1 21.1.4 BIODIVERSITY MONITORING PROGRAMME ................................................................................................... 21-1 21.1.5 BLASTING .............................................................................................................................................. 21-3 21.1.6 MINERALISED WASTE FACILITIES AND WATER DAMS ..................................................................................... 21-3

21.2 AUDITING AND PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENTS ................................................................................ 21-3 21.3 FREQUENCY FOR REPORTING ....................................................................................................... 21-4 22. FINANCIAL PROVISION .................................................................................................................. 22-1 22.1 PLAN SHOWING LOCATION AND AERIAL EXTENT OF PROPOSED OPERATION ...................................... 22-1 22.2 ANNUAL FORECASTED FINANCIAL PROVISION ................................................................................. 22-1 22.3 CONFIRMATION OF AMOUNT TO BE PROVIDED ................................................................................ 22-1 22.4 METHOD OF PROVIDING FINANCIAL PROVISION ............................................................................... 22-1 23. ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS PLAN ........................................................................................ 23-1 23.1 ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY .............................................................................................................. 23-1 23.2 STEPS TO ACHIEVE THE ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY OBJECTIVES ...................................................... 23-2 23.3 TRAINING OBJECTIVES OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS PLAN ............................................... 23-3

23.3.1 GENERAL CONTENTS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS PLAN .............................................................. 23-4 24. TECHNICAL SUPPORTING INFORMATION .................................................................................. 24-1 25. CAPACITY TO MANAGE AND REHABILITATE THE ENVIRONMENT .......................................... 25-1 25.1 AMOUNT REQUIRED TO MANAGE AND REHABILITATE THE ENVIRONMENT .......................................... 25-1 25.2 AMOUNT PROVIDED FOR ............................................................................................................... 25-1 26. UNDERTAKING SIGNED BY APPLICANT ...................................................................................... 26-1 27. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT AND CONCLUSION.................................................... 27-1 28. REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................. 28-1



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LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE 1: REGIONAL SETTING................................................................................................................................. II FIGURE 2: LOCAL SETTING ...................................................................................................................................... III FIGURE 3: LOCAL SETTING INCORPORATING INFRASTRUCTURE AS APPROVED IN THE 2007 EIA/EMP

REPORT (KP, 2007) .............................................................................................................................................. I FIGURE 4: THE SWARTKLIP SECTOR OF THE RUSTENBURG LAYERED SUITE IN THE NORTH-WESTERN

BUSHVELD COMPLEX (BARRICK, 2008) ........................................................................................................ 1-1 FIGURE 5: CONCEPTUAL GEOLOGICAL CROSS SECTION ................................................................................. 1-1 FIGURE 6: GEOLOGICAL STRUCTURES AND MINING BLOCKS (BARRICK, 2008) ............................................. 1-2 FIGURE 7: REGIONAL HYDROLOGY, MAP AND WEATHER STATIONS .............................................................. 1-3 FIGURE 8: PERIOD, DAY AND NIGHT-TIME AND SEASONAL WIND ROSES (AIRSHED, 2013) ......................... 1-4 FIGURE 9: SOIL POLYGON MAP (ESS, 2012)......................................................................................................... 1-5 FIGURE 10: DISTRIBUTION OF LAND CAPABILITY CLASSES (ESS, 2012) ......................................................... 1-6 FIGURE 11: HABITAT AND VEGETATION COMMUNITIES AND EPHEMERAL SYSTEMS (NSS, 2014) .............. 1-7 FIGURE 12: AREAS OF CONSERVATION SIGNIFICANCE ON A NATIONAL LEVEL ............................................ 1-8 FIGURE 13: AREAS OF CONSERVATION SIGNIFICANCE ON LOCAL LEVEL(NSS, 2013) .................................. 1-9 FIGURE 14: SURFACE WATER RESOURCES AND FLOODLINES ...................................................................... 1-10 FIGURE 15: HYDROCENSUS POINTS (AGES, 2013) ........................................................................................... 1-11 FIGURE 16: BASELINE ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING LOCATIONS ............................................................. 1-12 FIGURE 17: LAND USES SURROUNDING THE PROJECT AREA ........................................................................ 1-13 FIGURE 18: EXISTING ROAD LAYOUT NETWORK .............................................................................................. 1-14 FIGURE 19: RECORDED HERITAGE RESOURCES AND REMAINS FROM THE RECENT PAST ...................... 1-15 FIGURE 20: PROPOSED CHANGED INFRASTRUCTURE LAYOUT ...................................................................... 2-8 FIGURE 21: UG2 MINING FLOW CHARTS FOR THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN BLOCKS ................................ 2-13 FIGURE 22: CONCEPTUAL SHAFT LAYOUT PLAN .............................................................................................. 2-25 FIGURE 23: CONCEPTUAL PROCESSING FACILITY LAYOUT ........................................................................... 2-26 FIGURE 24: CONCEPTUAL PROCESS FLOW DIAGRAM FOR THE MINERAL PROCESING FACILITY ............ 2-39 FIGURE 25: CONCEPTUAL STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE PROPOSED PROJECT ............. 2-54 FIGURE 26: APPROVED INFRASTRUCTURE AND SURROUNDING LAND USES ........................................... 7-103 FIGURE 27: PROPOSED INFRASTRUCTURE AND SURROUNDING LAND USES ........................................... 7-104 FIGURE 28: PROPOSED INFRASTRUCTURE AND BIODIVERSITY GUIDELINES ........................................... 7-109 FIGURE 29: CUMULATIVE DEWATERING CONE IMPACTS .............................................................................. 7-113 FIGURE 30: ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING POSITIONS ................................................................................. 21-2

LIST OF TABLES TABLE 1: PROJECT AND MINING OPERATIONS TIMETABLE ................................................................................ III TABLE 2: INFORMATION REGARDING REGIONAL AND LOCAL SETTING ............................................................ IV TABLE 3: LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE EIA REPORT ......................................................................................... IV TABLE 4: EIA PROCESS .......................................................................................................................................... VIII TABLE 5: PROJECT TEAM ......................................................................................................................................... IX TABLE 6: CONTACT DETAILS FOR APPLICANT ....................................................................................................... X TABLE 7: INFORMATION REGARDING REGIONAL AND LOCAL SETTING ............................................................. X TABLE 8: ACID-BASE ACCOUNTING (ABA) RESULTS .......................................................................................... 1-7 TABLE 9: MONTHLY RAINFALL AND EVAPORATION DISTRIBUTION (STATION A2E021) ............................... 1-11 TABLE 10: SUMMARY OF WEATHER STATIONS USED FOR GENERATING RAINFALL IDF (SLR, 2013) ........ 1-11 TABLE 11: INTESITY-DURATION-FREQUENCY (IDF) ESTIMATES FOR SITE (SLR, 2013) ............................... 1-12 TABLE 12: AVERAGE MONTHLY AND HOURLY MININUM AND MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES RECORDED IN

THE REGION (MM5 DATA) ............................................................................................................................. 1-12 TABLE 13: ANALYTICAL RESULTS (ESS, 2007) ................................................................................................... 1-21 TABLE 14: ERODIBILITY OF DIFFERENT SOIL TYPES ........................................................................................ 1-24 TABLE 15: CRITERIA FOR PRE-CONSTRUCTION LAND CAPABILITY (S.A. CHAMBER OF MINES 1991) ....... 1-27 TABLE 16: PRE-CONSTRUCTION LAND CAPABILITY DISTRIBUTION ............................................................... 1-27



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TABLE 17: HABITATS AND PLANT COMMUNITIES .............................................................................................. 1-35 TABLE 18: COMMON AND CHARACTERISTIC PLANT SPECIES OF THE ACACIA TORTILIS – ERAGROSTIS

RIGIDIOR BLACK TURF SAVANNA ............................................................................................................... 1-36 TABLE 19: COMMON AND CHARACTERISTIC SPECIES OF THE SEARSIA LEPTODICTYA – UROCHLOA

MOSAMBICENSIS RED PILANESBERG WASH SAVANNA .......................................................................... 1-37 TABLE 20: COMMON AND CHARACTERISTIC SPECIES OF THE ZIZIPHUS MUCRONATA - BUDDLEJA

SALIGNA RIPARIAN VEGETATION ................................................................................................................ 1-38 TABLE 21: LEVEL 1 TO 4 CLASSIFICATION FOR WATERCOURSES (NSS, 2014) ............................................. 1-39 TABLE 22: RESULTS OF ASSESSMENTS OF THE ECOLOGICAL STATE FOR THE RIPARIAN VEGETATION AT

THREE SITES ALONG THE WILGESPRUIT .................................................................................................. 1-40 TABLE 23: RESULTS OF ASSESSMENTS OF THE ECOLOGICAL STATE FOR THE RIPARIAN VEGETATION AT

ONE SITE WITHIN THE BOFULE ................................................................................................................... 1-42 TABLE 24: RESULTS OF ASSESSMENTS OF THE ECOLOGICAL STATE FOR THE RIPARIAN VEGETATION AT

TWO SITES WITHIN THE LESELE ................................................................................................................. 1-43 TABLE 25: SUMMARY OF FAUNAL DIVERSITY IN THE SEDIBELO AND SURROUNDING AREA ..................... 1-44 TABLE 26: OBSERVED OR POTENTIALLY OCCURRING SPECIES PER MAMMALIAN ORDER ....................... 1-44 TABLE 27: IDENTIFIED MAMMAL SPECIES .......................................................................................................... 1-45 TABLE 28: IDENTIFIED BIRD SPECIES ................................................................................................................. 1-48 TABLE 29: REPTILIAN SPECIES ............................................................................................................................ 1-51 TABLE 30: AMPHIBIAN SPECIES ........................................................................................................................... 1-52 TABLE 31: GIANT BULLFRG OBSERVATIONS (REFERENCE FIGURE 13) ........................................................ 1-53 TABLE 32: INSECT TAXA ....................................................................................................................................... 1-54 TABLE 33: BUTTERFLY DIVERSITY IN THE STUDY AREA ................................................................................. 1-55 TABLE 34: ARACHNID TAXA IN THE STUDY AREA ............................................................................................. 1-56 TABLE 35: IMPACTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DECREASES IN INSTREAM AND RIPARIAN HABITATS ......... 1-57 TABLE 36: METAL CONCENTRATIONS IN THE SEDIMENT OF THE RIVER SYSTEMS .................................... 1-58 TABLE 37: THE CONSTITUENTS ANALYSED AT EACH SITE DURING HIGH FLOW 2013/2014 AND AQUATIC

TWQR .............................................................................................................................................................. 1-60 TABLE 38: EXPECTED FISH SPECIES .................................................................................................................. 1-63 TABLE 39: SPECIES OF CONSERVATION CONCERN FOR THE PROJECT AREA ............................................ 1-64 TABLE 40: SPECIES OF CONSERVATION CONCERN ON NEIGBOURING FARMS .......................................... 1-64 TABLE 41: PRESENT AND POTENTIALLY OCCURRING CI MAMMAL SPECIES ............................................... 1-65 TABLE 42: PRESENT AND POTENTIALLY OCCURRING CI BIRD SPECIES ...................................................... 1-66 TABLE 43: PRESENT AND POTENTIALLY OCCURRING CI TERRESTRIAL MACRO-INVERTEBRATE SPECIES 1-

68 TABLE 44: INTRUDER SPECIES ............................................................................................................................ 1-68 TABLE 45: SUMMARY OVERVIEW OF SCORING THE LOCAL AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE (REFER TO FIGURE

13) .................................................................................................................................................................... 1-71 TABLE 46: MEAN ANNUAL RUNOFF OF LOCAL CATCHMENTS ......................................................................... 1-75 TABLE 47: PRE-MINING SURFACE WATER QUALITY (POINTS REFERENCED IN FIGURE 15) (AGES, 2013) 1-79 TABLE 48: WATER COLOUR CLASS SYSTEM FOR DOMESTIC USE ................................................................ 1-79 TABLE 49: AQUIFER CLASSIFICATION SCHEME ................................................................................................ 1-81 TABLE 50: COMPARISON OF 2010 AND 2012 HYDROCENSUS WATER LEVELS ............................................. 1-83 TABLE 51: GROUNDWATER QUALITY RESULTS OBTAINED FROM THE HYDROCENSUS STUDIES (AGES,

2013) ................................................................................................................................................................ 1-87 TABLE 52: WATER COLOUR CLASS SYSTEM FOR DOMESTIC USE ................................................................ 1-87 TABLE 53: DUST DEPOSITION RESULTS (AIRSHED, 2013A) ............................................................................. 1-90 TABLE 54: DAY TIME AND NIGHT TIME AMBIENT NOISE LEVELS .................................................................... 1-92 TABLE 55: LAND OWNERS IN THE PROJECT SITE ............................................................................................. 1-98 TABLE 56: LANDOWNERS ADJACENT TO THE PROJECT SITE......................................................................... 1-99 TABLE 57: SUMMARY OF INTERSECTION CONTROL AT INTERSECTIONS UNDER INVESTIGATION ......... 1-105 TABLE 58: LOS CRITERIA FOR UNSIGNALLED INTERSECTIONS ................................................................... 1-106 TABLE 59: LOS CRITERIA FOR SIGNALLED INTERSECTIONS ........................................................................ 1-106 TABLE 60: LOS FOR THE VARIOUS INTERSECTIONS FOR THE YEAR 2012 BASELINE ............................... 1-107 TABLE 61: LOS FOR THE VARIOUS INTERSECTIONS FOR THE YEAR 2022 BASELINE ............................... 1-107 TABLE 62: SIGNIFICANCE OF RECORDED HERITAGE RESOURCES AND REMAINS FROM THE RECENT

PAST .............................................................................................................................................................. 1-111



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TABLE 63: POPULATION OF COMMUNITIES IN REGION .................................................................................. 1-117 TABLE 64: DATA THAT PROVIDES PERSPECTIVE ON THE MAGNITUDE OF THE APPROVED

INFRASTRUCTURE IN RELATION TO THE PROPOSED INFRASTRUCTURE CHANGES ........................... 2-2 TABLE 65: PROJECT AND MINING OPERATIONS TIMETABLE ............................................................................ 2-7 TABLE 66: LIST OF PROJECT ACTIONS / ACTIVITIES / PROCESSES ............................................................... 2-16 TABLE 67: APPROVED NEMA ACTIVITIES ........................................................................................................... 2-27 TABLE 68: RELEVANT ACTIVITIES CURRENTLY BEING APPLIED FOR IN TERMS OF NEMA......................... 2-27 TABLE 69: SAFETY CLASSIFICATION CRITERIA FOR THE MINERALISED WASTE STORAGE FACILITIES – TSF

AND OPEN PIT WRDS(EPOCH, 2011) ........................................................................................................... 2-47 TABLE 70: TAILINGS STORAGE FACILITY DESIGN FEATURES ......................................................................... 2-47 TABLE 71: AVAILABLE WASTE ROCK DISPOSAL CAPACITY (EXCLUDING SHAFT WRDS) (EPOCH, 2011) .. 2-51 TABLE 72: OPEN PIT WASTE ROCK DUMPS (EPOCH, 2011) ............................................................................. 2-51 TABLE 73: CONTAINMENT DAMS - VOLUME REQUIREMENTS (SLR, 2013) ..................................................... 2-55 TABLE 74: OPEN PIT CONCEPTUAL WATER BALANCE (AGES, 2013) .............................................................. 2-56 TABLE 75: CONCEPTUAL WATER BALANCE FOR UNDERGROUND OPERATIONS (MAXIMUM PRODUCTION)

(AGES, 2013) ................................................................................................................................................... 2-57 TABLE 76: LIST OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS AS THEY RELATE TO PROJECT ACTIONS / ACTIVITIES /

PROCESSES (EXCLUDING SOCIAL AND CULTURAL) .................................................................................. 3-1 TABLE 77: SUMMARY OF IMPACT RATED AS HAVING “HIGH” OVERALL POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE

SIGNIFICANCE (KP, 2007) ............................................................................................................................... 7-2 TABLE 78: WASTE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR GENERAL AND HAZARDOUS WASTE .......................... 7-14 TABLE 79: SOIL MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES ...................................................................................................... 7-20 TABLE 80: AIR POLLUTION EVALUATION CRITERIA .......................................................................................... 7-55 TABLE 81: MITIGATED OPERATIONAL PHASE PREDICTED PM10 CONCENTRATIONS AND COMPLIANCE

ASSESSMENT................................................................................................................................................. 7-56 TABLE 82: SOUTH AFRICAN AMBIENT NOISE GUIDELINE VALUES (SANS 10130) ......................................... 7-60 TABLE 83: EXPECTED COMMUNITY RESPONSE TO AN INCREASE IN AMBIENT NOISE (SANS 10103) ....... 7-61 TABLE 84: PROXIMITY OF STRUCTURES TO THE OPEN PIT AND SHAFT AREAS .......................................... 7-81 TABLE 85: CRITERIA FOR ASSESSING IMPACTS ............................................................................................. 7-101 TABLE 86: PREDICTED MITIGATED CONCENTRATIONS AT SENSITIVE RECEPTOR LOCATIONS ............. 7-114 TABLE 87: PARTICIPATION PROCESS WITH IAPS AND AUTHORITIES ............................................................ 10-3 TABLE 88: TIMEFRAMES FOR MONITORING AND REPORTING ........................................................................ 12-2 TABLE 89: ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES AND GOALS – SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS ....................... 16-1 TABLE 90: ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES AND GOALS – HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL ASPECTS ........... 17-1 TABLE 91: TECHNICAL AND MANAGEMENT OPTIONS ...................................................................................... 18-1 TABLE 92: ACTION PLAN – LOSS AND STERILISATION OF MINERAL RESOURCES ....................................... 19-2 TABLE 93: ACTION PLAN – HAZARDOUS STRUCTURES / EXCAVATIONS AND SURFACE SUBSIDENCE .... 19-3 TABLE 94: ACTION PLAN – LOSS OF SOIL RESOURCES AND LAND CAPABILITY THROUGH POLLUTION .. 19-5 TABLE 95: ACTION PLAN – LOSS OF SOILS AND LAND CAPABILITY THROUGH PHYSICAL DISTURBANCE19-6 TABLE 96: ACTION PLAN – PHYSICAL DESTRUCTION OF BIODIVERSITY ...................................................... 19-7 TABLE 97: ACTION PLAN – LOSS OF WATER RESOUCRES AS AN ECOLOGICAL DRIVER ........................ 19-10 TABLE 98: ACTION PLAN – GENERAL DISTURBANCE OF BIODIVERSITY ..................................................... 19-12 TABLE 99: ACTION PLAN – POLLUTION OF SURFACE WATER RESOURCES ............................................... 19-13 TABLE 100: ACTION PLAN – ALTERATION OF DRAINAGE PATTERNS TO BE REVIEWED ONCE REPORT IS

AVAILABLE .................................................................................................................................................... 19-15 TABLE 101: ACTION PLAN – REDUCTION OF GROUNDWATER LEVELS / AVAILABILITY ............................. 19-17 TABLE 102: ACTION PLAN – CONTAMINATION OF GROUNDWATER RESOURCES ...................................... 19-19 TABLE 103: ACTION PLAN – AIR POLLUTION .................................................................................................... 19-21 TABLE 104: ACTION PLAN – INCREASE IN NOISE DISTURBANCE ................................................................. 19-23 TABLE 105: ACTION PLAN – VISUAL IMPACTS ................................................................................................. 19-24 TABLE 106: ACTION PLAN – HERITAGE (INCLUDING CULTURAL) AND PALEONTOLOGICAL RESOURCES .. 19-

26 TABLE 107: ACTION PLAN – BLASTING HAZARDS ........................................................................................... 19-27 TABLE 108: ACTION PLAN – TRAFFIC CAPACITY AND ROAD ACCESSIBILITY.............................................. 19-28 TABLE 109: ACTION PLAN – TRAFFIC: ROAD SAFETY ..................................................................................... 19-29



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TABLE 110: ACTION PLAN – LAND USE IMPACTS: AGRICULTURAL, RESIDENTIAL, CONSERVATION AND/OR ECOTOURISM LAND USES.......................................................................................................................... 19-30

TABLE 111: ACTION PLAN – CONTRIBUTION TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY AS A RESULT OF EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES .......................................................................................................................................... 19-31

TABLE 112: ACTION PLAN – ECONOMIC IMPACTS .......................................................................................... 19-32 TABLE 113: ACTION PLAN – INWARD MIGRATION ........................................................................................... 19-33 TABLE 114: ACTION PLAN – RELOCATION ........................................................................................................ 19-35 TABLE 113: EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROCEDURES ....................................................................................... 20-4 TABLE 114: MONITORING PARAMETERS FOR ANALYSIS AND REPORTING .................................................. 21-2 TABLE 115: MONITORING NETWORK AND FREQUENCY .................................................................................. 21-3 TABLE 116: FINANCIAL PROVISION (SLR, 2014) ................................................................................................. 22-1 TABLE 117: ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC BUDGET AS PER MWP (US$ EXCHANGE RATE –

R10.37) ............................................................................................................................................................ 25-1 TABLE 118: SUMMARY OF POTENTIALCUMULATIVE ON-SITE IMPACTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE APPROVED

AS WELL AS THE PROPOSED CHANGED INFRASTRUCTURE .................................................................. 27-1

LIST OF APPENDICES APPENDIX A: STAKEHOLDER DATABASE ................................................................................................................ A APPENDIX B: INFORMATION-SHARING WITH REGULATORY AUTHORITIES ....................................................... B APPENDIX C: INFORMATION-SHARING WITH IAPS .................................................................................................C APPENDIX D: COMMENT AND RESPONSE REPORT ...............................................................................................D APPENDIX E: SOILS STUDY ....................................................................................................................................... E APPENDIX F: BIODIVERSITY STUDIES ..................................................................................................................... F APPENDIX G: HYDROLOGICAL STUDY .................................................................................................................... G APPENDIX H: GEOHYDROLOGICAL STUDY .............................................................................................................H APPENDIX I: AIR QUALITY STUDY .............................................................................................................................. I APPENDIX J: NOISE STUDIES.................................................................................................................................... J APPENDIX K: VISUAL STUDY ..................................................................................................................................... K APPENDIX L: CULTURAL-HERITAGE STUDY............................................................................................................ L APPENDIX M: PALAEONTOLOGY STUDY ................................................................................................................ M APPENDIX N: TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY ....................................................................................................................N APPENDIX O: SOCIO-ECONOMIC STUDIES ............................................................................................................ O APPENDIX P: ENGINEERING DESIGN REPORT ....................................................................................................... P APPENDIX Q: CLOSURE COST CALCULATION STUDY .......................................................................................... Q APPENDIX R: WATER BALANCE (AGES, 2012) .........................................................................................................R



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ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS Below a list of acronyms and abbreviations used in this report.

ACRONYMS / ABBREVIATIONS

DEFINITION

% Percentage ABA Acid Base Accounting AER Acceptable Environmental Risk Ag Silver Al Aluminium AP Acid Potential ARD Acid Rock Drainage ARL Acceptable Risk Level ARLP Acid Rain Leach Procedure As Arsenic ASAPA Association for Southern African Professional Archaeologist B Boron Ba Barium BBK Bakgatla-Ba-Kgafela BBKTA Bakgatla-Ba-Kgafela Trabal Authority BIC Bushveld Igneous Complex BID Background information document BPDM Bojanala Platinum District Municipality Ca Calcium CBA Critical Biodiversity Area Cd Cadmium CEC Cation exchange capacity Cl Chloride CN Cyanide CO Carbon monoxide Co Cobalt CO3

2- Carbonate Cr Chromium Cu Copper DACERD Department of Agriculture, Conservation, Environment and Rural Development DAFF Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries dBA A-weighted decibel DD Data Deficient DEA Department of Environmental Affairs DEAT Department of Environment, Agriculture and Tourism DEDECT Department of Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism DMR Department of Mineral Resources DRDLR Department of Rural Development and Land Reform DREAD Department of Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development DU Domestic Use DWA Department of Water Affairs DWAF Department of Water Affairs and Forestry DWEA Department of Water and Environment Affairs DWS Department of Water and Sanitation EAP Environmental Assessment Practitioners



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DEFINITION

EAPSA Environmental assessment practitioner of Southern Africa EC Electrical conductivity EIA Environmental impact assessment EMP Environmental management programme ERD Effective Rooting Depth ESIA Environmental Social Impact Assessment ESS Earth Science Solutions F- Fluoride Fe Iron FEPA Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Area FGL Final Ground Level GDP Gross domestic profit GGP Gross Geographic Products GLCs Ground Level Concentrations GN Government Notice HCO3- Bicarbonate HCs Hydrocarbons HPC Heritage Park Corridor IAPs Interested and/or affected parties IBMR Itereleng Bakgatla Mineral Resources (Pty) Ltd ICMM International Council for Mining and Metals IDF Intensity Depth Frequency IDP Integrated Development Plan IFC International Finance Corporation IHAS Integrated Habitat Assessment Index IUCN International Union for the Conservation of Nature IWULA Integrated Water Use License Application IWWULA Integrated Waste and Water Use License Application K Potassium km2 Square kilometres kPA Kilo pascal kVA Kilo volt amperes LC Least Concern LG Lower group LGS Lebowa Granite Suite LHD Load haul dump LOM Life of mine LoO Likelihood of Occurrence m Metres m/s Metres per second m2 Square metre m3 Cubic metre mamsl Metres above mean sea level MAP Mean Annual Precipitation MAR Mean annual runoff mbgl Metres below ground level Mbgl Metres below ground level



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DEFINITION

Mg Magnesium MG Middle Group MKLM Moses Kotane Local Municipality mm Millimetres MM5 Fifth Generation Meso Scale Model Mn Manganese MPRDA Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, 28 of 2002 MR Mineral Right MTS Managing Transformation Solutions MTs Metallothioneins MVA Megavolt ampere MW Megawatts N Nitrogen Na Sodium NAAQS National Ambient Air Quality Standards NAG Net Acid Generation NEM:AQA National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act, 39 of 2004 NEM:WA National Environmental Management: Waste Act, 59 of 2008 NEMA National Environmental Management Act, 107 of 1998 NFEPA National Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Area Ni Nickel NLA Newton Landscape Architects NO2 Nitrous oxide NO3.N Nitrate as Nitrogen NP Neutralising Potential NPA National Priority Areas NSS Natural Scientific Services NT Near Threatened NWA National Water Act, 36 of 1998 NWPHRA North West Provincial Heritage Resource Agency NWPTB North West Parks and Tourism Board OC Degrees Celsius Pb Lead PFS Pre-feasibility study PGE Platinum Group Elements PGM Platinum Group Metals PM10 Particulate matter with a fraction smaller than 10µm (microns) PNP Pilanesberg National Park P Phosphorus PO4

- Phosphate POSA Plants of South Africa PPM Pilanesberg Platinum Mines (Pty) Ltd PSA Platmin South Africa (Pty) Ltd PPV Peak Particle Velocity PrSci Nat Professional natural scientist RBH Raise borehole RLS Rustenburg layered suite



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DEFINITION

ROM Run-of-mine RSA Republic of South Africa RWD Return Water Dam SACNSP South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions SAHRA South African Heritage Resources Agency SANAS South African National Accreditation System SANBI South African National Botanical Institute SANS South African National Standards SAR Sodium Absorption Ratio SASS5 South African Scoring System, version 5 SAWS South African Weather Services Sb Antimony Se Selenium SG Specific Gravity Si Silicon SLP Social Labour Plan SLR SLR Consulting (Africa) Pty Ltd SO2 Sulphur dioxide SO4 Sulphate SPLP Synthetic Precipitation Leaching Procedure SPM Sedibelo Platinum Mines Limited (Previously known as Platmin) Sr Strontium SWCD Stormwater control dam TDS Total dissolved solids TSF Tailings storage facility TSP Total suspended particles UG2 Upper Group 2 UJ University of Johannesburg UPVZ Upper pseudo value zone V Vanadium VEGRAI Vegetation Response Assessment Index VU Vulnerable WHO World Health Organisation WITS University of Witwatersrand WMA Water Management Area WR Water Resource WRDs Waste rock dumps Zn Zinc



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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Introduction

Itereleng Bakgatla Mineral Resources (Pty) Ltd (IBMR), now the Pilanesberg Platinum Mines (Pty) Ltd

(PPM) owns Sedibelo Platinum Mine located to the north of the Pilanesberg National Park in the Moses

Kotane Local Municipality of the Bojanala Platinum District Municipality in the North West Province – refer

to Figure 1 and Figure 2 for the regional and local settings. It should be noted that on 13 February 2014,

ministerial consent was granted in terms of Section 11 of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources

Development Act, 28 of 2002 (MPRDA), ceding the remainder of the IBMR Mining Right (Sedibelo

Platinum Mine) to PPM.

The IBMR had an approved mining right (Reference number NW/30/3/1/2/3/2/1/333MR) on the farms

Wilgespruit 2 JQ, a portion of portion 1 of Rooderand 46 JQ, parts of portion 1 of Legkraal 45 JQ and a

portion of Koedoesfontein 42 JQ which was notorially executed on the 20th of June 2008. The mining

right was granted in respect of platinum, palladium, ruthenium, iridium, rhodium, osmium, gold, copper,

nickel, cobalt and chrome.

In an agreement between PPM and the IBMR, PPM has purchased the mineral rights for the PGMs and

associated metals on a portion of Wilgespruit 2 JQ and a portion of of Portion 1 of Rooderand 46 JQ to

enable the extension of the Tuschenkomst open pit. This specific area is referred to as the “Mineral

Rights Abandonment Area” as indicated in Figure 2. The DMR has approved PPM’s takeover of the

mining rights on the abandonment area, which measures approximately 440 hectares in April 2012.

Subsequently, on 13 February 2014, ministerial consent was granted in terms of Section 11 of the

MPRDA, ceding the remainder of the IBMR Mining Right (Sedibelo Platinum Mine) to PPM.

The Sedibelo Platinum Mine (Sedibelo) is located on the farms Wilgespruit 2 JQ, parts of portion 1 of

Rooderand 46 JQ, a portion of the farm Legkraal 45 JQ and a portion of the farm Koedoesfontein 42 JQ.

The original mine layout and associated activities were approved in 2008 in terms of the Mineral and

MPRDA (Reference number NW30/5/1/2/3/2/1/333MR) and National Environmental Management Act,

107 of 1998 (NEMA) (Reference number NWP/EIA/59/2007). The mine was issued a waste licence in

July 2010 in terms of the National Environmental Management: Waste Act, 59 of 2008 (NEM:WA) for a

general landfill and the storage of general and hazardous waste (Reference number 12/9/11/L157/7).

Sedibelo submitted an integrated water use licence application (IWULA) in terms of the National Water

Act (NWA) 36 of 1998 to the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) in 2011. However, this licence

has not yet been issued by the DWS.

In broad terms, the Sedibelo EIA/EMP compiled by Knight Piesold (KP, 2007) and approved in 2008,

catered for an open pit and underground mine, decline and ventilation shafts, a tailings storage facility

(TSF), waste rock dump (WRD), topsoil stockpiles, run-of mine pads, explosives magazine, concentrator



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plant, contractors laydown area, solid and hazardous waste skips and transfer areas, workshops, fuel

bays, salvage yard, raw water reservoir, administration buildings, change houses, an accommodation

camp, transport and conveyance infrastructure. The mine is however still in the early stages of

development with limited infrastucture developed to date.

In order to optimise the extraction of available mineral resources, the following changes are proposed:

• enlarging of the open pit;

• repositioning / redesigning of approved surface infrastructure: it is proposed that the concentrator

plant and shafts be repositioned, and the TSF and WRD be redesigned to cater for additional

mineralised waste;

• proposed additional surface infrastructure: including a shaft complex, WRDs, ventilation shafts,

stormwater management infrastructure including stormwater dams, channels and berms, sewage

pump stations, a helipad and a telecommunications mast;

• increase in capacity of the approved sewage treatment plant: and

• the exclusion of a portion of Sedibelo’s mining right area (referred to as the “Mineral Rights

Abandonment Area”) which has been incorporated into to the PPM’s Tuschenkomst mining

operation.

As part of a joint venture agreement, the IBMR (now PPM), Pilanesberg Platinum Mines (Pty) Ltd (PPM)

and Richtrau No 123 (Pty) Ltd (Richtrau, owned by Platmin South Africa (Pty) Limited (“PSA”) since late

2013) which are situated on neighbouring farms, are investigating the possibility of developing three

separate projects that could function as a combined mining operation in future. PPM is an existing open

pit platinum mining operation with current activities on the farms Tuschenkomst 135 JP and Witkleifontein

136 JP. It is proposed that the existing PPM open pit on the farm Tuschenkomst be extended onto the

farms Wilgespruit 2 JQ and a part of portion 1 of Rooderand 46 JQ. Magazynskraal is the Richtrau

proposed underground platinum mining operation on the farm Magazynskraal 3 JQ. The potential

combined mining operation was called the African Queen Project at the time that the scoping reports

were distributed for public review. For the purposes of this report, the potential combined mining

operation is referred to as the “combined project”.

The combined project would therefore potentially include the three mining areas, namely the operational

PPM Tuschenkomst mining operations, the approved and currently developing Sedibelo Platinum Mine

(Sedibelo), and the proposed Magazynskraal Platinum Mine (Magazynskraal). The mining and

prospecting rights of each of the above-mentioned developments are held by separate entities and are

therefore the subject of three separate EIAs. This report only addresses the Sedibelo Platinum Mine.

It should however be noted, that while the impacts on the farm Magazynskraal 3 JQ would be reduced

with a combined project, the impacts associated with the operation where the ore will be processed would

be prolonged as the life of the operation would be extended for a number of years.



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Coporate ownership and structure

PPM is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Platmin South Africa (Pty) Limited (“PSA”), previously named

Boynton Investments (Pty) Ltd). PSA is wholly-owned by Sedibelo Platinum Mines Limited (“SPM”,

previously named Platmin Limited). It should be noted that SPM is not the same entity as the proposed

project, Sedibelo Platinum Mine. The Bakgatla-Ba-Kgafela Tribal Authority participates in the control of

PSA through its SPM shareholding and Board representation.

PPM holds mining rights to the west and north-west of the Pilanesberg National Park. PPM applied for

the incorporation of a portion of the farm Wilgespruit 2 JQ into its existing mining right in terms of section

102 of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, 28 of 2002 (MPRDA), which application

was granted by the Minister of Mineral Resources on 26 April 2012. On 13 February 2014, Ministerial

consent was granted in terms of section 11 of the MPRDA, ceding the remainder of the Itereleng

Bakgatla Minerals Resources (Pty) Ltd (IBMR) Mining Right (Sedibelo Platinum Mine), to PPM.

Project motivation (need and desirability)

The layout of surface infrastructure is being changed to optimise the extraction of available mineral

resources. The expansion of the mine and other infrastructure will provide economic benefit to society

and the surrounding communities, both directly and indirectly, by extending the life of mine, generating

additional employment and extracting additional resources. Direct economic benefits will be derived from

wages, taxes and profits. Indirect economic benefits will be derived from the procurement of goods and

services and the spending power of employees.

Project timing

The construction of the Sedibelo Platinum Mine, as per the existing approvals is in progress. The

proposed infrastructure changes will be implemented as construction develops and the relevant

approvals are obtained. Initially, the operational phase will only comprise of open pit mining activities.

The second phase mining operations will commence once the underground operations are fully

operational and the open pit operations have ceased.

TABLE 1: PROJECT AND MINING OPERATIONS TIMETABLE ACTIVITY COMMENCEMENT DATE DURATION OF OPERATION

Open pit pre-stripping of waste 2014 (approved infrastructure only) 1 year

Open pit ore extraction 2015 10-12 years

Construction of mining portals 2017(approved shaft only);

2018 (additional shaft)

3 years

First reef from central block: January 2019 LOM

First reef from eastern block June 2019 LOM

Construction of Concentrator Phase 1 (design capacity of

2020-2022 LOM



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150,000 tpm) Construction of Concentrator Phase 2 – expansion of capacity to 350 000 tpm

2023-2025 LOM

At this stage, the anticipated life of mine as per the 2007 EIA was expected to be in excess of 25 years,

which included surface and underground mining operations. With the proposed changes to the mine, this

life of mine is expected to be approximately 40 years.

Regional setting

The regional and local setting of the mine and project is outlined below and illustrated in Figure 1 and

Figure 2 respectively.

TABLE 2: INFORMATION REGARDING REGIONAL AND LOCAL SETTING ASPECT DETAIL Province North West Local authority Moses Kotane Local Municipality (MKLM) and Bojanala Platinum District Municipality

(BPDM) Traditional Authority Bakgatla-Ba-Kgafela Traditionall Authority

Farms on which project will take place

Wilgespruit 2 JQ, Rooderand 46 JQ, Legkraal 45 JQ, Koedoesfontein 42 JQ

Nearest towns Saulspoort - 15 km south-east Mogwase - 31 km south-east Rustenburg - 65 km south-south-east

Residential areas closest to the project site

Legkraal (± 330m south from the project site boundary) Lekutung (± 1km east from the project site boundary) Ngweding (± 1,7km north from the project site boundary) Lesetlheng (± 1,9km south-east from the project site boundary) Mothlabe (± 5km north-west from the project site boundary) Lesobeng and Kgamatha (± 5,5km east from the project site boundary) Ntswana-le-Metsing (± 5,5km-north west from the project site boundary) Mphonyoke (± 6.5km north-west from the project site boundary) Magalane (± 5,6km north from the project site boundary) Magong (± 7,6km north from the project site boundary) Manamakgoteng (± 9,6km east from the project site boundary) Makgope (± 12 km west from the project site boundary) Mononono (± 12,2km north-east from the project site boundary) Sefikile (± 12,8km north-east from the project site boundary)

Water catchment and management area

The study area falls within the A2 sub-drainage region of the Crocodile River, a major tributary of the Limpopo River.

Land uses A dangerous game corridor proposed by the North West Parks and Tourism Board (NWPTB) as part of the Heritage Park Corridor runs through the approved mine site. Further detail is provided in Section 1.3.1.

Project co-ordinates The central point of the operation is located at coordinates -25.090585° latitude and 27.040672° longitude

Environmental assessment process

Prior to the commencement of the project, environmental authorisation is required on the basis of an

environmental assessment process. The project incorporates material changes to the approved Sedibelo

infrastructure and activities, therefore authorisation is required from the DMR in terms of the Mineral and

Petroleum Resources Development Act, 28 of 2002 (MPRDA). The project incorporates listed



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environmental activities, therefore authorisation is also required from the North West Department of

Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development (DREAD) in terms of the National Environmental

Management Act, 107 of 1998 (NEMA). SLR Consulting (Africa) (Pty) Ltd (SLR), an independent firm of

environmental consultants, has been appointed to manage the environmental process.

The related environmental assessment process incorporated the following steps:

• the scoping process was conducted to identify relevant environmental, social and economic issues

and to define the terms of reference for the required specialist studies and the EIA;

• specialist studies were commissioned in accordance with the relevant terms of reference. The

specialists were selected on the basis of their expertise and knowledge of the project area; and

• the EIA and EMP report was compiled on the basis of the findings of the specialist studies and the

project team.

It should be noted that subsequent to the submission of the Scoping Report, Sedibelo Platinum Mine has

commissioned a waste study to evaluate potential waste storage and disposal alternatives. In view of

this waste study, the scope of the waste activities have changed and a decision was taken to exclude all

additional waste activities from the project scope as originally outlined in the Scoping Report. The

environmental authorisation process for the listed activities in terms of the National Environmental

Management: Waste Act, 59 of 2008 (NEM:WA) will therefore be excluded from this project scope.

Stakeholder engagement

The stakeholder engagement process commenced prior to scoping and has continued throughout the

environmental assessment process. As part of this process, authorities and interested and affected

parties (IAPs) were given the opportunity to attend public meetings and focussed meetings, submit

questions and comments to the project team, and review the background information document, scoping

report and now the EIA and EMP reports. All comments that have been submitted to date by the

authorities and IAPs have been included and addressed in the EIA and EMP report. Further comments

arising from the EIA and EMP report review process will be handled in a similar manner.

Impact assessment summary

This EIA and EMP report has been compiled with the primary purpose of incorporating the proposed

changes to the Sedibelo Platinum Mine infrastructure and activities. This document is a consolidated EIA

and EMP report in that it caters for both the approved infrastructure and activities and changes thereto.

This report only addresses the Sedibelo Platinum Mine. The potential cumulative impacts that may arise

from the three projects are addressed in Section 7.6 of the EIA and EMP report. It should however be

noted that the potential impacts were not assessed in isolation as incremental impacts. Instead, the

anticipated cumulative on-site impacts associated with the proposed changes together with the

infrastructure included as part of the original approved EIA/EMP (KP, 2007) were assessed from a

holistic point of view in Section 7.3 of the EIA and EMP report. A summary of the potential significant



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impacts associated with the approved mining infrastructure as identified in the original EIA/EMP report is

included in Section 7.1 of the EIA and EMP report.

The potential environmental impacts associated with the approved as well as the proposed changed

infrastructure were identified by SLR in consultation with IAPs, regulatory authorities, specialist

consultants and the Sedibelo technical team and are summarised in Table 3. A more detailed discussion

of each potential impact is included below.

TABLE 3: SUMMARY OF POTENTIALCUMULATIVE ON-SITE IMPACTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE APPROVED AS WELL AS THE PROPOSED CHANGED INFRASTRUCTURE

SECTION POTENTIAL IMPACT SIGNIFICANCE OF THE IMPACT (THE RATINGS ARE NEGATIVE

UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED) UNMITIGATED MITIGATED

Geology Loss and sterilization of mineral resources (All phases) H M

Topography Hazardous excavations and infrastructure (All phases) H M

Soils and land capability

Loss of soil resources and land capability through pollution (All phases)

H L

Loss of soil resources and land capability through physical disturbance (All phases)

H M

Biodiversity Physical destruction of biodiversity (All phases) H M-H

Loss of water resources as an ecological driver (All phases)

H M

General disturbance of biodiversity as a result of pollution (All phases)

H M-L

Surface water Contamination of surface water resources H M

Alteration of natural drainage lines - (Construction, Operational and Decommissioning)

H M

Alteration of natural drainage lines - (Closure) H L

Groundwater Dewatering (All phases) H L

Contamination of groundwater (All phases) H M

Air quality Air pollution (All phases) H M-L Ambient Noise Noise pollution (Construction, Operational and

Decommissioning) M L

Visual Visual impacts (Construction, Operational and Decommissioning)

H M

Visual impacts (Closure) H L

Heritage, paleontological and cultural resources

Loss of heritage, paleontological and cultural resources (All phases)

M L

Land use Loss of agricultural and residential land use (All phases) H L

Loss of conservation and ecotourism land use (All phases) H M Blasting Blasting impacts (Construction, Operational and

Decommissioning) H L

Traffic Road capacity and accessibility (Construction, Operational and Decommissioning)

M L

Road safety (Construction, Operational and Decommissioning)

H M

Socio-economic Contribution to the local economy as a result of employment opportunities

M+ H+



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Impact on economic development M+ H+

Inward migration H M-H

Displacement of people H L

Geology Loss and sterilization of mineral resources

Mineral resources can be sterilised and/or lost through the placement of infrastructure and activities in

close proximity to mineral resources, by preventing access to potential mining areas, and through the

disposal of mineral resources onto mineralised waste facilities.

Due to the narrow width of the Merensky Reef, it was decided by the project team that it is not practical to

mine this reef selectively as part of the open pit operation. This means that the Merensky reef will be

removed as bulk waste (waste rock) and will not form part of the mineable reserve. The open pit could

further be associated with sterilisation because of the safety requirement of leaving a barrier between the

pit and any potential underground mine. It is however unlikely that the position of the infrastructure will

sterilise underlying resources as the known ore body is located between 120 and 650m below the surface

where infrastructure is planned. Unrecovered minerals may however be deposited on the TSF as part of

the tailings stream. Without mitigation the significance of the potential impact is high that there could be

unnecessary sterilisation.

With mitigation it will be possible to maximise the economical extraction of ore from the open pit as well

as the underground mining operations. In addition, with mitigation, metallurgical processes can be

optimised to maximise the recovery of mineral resources. The recovery of chrome will also be realised

from the installation of a chrome recovery plant at the tails end of the UG2 concentrating process in

favourable market conditions. With mitigation, care will be taken to leave only those barriers that are

specifically required which is a safety reality that would face any future mining operation. Moreover,

residue facilities can be accessed for future reprocessing. The significance in the mitigated scenario is

therefore reduced to medium.

Topography Hazardous excavations and infrastructure

The mine has the potential to alter the topography through excavations and the introduction of new

infrastructure which may present safety risks to people and animals. Hazardous excavations and

infrastructure include all structures into or off which third parties and animals can fall and be harmed.

Included in this category are facilities that can fail, such as the tailings storage facility (TSF), although the

TSF is designed to ensure that the risk of failure is minimised. Hazardous excavations and infrastructure

occur in all mine phases from construction through operation to decommissioning and closure.



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In the construction and decommissioning phases these hazardous excavations and infrastructure are

temporary in nature, usually existing for a few weeks to a few months. During the operational phase

hazardous excavation and structures will include the mineralised waste facilities, open pit, shafts and

processing facility. Specific structures could include scaffolding and shaft headgear, the TSF, WRDs and

water storage dams. The closure phase will present final land forms that are considered hazardous such

as the TSF and WRDs. The open pit will be backfilled and will therefore not present a hazardous

landform after closure. Surface subsidence can occur if insufficient support and/or backfill is left behind

in shallow underground and open pit mining areas respectively.

In the unmitigated scenario, the significance of this potential impact is high. With mitigation, which

includes engineering surveys and designs of mining conditions and surface infrastructure, demarcation of

hazardous infrastructure, fencing, rehabilitation and monitoring; the significance of this potential impact is

reduced to medium.


Soils are a significant component of most ecosystems. As an ecological driver, soil is the medium in

which most vegetation grows and a range of vertebrates and invertebrates exist. In the context of the

mine, soil is even more significant if one considers that the mine is a temporary land use where-after

rehabilitation (using soil) is the key to re-establishing post closure land capability that will support post

closure land use objectives.

Loss of soil resources and land capability through pollution

The establishment of the mine has the potential to damage soil resources through contamination.

Contamination of soils also has the potential to impact both surface and groundwater resources. The

loss of soil resources has a direct impact on the potential loss of the natural capability of the land. Any

potential direct impacts on soil will potentially have secondary impacts on the ecological systems that

make use of the soil for survival.

There are a number of sources in all phases that have the potential to pollute soil resources. In the

construction and decommissioning phases these potential pollution sources are temporary in nature,

usually existing from a few weeks to a few months. Although the sources are temporary in nature, the

potential related pollution can have long term effects. The operational phase will present more long term

sources and the closure phase will present final land forms that may have the potential to contaminate

soils through long term seepage and/or run-off.

In the unmitigated scenario, pollution of soils can result in a loss of land capability as an ecological driver

because it can create a toxic environment for vegetation and ecosystems that rely on the soil, which will

constitutes a high significance impact in the unmitigated scenario.



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Mitigation measures such as pollution prevention through basic infrastructure design, stormwater control

and dirty water management, engineering controls, hazardous material management and emergency

response will reduce the potential significance to low.

Loss of soil resources and land capability through physical disturbance

Soil is a key component of successfully re-establishing post closure land capability. There are a number

of activities/infrastructure in all phases that have the potential to disturb soils and related land capability

through removal, compaction and/or erosion. During the construction and decommissioning phases

some of these activities could be temporary in nature, usually existing for a few weeks to a few months.

The operational phase will present more long term activities and the closure phase will present final land

forms that may be susceptible to erosion. The surface infrastructure associated with the mine will disturb

an area of approximately 660ha predominantly as result of the TSF, WRD’s and open pit. The total

mining rights area is approximately 4410ha.

The loss of soil through erosion and/or compaction could occur during all mine phases. Pre-mining land

capabilities included wilderness and low intensity grazing land potential, which will be reduced to that of

mining for the duration of the construction and operational life of the mine. In the unmitigated scenario,

physical soil disturbance, compaction and/or erosion can result in a loss of soil as a resource and/or a

loss in soil functionality as an ecological driver. In addition to erosion and de-oxygenation, there is the

potential of losing the original nutrient store and organic carbon of soils by the leaching of the soils while

in storage. Although most of the utilisable soils will be removed from beneath the permanent landforms

(mineralised waste facilities) some soils may still remain for lining purposes. These soils will be

compacted and will be a lost resource. This amounts to a high significance impact for all phases.

In the mitigated scenario this significance is reduced to medium with the implementation of adequate soil

management and conservation procedures and a rehabilitation programme.

Biodiversity

In the broadest sense, biodiversity provides value for ecosystem functionality, aesthetic, spiritual, cultural,

and recreational reasons. The known ecosystem related value is listed as follows:

• soil formation and fertility maintenance;

• primary production through photosynthesis, as the supportive foundation for all life;

• provision of food and fuel;

• provision of shelter and building materials;

• regulation of water flows and water quality;

• regulation and purification of atmospheric gases;

• moderation of climate and weather;

• control of pests and diseases; and



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• maintenance of genetic resources (key for medicines, crop and livestock breeding).

The mine is located in areas that have both habitat and species richness. In this context species

richness refers to both flora and fauna species. Some evidence of anthropogenic activities was

discernible in both the Wilgespruit and Lesele Rivers, although the Lesele River is less impacted upon.

The following areas of conservation significance were identified:

• protected areas, which include wetlands and associated riparian areas and buffer zones, as

specifically stipulated in the National Water Act (NWA);

• Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Areas (NFEPAs). In terms of water resources, the section of the

Bofule (Category B-Largely Natural), emanating from the Pilanesberg is ranked as a Level 1 NFEPA;

• areas along the Wilgespruit and Bofule rivers are classified as being of Highest Biodiversity

Importance and Risk for Mining, whereas the southern half of the site is classified as an area of High

Biodiversity Importance and Risk for Mining according to the Mining and Biodiversity Guidelines

(2013);

It should however be noted that the Sedibelo mining operation was approved in 2007, before the

publication of the FEPA or Mining and Biodiversity Guidelines (DEA et al, 2013). The extent of the

Mining and Biodiversity Guidelines classification, provides limited space for any mining development,

including the approved infrastructure, on the farm Wilgespruit. According to the Mining and Biodiversity

Guidelines the proposed, as well as the approved, infrastructure is either located in an area assigned the

highest or high biodiversity importance level.

The biodiversity assessment covers the following broad issues: physical destruction of biodiversity and

related functions, the reduction of water resources as an ecological driver and general disturbances to

biodiversity such as pollution, noise and lighting.

Physical destruction of biodiversity

There are a number of activities and infrastructure in all phases that have the potential to destroy

biodiversity in the broadest sense. In this regard, the discussion relates to the physical destruction of

specific biodiversity areas, of linkages between biodiversity areas and related species which are

considered to be significant because of their status, and/or the role that they play in the ecosystem.

Impacts associated with the physical destruction of biodiversity as a result of the mine (including the

proposed changes) include the following:

• permanent destruction, alteration and degradation of habitats and vegetation;

• habitat fragmentation and corridor restrictions;

• direct mortality and displacement of fauna; and

• destruction of species of conservation importance.



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When collectively considering the above impacts, the significance is high in the unmitigated scenario for

all phases. In the mitigated scenario, although correct management and implementation of mitigation

measures can address some of the impacts to varying degrees, the severity will be medium to high for all

phases as some habitats such as the Red Pilanesberg Wash and riparian zones will be permanently

destroyed, impacting on several species of conservation importance, in particular the Giant Bullfrog.

Loss of water resources as an ecological driver

Riparian zones fulfil an important ecological function and are typically sustained by a combination of

surface and subsurface water as a key ecological driver. Even though riparian ecosystems occupy very

small portions of the landscape in semi-arid regions, they exert substantial influence on hydrologic,

geomorphic, and ecological processes and typically support a great majority of biodiversity in these

regions.

Periodic surface water run-off and the existence of near surface water resources are understood to be

key ecological drivers for the Wilgespruit, Bofule and Lesele Rivers. These rivers within the study area

are semi-ephemeral in nature. Semi-ephemeral systems can be sustained by a combination of surface

and subsurface water. In this scenario, the contribution of groundwater becomes critical during dry

periods (NSS, 2014). One such system is a stretch of the Bofule river system which is rated as a Level 1

Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Area (FEPA) before the confluence with the Wilgespruit on the Sedibelo

property. It was confirmed that this FEPA is not hydraulically linked to the deeper aquifer as it is formed

by a local perched aquifer on top of an impermeable clay layer which separates it from the deep aquifer,

which are fed by surface water run-off and precipitation.

Impacts associated with the loss of water resources as an ecological driver as a result of the mine

(including proposed project changes) relates to changes in hydrology (water inputs, retention patterns

and distribution), including the potential ecological impact on the groundwater that contributes to

sources/systems as well as the endorheic pans (springs and pannetjies) within the north western

boundary of the Pilanesberg National Park, 7km south west from the centre of the Sedibelo pit.

In the mitigated scenario, the potential significance was rated as high, which can be reduced to medium

with a range of mitigation measures including basic infrastructure placement and design, , engineering

controls and monitoring.

General disturbance of biodiversity

There are various activities/infrastructure that have the potential to directly disturb vegetation, vertebrates

and invertebrates in all project phases, particularly in the unmitigated scenario. These typically include

lighting, noise, vibration, vehicle movement and litter as well as soil, air and water pollution. In the

construction and decommissioning phases these activities are temporary in nature, usually existing for a

few weeks to a few months. The operational phase will present more long term occurrences and the



Page xii

closure phase will present final land forms such as the TSF and WRDs that may have long term pollution

and disturbance potential.

These disturbances could have a high significance in the unmitigated scenario. In the mitigated scenario,

many of these disturbances can be prevented or mitigated to acceptable levels, which reduces the

significance to medium to low.

Surface water

The mine (including project changes) has the potential to impact on surface water resources through the

potential contamination thereof as well as through potential alterations to surface water drainage

patterns. These issues are discussed separately below.


key ecological drivers for the Wilgespruit, Bofule and Lesele Rivers The portion of the Bofule River,

before the confluence with the Wilgespruit, is ranked as a Level 1 FEPA. The Bofule River was classified

as a FEPA based on the river ecosystem type, an Ephemeral upper and lower foothill system, and the

fact that it was still in a good condition (Category B) when the FEPA status was determined.

Contamination of surface water resources

There are a number of pollution sources that have the potential to pollute surface water, particularly in the

unmitigated scenario. In the construction and decommissioning phases these potential pollution sources

are temporary in nature. Although these sources may be temporary, the potential pollution may be long

term. The operational phase will present more long term potential sources and the closure phase will

present final land forms (such as the TSF and WRDs) that have the potential to contaminate surface

water through long term seepage and/or run-off.

In the unmitigated scenario, surface water may collect contaminants (hydrocarbons, salts, and metals)

from numerous sources during the construction and operational phases as a result of day to day

operational and maintenance activities and unplanned emergencies such as spills or discharges of

contaminated water. In addition, potential operational and decommissioning phase pollution sources will

include seepage and run-off from the TSF and WRDs. At elevated concentrations these contaminants

can be harmful to the ecological function (discussed above), humans and livestock if ingested directly

and possibly even indirectly through contaminated vegetation, vertebrates and invertebrates. This

equates to a high significance impact.

In the mitigated scenario, clean water will be diverted away from the areas disturbed by mine

infrastructure, contaminated run-off and process water will be contained and re-used in the normal course

and an emergency response programme will be implemented. The significance can therefore be reduced

to medium.



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Alteration of natural drainage lines

Natural drainage across the study area is via sheet flow and/or non-perennial tributaries. There are a

number of activities/infrastructures which will alter drainage patterns by reducing the volume of run-off

into the downstream catchments. During the construction, operation, decommissioning, and to a lesser

extent, the closure phases, rainfall and surface water run-off will be collected in all areas that have been

designed with water containment infrastructure. The collected run-off will therefore be lost to the

catchment and can result in the alteration of drainage patterns.

All mine infrastructure will be located within quaternary catchment A24D, with the exception of a small

portion of the eastern corner of the accommodation camp which is located in quaternary catchment

A24E. An estimated 12.9km2 of area will be contained for the establishment of the mine (including

project changes).This equates to a loss of only 1% of the total mean annual run-off for the quaternary

catchment A24D. Most of the surface infrastructure is located outside of both the modelled 1:50 year and

1:100 year flood-lines and outside the 100m offset from the centre of the non-perennial Wilgespruit and

Bofule watercourses. Portions of some of the waste rock dumps are situated across the pathways of

some of the non-perennial watercourses and/or its tributaries.

Furthermore, developments within the upper catchment area of the Wilgespruit have potential

implications for the existing run-off coefficients, peak flows and flood lines for the Wilgespruit which may

influence downstream activities.

In the unmitigated scenario, the impact significance is rated as high for all phases, this can be reduced to

medium for the construction, operational and decommissioning phases and low for the closure phase in

with mitigation which includes engineered water control infrastructure and rehabilitation measures.

Groundwater

Many communities surrounding the study area rely on groundwater alone for their basic water

requirements. There is no surface water storage in the study area. Although the villages located on the

northern rim of the Pilanesberg National Park are connected to Magalies Water infrastructure it is

understood that they are often without potable water. Villages located further to the north and north west

of the study area rely solely on groundwater. In the immediate vicinity of the project site there are some

boreholes being used for potable and crop watering purposes.

The nature of the mine infrastructure and activities are such that they present the potential for pollution of

groundwater resources that in some cases may be used by third parties for domestic or agricultural uses

as well as ecological purposes. Depletion of groundwater levels within and surrounding the project site

may pose impacts to these third party and ecological uses.



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Dewatering

It will be necessary to dewater the underground mine workings and the open pit (i.e. when the depth of

the pit passes below the natural water table). This dewatering is to ensure safe working conditions.

The area is underlain by a shallow, weathered aquifer as well as a deeper, intact fractured bedrock

aquifer. The shallow and weathered aquifer is an important water zone for third parties where boreholes

pump the ground water to surface to be used by third parties and livestock in the area. It was concluded

that the impact of activities associated with deep mining is not foreseen to be measurable within the

shallow perched aquifer. The shallow aquifer is recharged by surface water and precipitation.

Furthermore, the transmissivity values of the overburden, clay material is such that a decrease in water

levels of the shallow aquifer as a result of the open pit are expected to be limited and localised.

Open pit and underground mining activities during the construction and operational phases could result in

a decrease in water levels and subsequent borehole yields. Neighbouring groundwater users, in

particular in the immediate vicinity of the project site, where some boreholes are being used for potable

and crop watering purposes, could be adversely affected.The natural water levels are expected to be

restored post closure and the underground operations will flood with time, given that groundwater flow is

not completely sealed off during the mining process.

In the mitigated scenario the significance of the impact as a result of dewatering on third party boreholes,

including the Pilanesberg springs is regarded as high. With mitigation this is reduced to low, as the

severity is reduced with the provision of alternative water resources.

Contamination of groundwater resources

There are a number of sources in all mine phases that have the potential to pollute groundwater. In the

construction and decommissioning phases some of these potential pollution sources are temporary and

diffuse in nature. Even though the sources are temporary in nature, related potential pollution can be

long term. The operational phase will present more long term potential sources and the closure phase

will present final land forms, such as the TSF and WRDs that may have the potential to pollute water

resources through long term seepage and/or run-off.

In broad terms, two types of pollution sources are considered namely diffuse pollution, which includes ad

hoc spills and discharges of polluting substances, and point source pollution which includes longer term

pollution associated with sources such as the proposed TSF and WRDs. Geochemical results indicate

that there is no material risk of acid mine drainage. Groundwater modelling identified that there is a

potential for groundwater contamination (nitrates and sulphates amongst other parameters) associated

with the proposed TSF and WRDs. This contamination has potential to influence ground and surface

water resources. In the case of groundwater resources there is potential for contamination of borehole

water used for livestock watering and for domestic use by on site livestock herders. In the case of

surface water, the link between ground and surface water has not been established (it has been

established that the shallow perched aquifer is fed by surface water run-off), but the application of the



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precautionary approach leads to the possibility that groundwater contamination in the shallow aquifer

could influence on site non-perennial drainage lines and associated ecological systems, including the

FEPA situated within a stretch of the Bofule River.

In the unmitigated scenario the severity is high. In the mitigated scenario the severity can be reduced to

medium because of mitigation measures. Mitigation include measures to prevent pollution pulltion during

the operational and closure phases.

Air quality

Air pollution

There are a number of activities/infrastructure in all phases that have the potential to pollute the air. In

the construction and decommissioning phases these activities are temporary in nature. The operational

phase will present more long term activities and the closure phase will present final land forms that may

have the potential to pollute the air through long term wind erosion.

With mines of this nature, the main emissions include: inhalable particulate matter less than 10 micron in

size (PM10), larger total suspended particulates (TSP) that relate to dust fallout, and limited gas emissions

mainly from vehicle exhausts. In the operational, construction and decommissioning phases

contaminants include: PM10, TSP, and gas emissions. At closure there will only be potential for PM10 and

TSP emissions depending on the effectiveness of rehabilitation measures. At certain concentrations,

each of these contaminants can have health and/or nuisance impacts. Gaseous pollutants derived from

vehicle exhausts and blasting are regarded as negligible in comparison to particulate emissions.

Predicted unmitigated and mitigated operational phase dustfall rates were low and did not exceed the

limit of 600 mg/m2/day, considered acceptable for residential areas, at any of the nearby communities

The air quality study predicted that the ambient PM10 concentrations would exceeded the permissible 24-

hour South African (SA) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) of 75μg/m3 more than the 4

days a year at Ngweding, Magong, Magalane and Ntwsana-le-metsing in the mitigated operational phase

scenario. No exceedances of the annual NAAQS were predicted at any of the surrounding communities.

On site the 24-hour NAAQS of 75μg/m3 was predicted to exceed more than the permissible 4 days a

year, which will have an impact on the livestock herders and subsistence farmers on site.

The potential exists to expose third parties to levels of inhalable dust that could influence health,

particularly in vulnerable groups for extended periods of time in the unmitigated scenario. Due to the

potential for exceedance of the 24-hour evaluation criteria at some of the communities, the impact is

reduced to medium for off-site receptors with the implementation of mitigation measures for the phases

prior to closure. For on-site receptors such as the livestock herders, with mitigation that involves



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relocation, the significance is reduced to low. The impact significance will be reduced to low in the

closure phase with the implementation of a rehabilitation plan.

Ambient noise

Noise pollution

The mine (including project changes) presents the possibility of generating noise (both disturbing and

nuisance) in the phases prior to closure. It should be noted that some receptors are expected to be more

sensitive than others, particularly the conservation and ecotourism activities located to the south and

south-west of the project site. In this regard, any increase in mining related noise levels, including noise

levels from increased vehicle activity, could be noticeable and could impact on current land uses.

The noise assessment focused on night-time conditions when ambient noise levels are lower (generally

night-time ambient noise levels are 10 dB lower than day-time levels) and the sensitivity of the

environment increases. It was expected that if the night-time impact is contained within acceptable

levels, then the daytime impact will also fall within acceptable limits.

During the construction phase as well as the initial operational phase when noise levels are expected to

be at its highest due to the combined open pit and underground mining activities, the villages of

Ngweding and Legkraal will be affected by increases in ambient noise levels, especially at night time.

However, these increases will generally be less than 3 dBA, which is not noticeable to a person with

average hearing. During the day the noise impact contours are limited to the immediate vicinity of the

construction or operational activities.

Once the open pit activities have ceased (underground mining only) and during the decommissioning

activities, there will be a slight decrease in ambient noise levels at Legkraal at night time, but this will be

much less than 3 dBA. Since the total resulting ambient noise level will be very low.

For noise receptors located closer to the operations, such as the livestock herders located on the farm

Wilgespruit, in the absence of mitigation, the severity on these receptors is expected to be high. With

mitigation that caters for relocation of these receptors to an area outside of the 3dB increase footprint, no

significant impact on these receptors is expected.

No noise impacts are expected with the closure phase. It can therefore be summarised that in the

unmitigated scenario for the construction, operational and decommissioning phases, the impact

significance was determined as moderate who will be reduced to low with mitigation measures which

include engineering design and controls, noise berms and maintenance.



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Visual

Visual impacts

Visual impacts are a subset of landscape impacts. Visual impacts relate to the changes that arise in the

composition of available views because of changes to the landscape, to people’s responses to the

changes, and to the overall effect with respect to visual amenity. Visual impact is therefore measured as

the change to the existing visual environment (i.e. views) caused by the intervention and the extent to

which that change compromises (negative impact) or enhances (positive impact) or maintains the visual

quality of the scene as perceived by people visiting, working or living in the area.

Negative visual impacts will be caused by activities and infrastructure in all phases. During construction,

this will be influenced by the increase in activities and clearing of vegetation on-site. During operation

this will be influenced by the presence of infrastructure such as the open pit, shaft headgears, processing

plant and as well as the development of the TSF and WRDs; and during decommissioning and closure by

the closure objectives and effectiveness of rehabilitation measures. The more significant visual impacts

relate to the larger infrastructure components (such as the processing plant and shafts), infrastructure

that will remain in perpetuity (such as the TSF and WRDs), and night lighting.

In the unmitigated scenario, the significance of visual impact is determined as high for all phases. With

the implementation of visual mitigation, the significance of the impact will be reduced to medium for all

phases prior to closure. Although the pit will be backfilled utilising waste rock, portions of the waste rock

dumps will remain. In the closure phase, the significance is reduced to low with the rehabilitation of the

project site, including the rehabilitation of the remaining TSF and WRD infrastructure, and the elimination

of night lighting.

Heritage, paleontological and cultural resources

Loss of heritage, paleontological and cultural resources

The study area is underlain by igneous rocks of the Rustenburg Layered Suite of the Bushveld Igneous

Complex it is highly unlikely that fossils will be affected by any subsurface mining development and an

assessment of the impact on paleontological resources was therefore not deemed necessary.

Heritage resources include sites of archaeological, cultural or historical importance. There are a number

of activities/infrastructure in all phases prior to closure that have the potential to damage heritage

(including cultural) resources and result in the loss of the resource for future generations. The more

significant of these are expected to occur during the construction and operational phases when most of

the mine infrastructure will be established on site.

According to the heritage study, which was undertaken, the resources dating from the recent past have

no historical or cultural significance. In addition, the identified scattered stone tools and potsherds also

present little archaeological significance and the remains of the historical house presents a low



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significance because it has been affected to such an extent that it has no research or any other use.

Limited impacts are expected during the decommissioning phase, and no impacts are expected to occur

during closure.

Even though these resources hold a low heritage and cultural significance, it will be permanently lost.

Furthermore, the potential for uncovering new heritage resources during the construction, operational and

rehabilitation phases prior to closure does exist. Therefore, the potential significance of the impact in the

unmitigated scenario was determined as medium and can be reduced to low with mitigation, which

predominantly involves the implementation of a chance find procedure.

Land use

The establishment of the mine (including project changes) will alter the conditions for current and future

land uses on and surrounding the project site. It should be noted that the project site was approved for

mining and related activities in 2008. The mine is in the initial stages of construction and some of the

facilities have been established on site in line with the mine’s approved EIA/EMP report (KP, 2007). Land

uses within the study area prior to the approval of the EIA/EMP in 2008, included livestock grazing, crop

farming and community activities.

Land uses immediately surrounding the study area include subsistence farming (livestock grazing and

crops); formal (villages) and informal (livestock herders and farmers) residential, mining and conservation

and/or eco-tourism activities associated with the Pilanesberg National Park (PNP). Included in the future

land use, is the conceptual Heritage Park Corridor, aimed at linking the PNP and Madikwe Game

Reserve as proposed by the North West Parks and Tourism Board (NWPTB).

The presence of infrastructure and activities during the construction, operational and decommission

phases will impact on the on-site subsistence farming and informal residential land uses. The project

furthermore has the potential to impact on conservation and/or eco-tourism activities surrounding the

study area. The rehabilitated TSF and WRDs infrastructure will remain post closure and has the potential

to impact on future land use potential, which include the conceptual Heritage Park Corridor, in particular

the dangerous game corridor put forward by the NWPTB.

On the basis of current information, two possible future land uses have been identified:

• the most likely scenario is that the land will be returned, where possible, to pre-mining land use

(i.e. agricultural and residential use); or

• an alternative possible scenario is that the land may form part of the Heritage Park Corridor

(HPC) concept.



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The proposed project therefore has the potential to impact on agricultural and residential activities as well

as conservation and/or ecotourism activities and subsequently the discussion below has been split as

such.

Loss of agricultural and residential land use

The development of the site on Wilgespruit 2 JQ and portion 1 of Rooderand 46 JQ, will result in the

displacement of communal cattle farmers who employ livestock herders with associated housing and

kraal structures. In the mitigated scenario, the significance of the impact on agricultural and informal

residential land uses, including the farmers on site, will reduced from high to low with the implementation

of a relocation programme. With sustainable site rehabilitation, parts of the project area could be

restored to ensure it is suitable for agricultural and residential use (i.e. pre-mining land use) post mining.

Even though some of the waste rock dumps and tailings storage facility will remain in perpetuity, the

significance was rated low in the mitigated scenario as it will be possible to resume agricultural and

residential activities on the remainder of the site post closure as well as on the land made available for

resettlement priot to mining.

Loss of conservation and ecotourism land use

It should specifically be noted that when considering the HPC alignment proposed by the NWPTB (Figure

2), the corridor for dangerous game will be completely obstructed by the infrastructure approved in the

2007 EIA/EMP, specifically by the waste rock dump (WRD1) and tailings storage facility. This scenario

will remain unchanged with the proposed changes in infrastructure. In order to mitigate this impact, it will

be necessary to implement the alternative alignment put forward by PPM.

The alternative alignment put forward by PPM for the dangerous game corridor lies to the west, and none

of the Sedibelo operations would be located within this alignment. In the absence of an alternative

dangerous game corridor, the functionality of the corridor and potential movement of animals will be

compromised by the presence of these remaining rehabilitated facilities even though the rehabilitation of

remaining infrastructure will promote the possible establishment of biodiversity. It can therefore be

concluded that the with mitigation, which involves the establishment of the alternative dangerous game

corridor put forward by PPM, the impact significance can be reduced from high to medium.

Blasting

Blasting impacts

Blasting activities have the potential to impact on people, animals and structures located near the

operation. Blast hazards include ground vibration, air blast, fly rock, blast fumes and dust. Ground

vibrations travel directly through the ground and have the potential to cause damage to surrounding

structures. Air blasts result from the pressure released during the blast resulting in an air pressure pulse

(wave), which travels away from the source and has the potential to damage surrounding structures. Fly



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rock is the release of pieces of rock over a distance and can be harmful to people and animals and

damage structures and property.

The main activities that have the potential to cause blasting hazards are the open pit mining and the

establishment of the shaft portals during the construction phase. During the operational phase, blasting

will take place as part of the open pit and underground mining activities. Underground blasting activities

will be at a depth of approximately 150 to 600m below surface and are therefore not expected to have a

significant impact on surface.

Blasting will take place on a daily basis in the open pit for the duration of the construction and operational

phases. There are a number of receptors which may be impacted upon as a result of blasting activities:

• farm workers living on the Wilgespruit 2JQ farm and cattle herders on Rooderand 46JQ farm,

potentially within 500-1500m from the open pit will be relocated during the construction phase;

• the southern boundary of the open pit will be located approximately 2 500m to the north-east

from the closest community, Ga-Rhapiri;

• a number of community boreholes are located within the vicinity of the Ga-Rhapiri community.

Some of these boreholes are currently being utilised for livestock and domestic purposes;

• the edge of the Ngweding village lies approximately 4 000m to the north east from the northern

edge of the open pit;

• third parties and domestic animals may be injured as a result of fly rock; and

• animals within the PNP and surrounding the Black Rhino Game Reserve. There is the potential

for ground vibration, air blast and noise to impact on animals within the PNP and surrounding the

Black Rhino Game Reserve (i.e. large herbivores and burrowing animals). Discussions

regarding the potential impacts of blasting on animals were held with a blasting expert and a

professor from the Zoology Department at the University of Pretoria. However, due to a lack of

definitive, scientific information as to whether blasting will cause stress in these animals, SLR

was unable to assess the impact on wild animals in the PNP and surrounding the Black Rhino

Game Reserve.

In the unmitigated scenario, blasting will have a potential high significance impact on humans, domestic

animals and man-made infrastructure. With the implementation of a blast management programme this

will be reduced to low.

Traffic

Approximately 30 taxi, 32 bus, 42 private vehicle and eight truck trips per day are expected during the

construction phase. During the operational phase approximately 50 busses, 180 private vehicles, 40 taxi

and 8 trucks are expected per day. Traffic is expected to significantly taper off during the

decommissioning phase and traffic during the closure phase is expected to be insignificant.



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Road capacity and accessibility

There are a number of transportation activities in all phases of the mine that have the potential to impact

on the existing road transportation infrastructure capacity and accessibility. The increase in

transportation activities during the construction and decommissioning phases will be temporary in nature,

while the operational activities will be of a long term nature. No impacts on road capacity and road

accessibility are expected in the closure phase.

The traffic specialist modelled the open pit and underground operational phases. Given that the

operation phase presents the highest volume of mine traffic, the modelling represents a conservative

scenario.

Level of service (LOS) is a qualitative measure used to assess the quality of traffic service in particular

relating to traffic delays and inaccessibility to roads. According to modelling results, used to determine

the LOS because of the increase in operational traffic volumes associated with the mine (including project

changes) in the year 2022, the LOS at the various intersections will remain within the excellent “A” grade

as defined in terms of traffic impact criteria. Given that less traffic is expected during the construction and

decommissioning phases, an “A” grade LOS is also expected during these phases.

The mine (including project changes) will not result in any road closures, apart from the potential

temporary diversion of the D511 gravel road during the period it will be upgraded to a paved road. The

significance of the unmitigated impact on traffic capacity and road accessibility was assessed as

moderate during the construction, operational and decommissioning phases, in particular during peak

traffic events, which can be reduced to low with mitigation.

Road safety

There are a number of transportation activities in all phases of mine (including project changes) that have

the potential to impact on road safety. The increase in transportation activities during the construction

and decommissioning will be temporary in nature, while the operational activities will be long term for the

duration of the mining operations. No impacts are expected in the closure phase.

During the construction, operation and decommissioning phases, the use of the local road network,

increases in traffic volumes and change in traffic patterns can result in road safety concerns. It is

expected that employees and contractors will make use of public or own transport. It is furthermore

expected that contractors and employees residing at company accommodation on the Sedibelo property

will either make use of taxis or buses or alternatively walk. Employees or contractors walking to work will

result in an increase in pedestrians. Some employees residing in the local communities may also opt to

walk to work in order to save transport expenses, which will further increase the number of pedestrians.

Heavy trucks bringing raw materials to the mine will further exacerbate the situation. These factors could

potentially result in injury and/or death to third parties.



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The increase in traffic volumes as a result of employee transport associated with the mine will be greater

during the construction phase than during the operational and decommissioning phases due to the

number of contractors and employees on site. The increase in heavy vehicles will however be greater

during the operational phase with the delivery of heavy fuel oil and waste oil via road. This impact could

become even more pronounced when considering the cumulative impacts of current and future

developments in the area.

Regardless of the traffic volumes, in the unmitigated scenario, the significance of the potential impact was

rated high. With the implementation of traffic control measures, the potential impact on road users and

pedestrians will be reduced. Nevertheless, if an accident occurs resulting in permanent injury or death,

the severity will remain high in the mitigated scenario for construction, operational and decommissioning

phases. As a result, the significance in the mitigated scenario was rated as moderate.

Socio-economic aspects

Contribution to the local economy as a result of employment opportunities

At this stage, it is envisaged that the construction workforce will be approximately 6,000 people.

Approximately 3860 permanent and 125 long term contractor jobs will be created during the operational

phase.

Due to the high levels of poverty and unemployment in the area the significance of employment

opportunities during the construction and operational phase is high. In addition to the direct job creation

an economic multiplier is expected from the increase in community spending power and associated flow

of money in the local economy. This in turn will increase the localised tax base. Taken as a whole, this

is considered as a moderate positive impact significance in the unmitigated scenario, which can be

enhanced to high positive in the mitigated scenario.

Impact on economic development

The development of the mine has the potential to impact on the economy both positively through potential

growth in the mining sector and negatively through the potential loss of existing economic activities.

With regards to the potential impact on the economic viability of the eco-tourism ventures to the south

and south-west of the study area, it is expected that the mine would not have an impact on these

developments for the following reasons:

• the eco-tourism ventures are currently operating with existing mining developments in the area;

and

• it is expected that tourists and visitors to the Pilanesberg National Park in general would not

experience significant impacts from the mine. However tourists and visitors in the northern

wilderness section of the PNP may be aware of the development, particularly from a visual

perspective if looking north from the top of the hills associated with the wilderness section.



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There is currently uncertainty over the feasibility of developing the conceptual Heritage Park Corridor

(HPC). While the vision of the HPC is alive and is being promoted by a number of stakeholders with the

NWPTB taking the lead in this initiative; there is uncertainty due to the lack of investors in this project.

Quantifying economic impacts on the HPC is therefore not considered possible for this study. Therefore

no comparative analysis was undertaken. This does not imply that potential impacts on the proposed

HPC have not been acknowledged.

The amount of land potentially lost as a result of the project (approximately 1400 hectares) is relatively

small in agricultural terms, while the anticipated investment of approximately R5 billion and job creation of

approximately 3 985 jobs associated with the operational phase of the mine (including the project

changes) is significant.

The following economic indicators were calculated:

• the total economic addition to land value by the mine is calculated as R2.4 billion after

amortisation over a 30 year period. The potential loss of the eco-agricultural land is calculated at

R119 million, thus giving a net positive R2.3 billion to the local economy. The mine therefore

adds more property value over an economic generation than the current land use;

• the net gross domestic product (GDP) gain to the economy as a result of the mine amounts to

R7.3 billion (present value of GDP over life of mine); adding property values gained, the net value

to the economy amounts to R9.5 billion. It should be noted that a higher discount rate was used

for mining (20%) as it is inherently more risky than eco-agricultural (12%); and

• the net employment added to the economy is estimated at 3 807 jobs. This is the net difference

between mining jobs created and potential eco-agricultural jobs lost. It was assumed that all eco-

agricultural jobs will be lost.

The project site was approved for mining and related activities in 2008. The mine is in the initial stages of

construction and some of the facilities have been established on site in line with the mine’s approved

EIA/EMP report (KP, 2007). The project makes provision for changes to the layout, configuration and

design of approved facilities as well as some additional facilities within and/or adjacent to approved mine

infrastructure. Given this, no other alternative land use has been considered for the project changes.

Prior to this, an alternative to the development of the mine would have been the continuation of pre-

mining land uses. In this regard, the integrated alternative land use assessment concluded that the

proposed project is the preferred land use alternative.

The economic impact is regarded as having moderate positive impact, which can be enhanced to a high

positive impact in the mitigated scenario. It was assumed that with mitigation the following positive

impacts associated with the operational phase can endure into post closure phase:

• contributing to the establishment of a critical economic mass;

• benefits of wealth creation; and



Page xxiv

• better skilled workforce that will more easily find employment in the formal sector.

Inward migration

Mining projects tend to results in an expectation of employment in all phases prior to closure. This

expectation can lead to the influx of job seekers to an area which in turn increases pressure on existing

communities, housing, basic service delivery and raises concerns around safety and security. Other

secondary impacts include social ills such as an increase in crime and the spread of diseases such as

HIV/AIDS.

The effects of inward migration can be significant. These effects could include, but not be limited to:

• potential establishment or expansion of informal settlements;

• increased pressure on housing, water supply infrastructure, sanitation and waste management

systems and infrastructure, health care and community services and infrastructure;

• potential for increased pressure on natural resources such as water, fauna, flora and soils;

• increase in crime;

• disruption of social structures; and

• spread of disease, most notably HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis.

In the unmitigated scenario, this impact significance has been rated as high in line with the precautionary

approach. It may be possible to mitigate this impact by managing expectations with regard to

employment and by limiting inward migration in cooperation with the relevant tribal and government

authorities which will result in a reduced impact significance of high to moderate.

Displacement of people

Displacement may be either physical or economic. Physical displacement constitutes the actual physical

relocation of people resulting in a loss of homes, productive assets or access to productive assets (such

as land, water, grazing land, etc.). Economic displacement results from an action that interrupts or

eliminates people’s access to productive assets without physically relocating the people themselves.

Displacement has the potential to impact on the livelihoods and social and/or communal structure of

families and communities.

The development of the site on Wilgespruit 2 JQ and portion 1 of Rooderand 46 JQ, if approved, will

result in the displacement of communal cattle farmers who employ livestock herders with associated

housing and kraal structures. This could result in the potential loss of income, which will affect the

livelihoods of these communal farmers.

Sedibelo committed to the development and implementation of a relocation action plan in the approved

EIA/EMP (KP, 2007).



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The development of this mine will necessitate the relocation of the affected livestock herders and

community members with ties to the arable and grazing lands. In the unmitigated scenario, the negative

impacts than can arise in this context are: loss of employment, loss of income sources and/or production

resources, loss of an aspect of their rural livelihood, weakening of social networks and social structures,

loss of cultural identity, long term hardship and impoverishment. This is rated as a high significance in

the unmitigated scenario.

In the mitigated scenario this can be reduced to low depending on the outcome of the relocation

programme. With successful relocation, the people and infrastructure would be relocated to the

satisfaction of all stakeholders and such that the farmers and farm workers are in the same or better

position than present.

Conclusion

The assessment of the proposed project presents the potential for significant negative impacts to occur

(in the unmitigated scenario in particular) on the bio-physical, cultural and socio-economic environments

both on the project sites and in the surrounding area. With mitigation these potential impacts can be

prevented or reduced to acceptable levels. It should however be noted that the impact of physical

destruction on biodiversity in the mitigated scenario was rated as having a high to moderate significance

as some sensitive habitats such as the Red Pilanesberg Wash and riparian zones will be permanently

destroyed, impacting on several species of conservation importance, in particular the Giant Bullfrog. It

may therefore be necessary for the mine to consider a biodiversity off-set programme if monitoring results

indicate irreversible damage.

As the project site was approved for mining and related activities in 2008 and given that the project

makes provision for changes to the layout, configuration and design of approved facilities as well as

some additional facilities within and/or adjacent to approved mine infrastructure, no other alternative land

use has been considered for the proposed project changes. Prior to the 2008 approval, an alternative to

the development of the mine would have been the continuation of pre-mining land uses. The economic

impact assessment concluded that the development of the project will have significant positive economic

impacts and confirmed that the proposed project is the preferred land use alternative.

In conclusion, effective implementation of the EMP in all project phases (including post closure) is

required if the project is to proceed in a manner that impacts are mitigated to an acceptable level.



Page i

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME FOR CHANGES TO SURFACE INFRASTRUCTURE

AT SEDIBELO PLATINUM MINE

INTRODUCTION AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK

Introduction to the proposed project

Itereleng Bakgatla Mineral Resources (Pty) Ltd (IBMR), now the Pilanesberg Platinum Mines (Pty) Ltd

(PPM) owns Sedibelo Platinum Mine located to the north of the Pilanesberg National Park in the Moses

Kotane Local Municipality of the Bojanala Platinum District Municipality in the North West Province – refer

to Figure 1 and Figure 2 for the regional and local settings. It should be noted that on 13 February 2014,

ministerial consent was granted in terms of Section 11 of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources

Development Act, 28 of 2002 (MPRDA), ceding the remainder of the IBMR Mining Right (Sedibelo

Platinum Mine) to PPM.

The IBMR had an approved mining right (Reference number NW/30/3/1/2/3/2/1/333MR) on the farms

Wilgespruit 2 JQ, a portion of portion 1 of Rooderand 46 JQ, parts of portion 1 of Legkraal 45 JQ and a





associated metals on a portion of Wilgespruit 2 JQ and a portion of of Portion 1 of Rooderand 46 JQ to

enable the extension of the Tuschenkomst open pit. This specific area is referred to as the “Mineral

Rights Abandonment Area” as indicated in Figure 2. The DMR has approved PPM’s takeover of the

mining rights on the abandonment area, which measures approximately 440 hectares in April 2012.



In broad terms, the Sedibelo EIA/EMP compiled by Knight Piesold (KP, 2007) and approved in 2008,

catered for an open pit and underground mine, decline and ventilation shafts, a tailings storage facility

(TSF), waste rock dump (WRD), topsoil stockpiles, run-of mine pads, explosives magazine, concentrator

plant, contractors laydown area, solid and hazardous waste skips and transfer areas, workshops, fuel

bays, salvage yard, raw water reservoir, administration buildings, change houses, an accommodation

camp, transport and conveyance infrastructure. The approved infrastructure is illustrated in Figure 3 The

mine is however still in the early stages of development with limited infrastucture developed to date.

.



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FIGURE 1: REGIONAL SETTING



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FIGURE 2: LOCAL SETTING



Page i

FIGURE 3: LOCAL SETTING INCORPORATING INFRASTRUCTURE AS APPROVED IN THE 2007 EIA/EMP REPORT (KP, 2007)



Page ii

The Sedibelo Platinum Mine (Sedibelo) is located on the farms Wilgespruit 2 JQ, parts of portion 1 of

Rooderand 46 JQ, a portion of the farm Legkraal 45 JQ and a portion of the farm Koedoesfontein 42 JQ.

The original mine layout and associated activities were approved in 2008 in terms of the Mineral and

Petroleum Resources Development Act, 28 of 2002 (MPRDA) (Reference number

NW30/5/1/2/3/2/1/333MR) and National Environmental Management Act, 107 of 1998 (NEMA)

(Reference number NWP/EIA/59/2007). The mine was issued a waste licence in July 2010 in terms of

the National Environmental Management: Waste Act, 59 of 2008 (NEM:WA) for a general landfill and the

storage of general and hazardous waste (Reference number 12/9/11/L157/7). Sedibelo submitted an

integrated water use licence application (IWULA) in terms of the National Water Act (NWA) 36 of 1998 to

the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) in 2011. However, this licence has not yet been issued

by the DWS.

In order to optimise the extraction of available mineral resources, the following changes are proposed:




mineralised waste;




• increase in capacity of the approved sewage treatment plant: and


Abandonment Area”) which has been incorporated into to the PPM’s Tuschenkomst mining

operation.

As part of a joint venture agreement, the IBMR (now PPM), Pilanesberg Platinum Mines (Pty) Ltd (PPM)

and Richtrau No 123 (Pty) Ltd (Richtrau, owned by Platmin South Africa (Pty) Limited (“PSA”) since late

2013) which are situated on neighbouring farms, are investigating the possibility of developing three

separate projects that could function as a combined mining operation in future. PPM is an existing open

pit platinum mining operation with current activities on the farms Tuschenkomst 135 JP and Witkleifontein

136 JP. It is proposed that the existing PPM open pit on the farm Tuschenkomst be extended onto the

farms Wilgespruit 2 JQ and a part of portion 1 of Rooderand 46 JQ. Magazynskraal is the Richtrau

proposed underground platinum mining operation on the farm Magazynskraal 3 JQ. The potential

combined mining operation was called the African Queen Project at the time that the scoping reports

were distributed for public review. For the purposes of this report, the potential combined mining

operation is referred to as the “combined project”.


PPM Tuschenkomst mining operations, the approved and currently developing Sedibelo Platinum Mine



Page iii

(Sedibelo), and the proposed Magazynskraal Platinum Mine (Magazynskraal). The mining and

prospecting rights of each of the above-mentioned developments are held by separate entities and are

therefore the subject of three separate EIAs. This report only addresses the Sedibelo Platinum Mine.

The potential cumulative impacts that may arise from the combined project are however addressed in

Section 7.6 of this report.


Pilanesberg Platinum Mine (PPM) Tuschenkomst mining ooperations, the approved and currently

developing Sedibelo Platinum Mine (Sedibelo), and the proposed Magazynskraal Platinum Mine

(Magazynskraal). The mining and prospecting rights of each of the above-mentioned developments are

held by separate entities and are therefore the subject of three separate EIAs.

It should however be noted, that while the impacts on the farm Magazynskraal 3 JQ would be reduced,

the impacts associated with the operation where the ore will be processed would be prolonged as the life

of the operation would be extended for a number of years.

This Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Management Programme (EIA and EMP)

report has been compiled with the primary purpose of incorporating the proposed changes to the

Sedibelo Platinum Mine infrastructure and activities. This document is a consolidated EIA and EMP

report in that it caters for both the approved infrastructure and activities and changes thereto.

Coporate ownership and structure

PPM is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Platmin South Africa (Pty) Limited (“PSA”), previously named

Boynton Investments (Pty) Ltd). PSA is wholly-owned by Sedibelo Platinum Mines Limited (“SPM”,

previously named Platmin Limited). It should be noted that SPM is not the same entity as the proposed

project, Sedibelo Platinum Mine. The Bakgatla-Ba-Kgafela Tribal Authority participates in the control of

PSA through its SPM shareholding and Board representation.

PPM holds mining rights to the west and north-west of the Pilanesberg National Park. PPM applied for

the incorporation of a portion of the farm Wilgespruit 2 JQ into its existing mining right in terms of section

102 of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, 28 of 2002 (MPRDA), which application

was granted by the Minister of Mineral Resources on 26 April 2012. On 13 February 2014, Ministerial

consent was granted in terms of section 11 of the MPRDA, ceding the remainder of the Itereleng

Bakgatla Minerals Resources (Pty) Ltd (IBMR) Mining Right (Sedibelo Platinum Mine), to PPM.

Decisions required and legal framework

Prior to the commencement of the proposed project, primary environmental authorisation is required from

government departments. These include:



Page iv

• an environmental authorisation from the North West Department of Rural, Environment and

Agricultural Development (DREAD) in terms of NEMA. The proposed project incorporates several

listed environmental activities. An application was submitted by SLR to DREAD and was accepted

by the department (Appendix B). The EIA regulation being followed for this project is Regulation 543

(2010 EIA Regulations); and

• an environmental decision from the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) in terms of Section 102

of the MPRDA on the amended Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Management

Programme (EIA and EMP) report.

This report is the environmental impact assessment (EIA) (Section 1) and environmental management

programme (EMP) (Section 2) for the project. Given the legal framework above, this report has been

compiled to meet the requirements of the 2010 EIA Regulations (NEMA Regulation 543 of 18 June 2010)

and MPRDA Regulations (Mining Regulation 50 of Regulation 527 of 23 April 2004). In this regard, the

DMR report structure template has been used. Table 3 provides a guide to demonstrate this compliance.

To assist with cross-referencing in the report, the chapter numbering in the EMP section follows on from

the chapter numbering in the EIA section.

TABLE 3: LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE EIA REPORT MPRDA: MINING REGULATIONS 50 AND 51OF REGULATION 527 OF 23 APRIL 2004

NEMA: REGULATIONS 31 AND 33 OF REGULATION 543 OF 18 JUNE 2010

REFERENCE IN EIA AND EMP REPORT

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA) - Details of the EAP who compiled the EIA,

and his/her expertise to carry our an EIA Introduction

- Comment on the need and desirability of the proposed activity(ies) in the context of alternatives

Introduction

A description of the need and desirability of the proposed activity

Introduction

- Description of the property on which the activity will be undertaken and the location of the activity on the property

Introduction Sections 1.3.1 and

1.4 Assessment of the environment likely to be impacted by the mining operations including cumulative impacts

A description of the environment that may be affected by the activity and the manner in which the physical, biological, social, economic and cultural aspects of the environment may be affected by the proposed activity

Sections 1 and 7

Description of proposed activity(ies) Section 2 An assessment of the environmental likely to be affected by the identified alternative land use or developments, including cumulative environment impacts

Description and comparative assessment of alternatives identified during the EIA

Section 4 Section 5

An assessment of the nature, extent, duration, probability and significance of the identified potential environmental, social and cultural impacts of the proposed mining operations, including cumulative environmental impacts

Description of environmental issues that were identified during the environmental impact assessment process, an assessment of the significance of each issue and an indication of the extent to which the issue could be addressed by the adoption of mitigation measures

Sections 7

Description of identified potential alternatives to the proposed activity,

Sections 7



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MPRDA: MINING REGULATIONS 50 AND 51OF REGULATION 527 OF 23 APRIL 2004



including advantages and disadvantages that the proposed activity or alternatives may have on the environment and the community that may be affected by the activity Assessment of each identified potentially significant impact, including— • cumulative impacts; • the nature of the impact; • the extent and duration of the impact; • the probability of the impact occurring; • the degree to which the impact can be

reversed; • the degree to which the impact may

cause irreplaceable loss of resources; and

• the degree to which the impact can be mitigated

Sections 7

- Methodology used to determine impact significance

Section 7.4

Determine the appropriate migratory measures for each significant impact of the proposed mining operation

Summary of findings and recommendations of specialist reports

Sections 1 and 7

An comparative assessment of the identified land use and development alternatives and their potential environmental, social and cultural impacts

- Section 8

Details of the public engagement process and identification of how all issues raised have been addressed

Details on the public involvement process, including: • steps undertaken in accordance with

the plan of study; • list of persons, organisations and

organs of state that were registered as interested and affected parties;

• summary of comments received from, and a summary of issues raised by registered interested and affected parties, the date of receipt of these comments and the response of the EAP to those comments; and

• copies of any representations and comments received from registered interested and affected parties

Section 10

Knowledge gaps, adequacy of predictive measures, assumptions and uncertainties

Description of assumptions, uncertainties and knowledge gaps

Section 11

Description of the arrangement for monitoring and management of environmental impacts

- Section 12

- A reasoned opinion as to whether the activity should or should not be authorised, and if the opinion is that it should be authorised, any conditions that should be made in respect of that authorisation

Section 27

- Environmental impact statement – summary of key findings and comparative assessment of the positive and negative implications of the activity and alternatives

Include appendices for supporting and technical information

Specialist reports as appendices Section 13

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME (EMP) - Details of the person who compiled the Introduction



Page vi




EMP, and his/her expertise - Detailed description of the aspects of the

activity that is covered in the EMP Section 2

Description of objectives and specific goals for:

• mine closure, and management of identified environmental impacts,

• socio-economic conditions as identified in the SLP,

• historical and cultural aspects

Information on any proposed management or mitigation measures that will be taken to address the environmental impacts that have been identified in a report contemplated by these Regulations, including environmental impacts or objectives in respect of:

• planning and design; • pre-construction and construction

activities; • operation or undertaking of the

activity; • rehabilitation of the environment;

and • closure, where relevant.

Sections14,15,16 and 17

Description of management/technical options chosen; and Description of the appropriate technical and management options chosen for each environmental impacts, socio-economic condition and historical and cultural aspect for each phase of the mining operation

Measures to rehabilitate the environment affected by the undertaking of any listed activity or specified activity to its natural or predetermined state or to a land use which conforms to the generally accepted principle of sustainable development, including, where appropriate, concurrent or progressive rehabilitation measures.

Section 18

Action plans to achieve the objectives and specific goals that must include a time schedule to implement migratory measures for the prevention, management and remediation of each environmental impact, socio-economic condition and historical and cultural aspects for each phase of the mining operation

Description of the manner in which it intends to:

• modify, remedy, control or stop any action, activity or process which causes pollution or environmental degradation;

• remedy the cause of pollution or degradation and migration of pollutants;

• comply with any prescribed environmental management standards or practices;

• comply with any applicable provisions of the Act regarding closure and financial provisions for rehabilitation, where applicable

Sections 19

- Timeframes within which the measures must be implemented

Identification of the persons who will be responsible for the implementation of the proposed management or mitigation measures

Section 19

Procedures for environmental related emergencies and remediation

Process to manage any environmental damage, pollution, pumping and treatment of extraneous water or ecological degradation

Section 20

Planned monitoring and environmental management performance assessment

Proposed mechanisms for monitoring compliance with and performance assessment against the environmental management programme and reporting thereon

Section 21

Financial provision including the determination of the quantum of the financial provision and details of the method providing for financial provision

Closure plans, including closure objectives Section 22



Page vii




Environmental awareness plan Environmental awareness plan Section 23 Supporting specialist information - Section 24 Capacity to rehabilitate the environment - Section 25 Undertaking of the applicant - Section 26

Other approvals / permits required for the project

Other approvals/permits needed for the project are listed below. In this regard, there are other approvals

that are required prior to construction and/or commissioning of the mining and related activities. This list

does not cover occupational health and safety legislation requirements.

• Sedibelo submitted an integrated water use licence application in terms of the National Water Act

(NWA) 36 of 1998 to the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) in 2011. However, this licence

has not yet been issued by DWS. Depending on the status of the current application, an application

for additional water uses and/or an amendment to the water use licence will be submitted to the DWS

subsequent to the completion of the EIA to incorporate any new water uses and/or changes to

previously applied for /approved water uses as a result of the proposed changes to the Sedibelo

infrastructure. The applicable water uses and exemptions could include:

o Section 21(g) Water Use: Disposing of waste in a manner which could detrimentally impact upon a

water resource – waste rock dumps and dirty water storage dams at the proposed operations;

o Section 21 (j) Water Use: Removing water from underground for the safe continuation of an

activity - the dewatering of the underground and open pit mining areas;

o Section 21 (c) Water Use: Impeding or diverting the flow of water in a watercourse – bridges will

be required for the internal haul roads and the reef transport facility (conveyor) will cross the

Wilgespruit and Bofule Rivers;

o Regulation 704 (R704) exemption for Condition 4a – “Locate or place any residue deposit, dam,

reservoir, together with any associated structure within 1:100 year flood-line or within a horizontal

distance of 100 m of a watercourse or borehole, excluding boreholes drilled specifically to monitor

the pollution of ground water, or on ground likely to become water-logged, undermined, unstable

or cracked”. One of the waste rock dump may be located within the 1:100 year floodline of a non-

perennial tributary of the Bofule River;

o R704 exemption for Condition 4b – “Carry on any underground or open pit mining, prospecting or

any other operation or activity under or within the 1:50 year flood-line or within a horizontal

distance of 100 metres from any watercourse or estuary, whichever is greatest”. The underground

mining operation will take place under the Bofule River;

o R704 exemption for Condition 5 – “May not use any residue or substance which causes or is likely

to cause pollution of water resource for the construction of any dam or other impoundment or any

embankment, road or railway or for any other purpose which is likely to cause pollution of a water

resource”. The construction of roads, tailings storage facility and containment facilities may

require the use of waste rock. Waste rock will also be used for the backfilling of the Sedibelo open

pit in support of ongoing rehabilitation.



Page viii

• All dams with both a wall greater than 5 m and a capacity of 50 000 m3 will be registered as safety

risk dams with DWS in terms of the National Water Act, 36 of 1998.

• Prior to damaging or removing heritage resources such as graves, permissions are required in terms

of the National Heritage Act, 25 of 1999, the Ordinance on Exhumations, 12 of 1980, and the Human

Tissues Act, 65 of 1983.

• Prior to removing or damaging any protected plant species, the necessary permits will be obtained

from DWS in terms of the National Forests Act, 84 of 1998.

It should be noted that subsequent to the submission of the Scoping Report, Sedibelo Platinum Mine

commissioned a waste study to evaluate potential waste storage and disposal alternatives for non-

mineralised waste. Following this study, a decision has been taken by Sedibelo to address any waste-

related activities requiring authorisation in terms of the National Environmental Management: Waste Act,

59 of 2008 (NEM:WA) in a separate process as required. The environmental authorisation process for

NEM:WA listed activities is therefore excluded from this project scope.

EIA approach and process

A summary of the approach and key steps in the combined EIA process and corresponding activities are

outlined in Table 4.

TABLE 4: EIA PROCESS OBJECTIVES CORRESPONDING ACTIVITIES PROJECT INITIATION AND APPLICATION PHASE (MAY -OCTOBER 2011) • Notify the decision making

authorities of the proposed project. • Initiate the environmental impact

assessment process.

• S102 application to amend the Mine Works Programme in terms of the MPRDA was submitted to the DMR (30 May 2011)

• NEMA application submitted to DREAD (October 2011) SCOPING PHASE (JANUARY – NOVEMBER 2012)

• Identify interested and/or affected parties (IAPs) and involve them in the scoping process through information sharing.

• Determine the issues associated with the proposed project.

• Consider alternatives. • Determine the terms of reference for

additional assessment work.

• Notify IAPs of the project and environmental assessment process (social scans, distribution of BIDs, newspaper advertisements, telephone calls and site notices) (January to March 2012)

• Public scoping meetings (March 2012) • Distribute scoping report to DMR (August 2012) • Distribute scoping report to IAPs and other authorities for

review (October 2012) • Distribute scoping report to DREAD (October 2012)

DETAILED SPECIALIST INVESTIGATIONS (JUNE 2011 – JULY 2014) • Describe the affected environment. • Assess potential impacts. • Provide management and

monitoring recommendations.

• Investigations by technical project team and appointed specialists (see Table 5) of issues identified during the scoping stage.

EIA AND EMP PHASE (NOVEMBER 2012- JULY 2015) • Assess potential impacts with

assistance from appointed specialists where required.

• Design requirements and management and mitigation

• Compilation of EIA and EMP report. • Distribute EIA and EMP report to IAPs, DMR and other

authorities for review (April -May 2015). • Feedback from IAPs May-July 2015. • Record comments (May-July 2015).



Page ix

OBJECTIVES CORRESPONDING ACTIVITIES measures.

• Receive feedback on application. • Forward IAP comments to DMR (May-July 2015). • Forward updated report to DREAD (July /August 2015) • Circulate record of decisions to all registered IAPs registered.

EIA team

The project team is outlined in Table 5. Fiona Bolton, Linda Munro and Suan Mulder are the responsible

SLR environmental assessment practitioners (EAPs) for managing the project. Suan Mulder is

responsible for compiling the EIA and EMP report while Brandon Stobart and Alex Pheiffer are

responsible for project review and reviewing the EIA and EMP report. Brandon has 17 years of relevant

experience and is registered with the Interim Certification Board as an environmental assessment

practitioner. Alex has over 13 years of relevant experience and is registered as a professional scientist

(environmental science) with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions.

Suan Mulder, Linda Munro, Fiona Bolton, Brandon Stobart, Alex Pheiffer as well as SLR have no interest

in the project other than fair payment for consulting services rendered as part of the environmental

assessment process.

TABLE 5: PROJECT TEAM NAME DESIGNATION TASKS AND ROLES COMPANY ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT TEAM Fiona Bolton Suan Mulder Linda Munro

Project managers Process management, stakeholder engagement, assessment and report compilation.

SLR

Ntsako Baloyi Fiona Bolton

Stakeholder engagement Facilitation of public participation process

Brandon Stobart and Alex Pheiffer

Reviewer Project and report review

SPECIALIST ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT CONSULTANT TEAM Victor von Reiche Air quality specialist Air quality impact

assessment Airshed Planning Professionals (Airshed)

Dr Julius Pistorius Heritage specialist Heritage assessment

Independent consultant

Prof Bruce Rubidge Paleontological specialist Paleontological assessment

BPI for Paleontological Research, University of Witwatersrand

Ian Jones Soil and land capability specialist

Soil and land capability assessment

Earth Science Solutions

Stephan Meyer Groundwater specialist Groundwater assessment

AGES

Susan Abell Biodiversity specialist Biodiversity assessment

Natural Scientific Solutions (NSS)



Page x

NAME DESIGNATION TASKS AND ROLES COMPANY Paul Klimzcak Vera Marx

Surface water specialists Surface water assessment and hydrology engineering

SLR

Mitha Cilliers Visual specialists Visual assessment Newtown Landscape Architects (NLA)

Lorna Ernst Nothabo Tshuma

Socio-economic specialists Socio-economic baseline

Managing Transformation Solutions (MTS)

Gerrie Muller Socio-economic specialist Economic analysis Strategy4Good

Guy Wiid Tailings engineer Design of the mineralised waste facilities

Epoch

Stephan van Niekerk Closure engineer Closure costing SLR

Details of the person representing the applicant, Itereleng Bakgatla Mineral Resources (Pty) Ltd, are

presented in Table 6 below.

TABLE 6: CONTACT DETAILS FOR APPLICANT PROJECT APPLICANT:

Itereleng Bakgatla Mineral Resources (Pty) Ltd On 13 February 2014, Ministerial consent was granted in terms of section 11 of the MPRDA, ceding the remainder of the Itereleng Bakgatla Minerals Resources (Pty) Ltd (IBMR) Mining Right (Sedibelo Platinum Mine), to Pilanesberg Platinum Mines (Pty) Ltd (PPM) PPM.

CONTACT PERSON: Dean Riley POSTAL ADDRESS: Private Bag X11

Highveld 0067

TELEPHONE NO: 012-661 4280 FAX NO: 012-661 4139 E-MAIL ADDRESS: [email protected]

Regional and Local Setting

The regional and local setting of the mine and project is outlined below and illustrated in Figure 1 and

Figure 2 respectively.

TABLE 7: INFORMATION REGARDING REGIONAL AND LOCAL SETTING ASPECT DETAIL Province North West Local authority Moses Kotane Local Municipality (MKLM) and Bojanala Platinum District Municipality

(BPDM) Traditional Authority Bakgatla-Ba-Kgafela (BBK) Traditional Authority

Farms on which project will take place

Wilgespruit 2 JQ, Rooderand 46 JQ, Legkraal 45 JQ, Koedoesfontein 42 JQ

Nearest towns Saulspoort - 15 km south-east Mogwase - 31 km south-east Rustenburg - 65 km south-south-east

Water catchment and management area

The study area falls within the A2 sub-drainage region of the Crocodile River, a major tributary of the Limpopo River.



Page xi

ASPECT DETAIL Land uses A dangerous game corridor proposed by the North West Parks and Tourism Board

(NWPTB) as part of the Heritage Park Corridor runs through the approved mine site. Further details are provided in Section 1.3.1.

Project co-ordinates The central point of the operation is located at coordinates -25.090585° latitude and 27.040672° longitude

Project motivation (need and desirability)

The layout of surface infrastructure is being changed to optimise the extraction of available mineral

resources. The expansion of the mine and other infrastructure will benefit society and the surrounding

communities, both directly and indirectly, by extending the life of mine, generating additional employment

and extracting additional resources. Direct economic benefits will be derived from wages, taxes and

profits. Indirect economic benefits will be derived from the procurement of goods and services and the

spending power of employees.



Page i

SECTION 1: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT



Page 1-2

1. DESCRIPTION OF THE BASELINE ENVIRONMENT

This section provides a description of the pre-Sedibelo baseline conditions of the project site and

surrounding areas and should be read in context of the approved mine as well site work which has

commenced as part of the construction of the approved mine. A detailed description of the project is

included in Section 2. Each discussion of the baseline environment/conditions provides a link to

anticipated impacts and highlights the relevance of the information provided, identifies how data was

collected (either by the specialist and/or SLR) to inform the baseline description, provides the

results/outcomes of research and/or studies undertaken and concludes with the main findings as relevant

to the impact assessment and management plan.

The environmental aspects which are discussed below are as follows:

• baseline description of bio-physical environment (Section 1.1)

• baseline description of land uses, socio-economic conditions, heritage and cultural aspects

(Section 1.3).

Key environmental aspects requiring protection or remediation are listed in Section 1.2. Maps showing

environmental features on and off site are included in Section 1.4 and cross-referenced in the relevant

baseline descriptions. A list of supporting specialist information used in the baseline description is

included in Section 1.5. Assumptions and uncertainties identified by the specialist studies are outlined in

Section 11.

For the purposes of this report the project site refers to Sedibelo’s amended mining rights area. The

study area refers to an area larger than this and is specific to each environmental aspect.

1.1 ON-SITE ENVIRONMENT RELATIVE TO SURROUNDING AREA

1.1.1 GEOLOGY BASELINE

Information sources

Information in this section was sourced from the following reports:

• the preliminary geohydrological study conducted for Richtrau by AGES in 2011 (AGES, 2011) for

the Magazynskraal and Sedibelo East project;

• groundwater study conducted by AGES in 2012/13 (AGES, 2013), included in Appendix H;

• prefeasibility study undertaken for the Sedibelo Operations (Barrick, 2008),

• 2007 EIA/EMP report (KP, 2007); and

• mine residue disposal design report for the Sedibelo operation (Epoch, 2012) included in

Appendix P.



Page 1-3

Data collection

Regional geological data collection was done through review of available studies and topographical

maps. Geological surveys were conducted to determine the study area geology.

Acid Base Accounting (ABA) and leachate analysis was done on pit and waste rock samples from the

neighbouring PPM operations.

Introduction and link to anticipated impacts

The geology of a particular area will determine the following factors:

• the presence of mineral resources and the potential for sterilisation of mineral reserves;

• the type of soils present since the soils can be derived from the parent rock material;

• the presence and quality of groundwater and the movement of the groundwater in the rock strata;

• the presence of paleontological resources in the rock strata; and

• the potential for acid generation.

All of the above aspects are considered in the relevant sections below.

Results

Regional geology

Sedibelo is situated in the Bushveld Igneous Complex. Centred on the Limpopo Province and extending

into the Provinces of Mpumalanga, North West and Gauteng in South Africa, the Bushveld Igneous

Complex (BIC) is the largest layered mafic igneous complex on earth, with an exposed surface area of

some 67 000km2. The Bushveld Igneous complex is an intrusive igneous body, extending about 400 km

from east to west and about 350km from north to south.

The BIC consists of crystalline material such as norites and pyroxenites and comprises an unweathered

and intact rock matrix with negligible matrix porosity and permeability, and planes of discontinuity in the

rock matrix, including both faults and joint plant (collectively referred to as fractures). It is one of three

layered igneous complexes in the world where platinum group elements (PGE) are currently mined as a

primary product, the others being the Great Dyke in Zimbabwe and the Stillwater Complex in Montana,

USA.

The BIC is primarily subdivided into the more or less coeval Rustenburg Layered Suite (RLS) and

Lebowa Granite Suite (LGS), which consist of ultramafic to mafic layered rocks and granitoids,

respectively. The RLS is exposed in a series of lobes, namely the Western, Far Western, Eastern,

Northern and Southern (Bethal) lobes.



Page 1-4

The RLS reaches a maximum thickness in the order of 9 km in the north-eastern part of the Complex,

and is stratigraphically subdivided from the base upwards into the following zones:

• Marginal Zone - consists of contaminated norites, and is up to tens of metres thick, where

developed;

• Lower Zone – consists of ultramafic lithologies and has a maximum thickness of approximately

1.7km;

• Lower Critical Zone - consists of ultramafic lithologies and is chromitite-bearing; the Lower

Critical Zone hosts large chromium reserves in the LG and MG series of chromitite layers;

• Upper Critical Zone - consists of alternating norite, pyroxenite, anorthosite and chromitite layers,

and has a thickness of up to 600m. This zone is host to the two principal PGE-bearing layers,

namely the UG2 chromitite and the Merensky Reef. The Merensky Reef lies near the top of the

Critical Zone, close to the contact with the overlying Main Zone. The UG2 is situated in the

footwall of the Merensky Reef, the vertical separation of the two reefs varying from 20 to 400m

from one part of the BIC to another. In the north-western part of the Complex, the PGE-bearing

Pseudo Reef package occurs between the UG2 and Merensky Reefs;

• Main Zone – consists of noritic to gabbronoritic lithologies up to 2800m thick; and

• Upper Zone - consists of ferrogabbronoritic to ferrodioritic lithologies and is up to 2000m thick. It

contains of the order of 21 magnetite layers, the lowermost of which host the world’s largest

vanadium reserves.

Local geology

Sedibelo is located in the Western Limb of the BIC, where the layers dip at approximately 10 - 20° into

the basin. The Western Limb of the Bushveld Complex is subdivided into two sectors separated by the

younger Pilanesberg alkaline intrusive complex: the northern ‘Swartklip’ sector where the Sedibelo

project is located and the southern ‘Rustenburg’ sector. The location of the Swartklip sector is shown in

Figure 4. A conceptual illustration of the geological structure is shown in Figure 5.

In the Swartklip sector, the Upper Critical Zone stratigraphy between the UG2 and Merensky Reef is

significantly telescoped, ranging in thickness between 12 and 25m, compared with a thickness of 120m

or more in other parts of the Bushveld. In addition, the interval between the UG2 and the Merensky Reef

contains the PGE bearing Pseudo Reef Package, which is not encountered elsewhere in the Bushveld

Complex.

In broad terms, the study area is underlain from west to east by progressively younger rocks of the RLS.

The lowermost exposed unit is the Upper Critical Zone, near the top of which are the two important

platiniferous layers, the UG2 chromitite layer and the Merensky Reef. The Upper Critical Zone is overlain

by the Main Zone, which sub-outcrops over most of the study area.



Page 1-5

The Critical and Main Zone lithologies are truncated in the north easternmost part of the study area by

ferrogabbronorites of the Upper Zone, which form the so-called Southern Gap area. There are two such

gaps in the Swartklip sector of the Western BIC, which are developed above anticlines in the Transvaal

floor rocks, where no Critical Zone is developed and the Upper Zone is transgressive onto the floor rocks.

With reference to Figure 6 the study area is divided into three principal blocks, the Western, Central and

Eastern Blocks that are typically easterly to south easterly dipping. Due to the faulting, the Central Block

outcrops and the Eastern Block are within 120m of surface. The Western Block outcrops on the

neighbouring Tuschenkomst property and is between 60 and 130m below surface when it enters the

Sedibelo mining rights area.

Description of ore zones

Four reef horizons were identified as mineral resources by the geological team. These reef horizons

occur inside the targeted area consisting of the Merensky Reef, the Upper Pseudo Reef, the Lower

Pseudo Reef and the UG2 Reef. Due to the thickness of the Merensky Reef, it was decided by the

Sedibelo project team that it is not practical to mine this zone selectively for the open pit operation due to

its narrow width. This meant that the Merensky reef will be mined with the bulk waste and will not form

part of the reserve. The mineralised package has been termed the value zone for the Pseudo reefs as

mineralisation is not restricted to a specific lithological unit.

Upper Pseudo Value Zone (UPVZ)

The Upper Pseudo Reef is generally well mineralized but is far more complex than the UG2 as it is a

composite mineralization that owes its existence to more than one mineralizing event. The UPVZ is the

top contact of the Pseudo Reef Package and has an average thickness of 1.20m in the open pit area.

Lower Pseudo Value Zone (LPVZ)

The Lower Pseudo Reef (LPR) is an orthopyroxenite with a chromite stringer at its top contacts. The

LPVZ is the bottom contact of the Pseudo Reef Package and has an average thickness of 1.30m in the

open pit area. It is separated from the UPVZ by a formation called the Tarentaal zone. This lithology has

an average thickness of 5.4 m in the open pit area. Although this zone does have mineralization, it was

not included into the economic mining zone due to the low grade and beneficiation ability of the reef.

UG2 Value Zone (UG2VZ)

The UG2 is a geologically more consistent reef than either the Merensky Reef or the Pseudo Reefs. It is

separated from the Pseudo Reef package by approximately 8.8 m of orthopyroxenite. It has an average

reef width of 1.42m. The reefs to be targeted are the UG2 reef and Upper Pseudo Value Zone (UPVZ) or

Pseudo reef.



Page 1-6

Lineaments

Geographical features identified within and surrounding the project site are described below.

The most prominent structural trends in the greater area are north-south and northwest-southeast with a

few east-west trends. The northwest-southeast trend corresponds to the orientation of a major dyke

swarm. These dykes are collectively termed Pilanesberg dykes, but vary in composition from syenitic to

doleritic. Refer to Figure 6 for the position of dykes and faults within the study area.

The easterly to south easterly dipping faults that divide the study area into three blocks, indicated in

Figure 6, have a vertical displacement of 300 to 500m.

A northwest-southeast trending graben separates the Sedibelo Central and Eastern blocks. This Graben

Domain (also known as the ‘Boat’ area) is possibly one of the oldest structural features on the property.

Within this domain 2D seismics have indicated synthetic faults, parallel to the margins of the graben. The

faults between the Central and Eastern Blocks dissipate towards the south.

Geochemical analysis- Tailings material

In the Magazynskraal / Sedibelo East: Geohydrological Preliminary Feasibility Study conducted by AGES

(AGES, 2011), two PPM samples of the UG2 and Merensky Reef, which were collected by mine

personnel, were sent to an accredited laboratory for ABA and leach tests in order to evaluate the effect of

mining on the potential of the minerals and rocks to produce acidic products. These samples were sent

to an accredited laboratory for mineralogical, whole-rock chemical, acid base accounting (ABA) and

toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) analysis.

These samples were of the ore, thus presenting a conservative approach and also representing material

that will end up on the tailings storage facility after the minerals are extracted.

Acid Production Potential

Acid-base accounting (ABA) is a method of determining the acid production potential of an ore body to be

mined or of mine waste to be generated. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA)

has published a method of determining whether mine waste will produce acid. In this document they state

that a net-neutralisation potential of less than 20, a neutralisation potential ratio of less than 1 and a

negative neutralisation potential all indicate that a sample could be acid producing. A positive

neutralisation potential indicates that the gangue minerals may be able to neutralise any formed acid.

The acid-base accounting results for the two samples are reflected in Table 8.



Page 1-7

TABLE 8: ACID-BASE ACCOUNTING (ABA) RESULTS

ACID BASED ACCOUNTING SAMPLE IDENTIFICATION

PPM UG2 PPM MERENSKY Sample Number 4523 4524 Paste pH 8.30 7.90 Total Sulphur (9%) LECO <0.01 <0.07 Acid potential (AP) (kg/t) 0.31 2.07 Neutralising Potential (NP) 10.21 15.12 Net Neutralising Potential (NNP) 9.90 13.04 Net Neutralising potential Ration (NP:AP) 32.66 7.29 Rock type III III

Taking the above mentioned standards of evaluating ABA tests into account, the following conclusions

regarding the two samples can be made. Both samples show a potential to produce acid with both

having a Net Neutralization Potential (NNP) that fits the US EPA criteria. The positive value of the NNP

however indicates that the gangue minerals also present in the samples are of such a nature and

concentration that they will neutralize any acid that is produced. This gives the samples a rock type

Classification of type III. A Type III rock is a non-acid forming rock with a total sulphur percentage of less

than 0.25%. In addition, the additional buffering capacity of the regional surface and groundwater will

also lend to the neutralisation of any acid produced from oxidising sulphides.

Leach tests

Samples of the same material that was used in the ABA testing were sent to an accredited laboratory for

leach testing.

The leach testing indicated that sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron and manganese are the

only chemical constituents that leach in noticeable quantities. Aluminium, chromium, zinc and nickel

occur in the leachate in smaller concentrations at pH of 5.5. Of the leachable elements, chromium, iron,

manganese and nickel occur in concentrations which are potentially toxic at pH of 5.5. However, the

geochemistry of the mine waste facilities and natural environment may hinder the mobility of at least

some of these constituents.

Sodium, calcium and potassium are the ions that leach most. This can be expected due to the high

concentrations of these elements in the area’s lithological and soil make-up. The leachability of

chromium out of the sample is insignificant. This is mirrored in the regions groundwater and surface

water sample chemistry. An added issue that is observed with operational tailings facilities in the greater

region is the potential for salt emissions (eg. sulphates and chlorides).

Fluoride has been shown in monitoring results to be elevated. This is due to the naturally high fluoride

values in groundwater and surface water surrounding the Pilanesberg alkaline complex. The rocks of this

complex contain naturally elevated concentrations of fluoride. The leach test results have shown that no



Page 1-8

fluoride leaches from the ore samples tested. Therefore elevated concentrations of fluoride measured in

groundwater and surface water are not caused by mining activities.

Concentrations of metals are buffered by secondary mineral precipitation. A range of Ni minerals are

shown to precipitate from solution. Although this is possible, it may be that some may not precipitate,

thereby causing higher Ni concentrations in solution.

Geochemical analysis of waste rock

Information in this section is sourced from the mine residue disposal design report (Epoch, 2012)

included in Appendix P.

The characterisation of waste rock is based on the specialists’ experience and observations of the waste

rock dumps at the neighbouring PPM operations, as well as on previous work done on the

characterisation of waste rock geochemistry for PPM. As the reef that would be mined by Sedibelo is

part of the same ore body that was tested and observed at PPM, the results can be extrapolated and

applied to this mine. In addition, recent studies have been conducted by SLR for similar projects that are

also located in the Western Limb of the BIC. As the geology is the same, the results of these studies can

be applied to the waste rock resulting from the Sedibelo mine.

Acid Based Accounting (ABA) and Sulphur Speciation

The results from the test work indicated that the waste rock materials have a low to medium acid

generating potential. Based on the review of the sulphur species concentrations, carbonate values and

the acid and neutralising potentials, the samples are classified as having a medium neutralising potential.

It is considered unlikely that acid generation will occur at sulphide concentrations lower than 0.3%.

Similar analysis for other projects on the western limb of the BIC also concluded that there is a low risk of

acid generation.

Synthetic Precipitation Leaching Procedure (SPLP)

Manganese, copper and nickel are only readily leachable and mobile under acidic conditions and,

although they can exceed World Health Organisation (WHO) drinking water limits, still fall within the

SANS 241 Class II drinking water limits. In some instances, waste rock can be contaminated with blast

residues and if this occurs nitrate can be an issue.

Conclusion

Where infrastructure is placed within close proximity to mineable ore there is the possibility that

sterilisation can occur. Sedibelo’s planning team has taken this into account with the current planning

and placement of the infrastructure presented in this EIA and EMP report.



Page 1-9

The geochemical tests and analysis which were conducted indicate a low risk of acid generation from the

waste rock and tailings material. There is however the potential for waste rock and tailings seepage

concentrations to exceed the drinking water guideline limits for various parameters. This presents a

potential pollution risk for both surface and groundwater in the both the short and long term and requires

that short and long term pollution prevention and/or treatment measures must be considered.

1.1.2 CLIMATE BASELINE

Information sources

Information in this section was sourced from the Air Quality Impact Study (Airshed, 2012) included in

Appendix I, the Stormwater Management Plan (SLR, 2013) included in Appendix G as well as the

approved 2007 EIA/EMP report (KP, 2007).

Data collection

Rainfall and evaporation data

Rainfall for the site was considered from various sources including weather stations managed by both the

South African Weather Services (SAWS) and the Department of Water Affairs (DWS). The locations of

these weather stations are illustrated in Figure 7. The rainfall station selected to be representative of the

site is DWS station A2E021 (Zwartklip) located approximately 25km north east at Zwartklip with a rainfall

record length of 15 years. For consistency the evaporation for the site was sourced from the same

station.

Mean Annual Precipitation (MAP) and Intensity Depth Frequency (IDF) rainfall

This data was sourced from the Water Resources (2005) dataset and is based on an interpolated

approach using observed rainfall data records. Design storm estimates for various return periods and

storm durations were sourced from the Design Rainfall Estimation Software for South Africa, developed

by the University of Natal in 2002. This method uses a Regional L-Moment Algorithm in conjunction with

a Scale Invariance approach to provide site specific estimates of intensity-depth-frequency (IDF) rainfall,

based on surrounding observed records. IDF rainfall estimates were derived from the Smithers and

Schulze method based on data taken from the six nearest rain stations which have similar mean annual

precipitations and altitudes.

Temperature and wind

In the absence of measured surface meteorological data, reference is made to MM5 (fifth generation

meso scale model) data obtained for an on-site location for the period January 2008 to December 2010.

Atmospheric stability

Diurnal variation in atmospheric stability was calculated from MM5 meteorological data for a location

onsite.



Page 1-10

Introduction and link to anticipated impact

As a whole, the various aspects of the regional climate that are discussed influence the potential for

environmental impacts and related mine/infrastructure design. Specific issues include the following:

• rainfall could influence erosion, evaporation, vegetation growth, rehabilitation planning, dust

suppression, and surface water management planning;

• temperature could influence air dispersion through impacts on atmospheric stability and mixing

layers, vegetation growth, and evaporation which could influence rehabilitation planning; and

• wind could influence erosion, the dispersion of potential atmospheric pollutants, and rehabilitation

planning.

Meteorological mechanisms govern the dispersion, transformation, and eventual removal of pollutants

from the atmosphere. The analysis of hourly average meteorological data is necessary to facilitate a

comprehensive understanding of the ventilation potential of the site. The horizontal dispersion of

pollution is largely a function of the wind field. The wind speed determines both the distance of

downward transport and the rate of dilution of pollutants. The generation of mechanical turbulence is

similarly a function of the wind speed, in combination with the surface roughness.

To understand the basis of these potential aspects, a baseline situational analysis is described below.

Results

Regional climate

The Sedibelo project site falls within the Highveld Climatic Zone. Of the mean annual precipitation, 85%

falls during summer thunderstorms. The thunderstorms generally occur every 3 to 4 days in summer and

are of short duration and high intensity. Temperatures in this climatic zone are generally mild, but low

minima can be experienced in winter due to clear night skies. Frost characteristically occurs in the winter

months. Generally winds are light, but south-westerly winds associated with thunderstorms are typically

strong and gusty (SLR, 2013).

Rainfall and evaporation

Table 9 presents a summary of the monthly rainfall and evaporation at Station A2E021. Evaporation

figures recorded for the area are high. The average annual evaporation is approximately 1 329mm. The

highest evaporation occurs in December (more than 160mm) and the lowest evaporation in June (less

than 60mm).



Page 1-11

TABLE 9: MONTHLY RAINFALL AND EVAPORATION DISTRIBUTION (STATION A2E021) MONTH RAINFALL (mm) LAKE EVAPORATION (mm)

Jan 151 150 Feb 62 125 Mar 78 114 Apr 39 85 May 6 70 Jun 3 55 Jul 1 61 Aug 4 82 Sep 16 115 Oct 51 150 Nov 67 158 Dec 82 163

Total 559 1329

Mean Annual Precipitation

Figure 7 illustrates the MAP distribution for the site and surrounding areas ranging from 550mm at the

lower altitudes to 700mm in the upper altitudes (Pilanesberg).

Intensity-Depth- Frequency (IDF) Rainfall

A summary of the input stations used to determine the IDF rainfall is presented in Table 10. The

locations of these stations are illustrated in Figure 7.

TABLE 10: SUMMARY OF WEATHER STATIONS USED FOR GENERATING RAINFALL IDF (SLR, 2013)

STATION NAME SAWS NUMBER

DISTANCE FROM SITE

(km)

RECORD LENGTH (years)

MEAN ANNUAL PRECIPITATION

(mm)

ALTITUDE (mamsl)

PILANESBERG-POL 0548165_W 17.0 79 623 1280 SAULSPOORT 0548280_W 17.1 38 611 1095

MAHOBIESKRAAL 0547831_W 25.8 32 630 1158 DRIELAAGTE 0548483_W 29.7 39 572 1050

NORTHAM 0587477_W 30.0 31 587 1007 SYFERFONTEIN 0547526_W 31.0 41 641 1228

The estimated intensity, duration and frequency of rainfall for the site are presented in Table 11. For

comparison purposes, rainfall depth estimates for the site using the Hydrological Research Unit (HRU)

methodology have also been undertaken for the 24 hour duration event of various return periods (as

presented in the last line of Table 11).



Page 1-12

TABLE 11: INTESITY-DURATION-FREQUENCY (IDF) ESTIMATES FOR SITE (SLR, 2013) DURATION (HOURS)

RAINFALL DEPTH (mm) 1:2YR 1:5YR 1:10YR 1:20YR 1:50YR 1:100YR 1:200YR

0.08 9.8 13.6 16.1 18.6 21.9 24.5 27.1 0.167 14.6 20.1 23.9 27.6 32.6 36.4 40.3 0.25 18.4 25.4 30.2 34.9 41.1 45.9 50.8 0.5 23.3 32.2 38.2 44.1 52.1 58.2 64.4

0.75 26.8 36.9 43.9 50.7 59.8 66.8 73.9 1 29.5 40.7 48.4 55.9 65.9 73.6 81.5

1.5 33.9 46.8 55.5 64.2 75.7 84.5 93.5 2 37.4 51.6 61.3 70.8 83.5 93.2 103.2 4 44.1 60.8 72.2 83.5 98.4 110 121.7 6 48.6 67 79.5 91.9 108.4 121.1 134 8 52 71.7 85.2 98.4 116.1 129.7 143.5 10 54.8 75.6 89.8 103.8 122.4 136.7 151.3 12 57.3 79 93.8 108.4 127.8 142.8 158 16 61.3 84.5 100.4 116 136.9 152.9 169.2 20 64.7 89.2 105.9 122.4 144.3 161.2 178.4 24 67.5 93.1 110.6 127.8 150.7 168.4 186.3

24hr HRU 48 64 78 96 127 156 192

Temperature

Monthly mean and hourly maximum and minimum temperatures are given in Table 12. Temperatures

ranged between 0.4 °C and 34.1 °C. The highest temperatures occurred in December and the lowest in

June and July. During the day, temperatures increase to reach maximum at around 14:00 in the

afternoon. Ambient air temperatures decreases to reach a minimum at around 06:00 i.e. just before

sunrise. TABLE 12: AVERAGE MONTHLY AND HOURLY MININUM AND MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES RECORDED IN THE REGION (MM5 DATA)

AVERAGE TEMPERATURES JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

Minimum 16.4 15.1 12.6 6.0 5.0 0.4 0.9 3.1 6.4 11.1 13.1 15.4 Maximum 32.8 33.6 32.4 28.0 24.8 22.4 21.1 26.0 30.3 32.5 32.6 34.1 Average 24.7 24.1 22.6 18.9 16.0 12.4 10.9 14.9 19.4 22.0 23.9 24.9

Wind data and dispersion potential

The period wind field and diurnal variability in the wind field and the seasonal variances are indicated in

Figure 8. The wind field was dominated by winds from the north, north-east and east. The strongest

winds (>6 m/s) were also from the east. Calm conditions occurred 12.6% of the time during the 2008 to

2010 period.



Page 1-13

There was a shift in the wind field from predominantly northerly, north-easterly and easterly winds during

daytime to more frequent winds from the south-east at night. Wind speeds decreased significantly during

the night with calm conditions also decreasing from 15.2% during the day to 10.1% during the night.

Strong winds in excess of 6 m/s occurred most frequently during winter months. Calm conditions

occurred most frequently during autumn months.

Atmospheric stability

Stable conditions are mostly associated with winds from the east and south-east. Unstable conditions

occur most frequently when the wind blows from the west. Neutral conditions are mostly associated with

winds from the south-south east and south.

Conclusion

The study area is characterised by rainy seasons with heavy thunderstorms that last for short periods at a

time. High evaporation rates reduce infiltration rates, where the high rainfall events can increase the

erosion potential and the formation of erosion gullies. The presence of vegetation does however allow for

surface infiltration thereby reducing the effects of erosion. With the removal of vegetation as part of site

clearing activities, the effects of erosion can increase.

The mixing of layers resulting in the formation of temperature inversions, and the presence of cloud cover

limits the dispersion of pollutants into the atmosphere. Calculations based on available meteorological

data indicate stable, neutral and unstable conditions occur 45%, 10% and 45% of the time respectively.

Wind speeds of 5m/s and more do occur particularly in the winter months. It is the higher wind speeds

that result in dust particle mobilisation. These climatic aspects need to be taken into consideration for

dust control, surface water management planning, and rehabilitation planning.

1.1.3 TOPOGRAPHY BASELINE

Information sources

Information for the topography section was sourced from the surface water specialist study (SLR, 2012)

included in Appendix G and landscape characterisation of the visual specialist study (NLA, 2012)

included in Appendix K.

Data Collection

The main source of data collection was site visits, review of topographical maps and a review of the

project layout in relation thereto.



Page 1-14


Changes to topography through the development of infrastructure may impact on surface water drainage

(Section 1.1.7), visual aspects (Section 1.1.11) and the safety of both people and animals. To

understand the basis of these potential impacts, a baseline situational analysis is described below.

Results

The project site is relatively flat, at an average elevation of 1080 metres above mean sea level (mamsl),

with various non-perennial drainage lines crossing the site. The topographic relief can be described as

relatively gently sloping towards the north-east, while the topographic elevation varies between

1100mamsl in the south west of the project site to 1040mamsl in the north east. To the south of the

project site is the Pilanesberg Mountain Range and the associated hills that vary between 1 330 and

1 534mamsl. Isolated koppies are located approximately 8km to the west of the project site and vary

between 1 211 and 1 266mamsl.

Conclusion

Mining activities and surface infrastructure have the potential to alter the topography. An alteration of the

natural topography has the potential to present dangers to both animals and people and to alter natural

systems such as water flow. The design of surface infrastructure should be such that any changes to

topography result in stable topographic features which do not pose significant risk to third parties limit

impacts on the visual character of the area and allow for effective surface water management.

1.1.4 SOIL BASELINE

Information sources

Information in this section was sourced from the baseline soil studies conducted by Earth Science

Solutions in 2007 (ESS, 2007) in support of the approved EIA/EMP (KP, 2007) and in 2012 (ESS, 2012)

for the project changes. The July 2012 report is included in Appendix E.

Data Collection

Data was obtained through the review of existing geological information, previous studies conducted in

the area and land type mapping.

Field surveys were undertaken during 2006 – 2007 (Wilgespruit 2 JQ) and additional surveys during June

and August 2011 (Wilgespruit 45JQ and a portion of Koedoesfontein 42 JQ as well as portions of

Rooderand 16 JQ) in order to map and classify the soils present. Standard mapping procedures and field

equipment were used throughout the surveys. Further detail on the methodologies used is provided in

the specialist report.



Page 1-15

The identification and classification of soil profiles were carried out using the Taxonomic Soil

Classification System. Initially, geological maps at a scale of 1:250,000 and topocadastral maps at a

scale of 1:50,000 were used to provide an overview of the area, while a combination of black and white

and colour imagery at a scale of 1:10,000 was used as the base map for the soil survey.

Relevant information relating to the climate, geology, wet soils and terrain morphology were also

considered, and used in the classification of the soils of the area, while the variation in the natural

vegetation was also used to help in the more accurate placing of the changes in soil form.

A suite of representative samples from the differing soil forms/types were taken during the 2007 field

survey and sent for analyses for both chemical and physical parameters. Analysis was undertaken by an

accredited laboratory (ARC – Agricultural Research Council).



which most vegetation grows and a range of vertebrates and invertebrates exist. In the context of mining

operations, soil is even more significant if one considers that mining is a temporary land use where-after


closure land uses.

The concentrations of natural salts and stores of nutrients within soils are a sensitive balance due to the

extremes of rainfall, wind and temperature. The ability of a soil to retain moisture and nutrients and in

turn influence the sustainability of vegetative growth and dependence of animal life is determined by the

consistency and degree of soil moisture retention within the profile but out of the influence of evaporation.

These conditions and the sensitivity of these variables must be noted and their importance to the overall

bio-diversity balance understood if the sustainability equation is to be managed and mitigated.

Mining projects have the potential to damage the soil resource through physical loss of soil and/or the

contamination of soils, thereby impacting on the soils ability to sustain natural vegetation and altering

land capability. Contamination of soils may in turn contribute to the contamination of surface and

groundwater resources. Loss of the topsoil resource reduces chances of successful rehabilitation and

restoration. To understand the basis of these potential impacts, a baseline situational analysis is

described below.

Results

Soil forms

The major soil types encountered comprise orthic phase Hutton, Shortlands and Valsrivier soil forms,

along with the more heavily structured forms, including the Swartland, Sterkspruit, Inhoek, and Arcadia,



Page 1-16

shallow Milkwood and Mayo and the wet based Bainsvlei, Avalon, Sepane, Kroonstad, Katspruit,

Rensburg and Bonheim Forms. A soils map is included in Figure 9.

Soils identified in the study area range from moderate to good quality arable soils on the more friable and

sandy clay loams (Hutton, Shortlands and some of the Valsrivier forms) to poor and very poor quality

arable soils with extremely low economic potential on the structured and wet based soils. The majority of

the site is underlain by shallow structured soils, or highly structured poor quality soils that show signs of

wetness and which will require high levels of management if they are going to be impacted by the mine

and its operations.

A description of each of the major soil forms mapped is provided below, detailing the overall physical and

chemical characteristics of each form, along with a general discussion on the various soil types and the

implications of these factors on the usability of the materials. The descriptions should be read in

conjunction with the map in Figure 9 and analytical results outlined in Table 13.

Hutton (Hu)

The Hutton form soils mapped comprise dominantly fine grained sandy, to silty loams or fine to medium

grained sandy clay loams, with an apedel to weak crumby structure. These soils generally returned pale

to dark red brown to yellow red colours in the topsoils and fine to medium grained sandy clay and clay

loams, with orange reds and dark red brown colours in the sub soil horizons. The relatively high

magnesium and iron content of the parent rocks from which these soils are derived, impart the strong red

colours noted. Clay contents generally vary from as low as 10% to 15% in the sandy topsoils, with

subsoil textures containing18% to 40%, even as high as 65% clay depending on the position that they

occupy in the topographic sequence and the host geology from which they are derived; In the

topographically lower lying areas, the high clay contents are associated with the colluvial-derived

material, generally associated with the outwash areas within the flood plain environments.

In almost all cases mapped, the soils classify as having a mesotrophic leaching status (moderately

leached) and are generally luvic in character. These soil forms are lithologically controlled, and occur as

in-situ derivatives of the more acid phase of the volcanic pile. Effective rooting depths vary from 200mm

to greater than 1000mm.

Chemically, these soils are of the more productive soil forms in the area, the dominant nutrients returning

moderate to good reserves of calcium and magnesium, with lower than required reserves of sodium,

phosphorous and zinc for most economical agricultural activities. Additions of fertilizers are required if

economically sustainable farming is to be undertaken on a long-term basis.



Page 1-17

Shortlands (Sd) and Valsrivier (Va)

The Valsrivier and Shortlands forms mapped are generally dark red to dark brown/black and returned

moderate crumbly to weak blocky structure. These soils are generally found associated with the Hutton

form, and returned similar chemistry. Their land capability, irrigation potential and general workability are

of a lower order than the Hutton forms and although agriculturally these soils are cultivated they require a

greater degree of management to obtain good economic results. Salinity and water retention (liberation)

are problems that will be encountered in the management of these soils.

Chemically, these soil forms are similar, returning moderate to good levels of most nutrients (calcium,

magnesium and potassium), the Valsrivier returning higher levels of sodium, resulting in a greater

potential for salinity/sodicity problems.

Structurally these soils classify as having as moderate crumby to strong blocky structure, have

moderately low intake rates, high water holding capabilities, and in places returned evidence of

expansive clays. The large range in effective rooting depths is noted (200 - 1200 mm) as a management

feature, both from a workability issue in the stripping and storage of the soils during the mining operation,

as well as in the quantitative problems of replacing the soils at closure and/or during rehabilitation.

These soils will be more difficult to work due to their high clay content and erosive nature, and they are

generally more widely distributed than the Hutton’s mapped. These soils are generally associated with

the more basic derived parent materials. Better than average management of both erosion as well as

compaction will be needed to retain the usability of these soils during the rehabilitation process.

Mispah (Ms), Mayo (My) and Milkwood (Mk)

The Mispah, Milkwood and Mayo soil forms were characterised by effective rooting depths of between

100 mm and 500 mm. Refer to the photo plate provided below for a visual indication. The major

constraints associated with these soils will be tillage, sub-surface hindrance and erosion. The restrictive

layer associated with these soils is a hard lithocutanic layer in the form of weathered parent material, or

rock. The effective soil depth is restricted resulting in reduced soil volumes, and as a result a restricted

ability for water holding capacity and a low nutrient availability.

Physical characteristics of these soils include moderate to high clay percentages (Ms, 20 % to 32 % and

Mk and My 25 % to 45 %), moderate to low internal drainage and low water holding capabilities. These

are of the poorer land capability units mapped.

Sterkspruit (Ss) Swartland (Sw)

The Sterkspruit and Swartland forms mapped are generally grey to dark brown or black in colour and

blocky to prismatic in structure. These soils are generally found associated with the more basic derived

geological host material. Although the Swartland form is less intensely structured their land capability,



Page 1-18

irrigation potential and general workability are of a lower order than the Valsrivier Forms and although

agriculturally these soils have been cultivated on this site, they require a high degree of management

input in order to obtain good economic results.

Chemically, both soil Forms are similar, returning moderate to high reserves of calcium and magnesium,

but low levels of most other nutrients, the Swartland returning higher levels across the spectrum. The

general low levels of sodium and phosphorous and zinc will result in poor cropping in the absence of

fertilization, while the relatively high values of potassium will result in a moderate to high potential for

salinity/sodicity problems, if surface and groundwater management is not maintained.

Structurally these soils classify as moderate blocky (pedocutanic) to prismatic or prismacutanic, have low

intake rates, moderate water holding capabilities, and in most places returned evidence of expansive

clays, with a moderately large range in affective rooting depths noted (200 – 600 mm).

These soils will be more difficult to work, and they are generally more widely distributed than the less

structured and friable sandy loams and sandy clay loams. The expansive nature of the clays (2:1

swelling) will make for difficult stripping and storage of these soils, resulting in the formation of strong

blocky structure and compaction problems if not well managed and controlled.

Inhoek (Ik)

The Inhoek Form mapped is restricted to the flood plain areas and is not prominent in the area of

concern. However, the alluvial/colluvial materials from which these soils are derived are generally of

moderate agricultural potential. Their position in the topography is debatable as to the utilization potential

of these soils (periodic inundation by flooding) and the association with a wet environment renders these

soils difficult to manage and rehabilitate.

These soils are generally found associated with and down slope of the dry soils, in the transition zone

between the dryland and wet zones.

Chemically, these soils are moderate to highly leached, returning significantly lower amounts of

Phosphourus, while reserves of potassium, nitrogen and zinc are moderate to good.

These soils are high in clay and silt, and have a melanic topsoil on stratified alluvium or a neocutanic “B”

horizon. The calcareous nature of the subsoils is significant, and diagnostic of the Inhoek (Drydale) soil

Form. The intake rates are generally moderate to good; they are moderately well drained and have a

moderate to high water holding capability. These soils are moderately easily tilled/worked and have a

moderate to low erosion index.



Page 1-19

Depths of utilisable agricultural soil vary from 400 to 600 mm. In general, these soils are high in

transported clay in the lower “B” horizon with dark brown to black melanic topsoils.

Compaction is a problem to contend with if these soils are to be worked during the wet months of the

year. Stockpiling of these soils should be done separately from the dry soils and greater care is needed

with the management of erosion problems during storage. Any strong structure that develops during the

stockpiling stage will need to be dealt with prior to the use of this material for rehabilitation.

Arcadia (Ar)

The Arcadia soil form is by definition a highly structured soil on an unspecified base. It exhibits extremely

strong structure from surface down to the diagnostic depth(s). The topsoil (to a depth of 150 mm) needs

to be stockpiled separately from the lower (450 mm) subsoils.

In general, these soils are high in transported clay topsoil and subsoil layers (40-65%). The nutrient

status is generally low, and these soils will be more difficult to work due to the strong vertic structure both

during the construction operations, as well as on rehabilitation. These soils, in their in situ status are

generally poorly leached soils; however they are of an alluvial origin (river derived soils) and therefore

have the potential to be highly leached;

Compaction is a problem to contend with if these soils are to be worked during the wet months of the

year. They have an effective rooting depth of approximately 200-400mm.

Sepane (Se)

The Sepane Forms mapped fall within the “hydromorphic” category of soils as classified. These soils are

generally found associated with and down slope of the dry soils, in the transition zone between the

dryland and wet zones and are moderate to highly structured. These soils are pale in colouring and

exhibit high clay contents.

Chemically, these soils are moderate to highly leached, returning significantly lower amounts of

phosphorous, potassium and zinc with a low nitrogen and sulphur mineralisation capacity and organic

matter content. The leaching of the nutrients from these soils is significant and the pale colours are

evidence of the movement of water within the profile.

By definition, these soils vary in the degrees of wetness at the base of their profile i.e. the soils are

influenced by a rising and falling water table, hence the mottling within the lower portion of the profile and

the pale background colours.

Depths of utilizable agricultural soil (to top of mottled horizon) vary from 200 to 400 mm. The rooting

depths less than 400 mm are classified as being of a wet nature. In general, these soils are high in



Page 1-20

transported clay in the lower “B” horizon with highly leached topsoils and pale denuded horizons at

shallow depths. The nutrient status is generally low.

These soils will be more difficult to work/manage due to their wetness factor and the high clay

percentage, low internal drainage and moderate to high water holding capabilities. Working of these soils

both during the mining operation, as well as on rehabilitation will be difficult. Compaction is a problem to

contend with if these soils are to be worked during the wet months of the year.

Kroonstad (Kd), and Katspruit (Ka)

The Kroonstad and Katspruit soil Forms are found associated exclusively with the wet and vlei areas in

and alongside the rivers and streams. The hydromorphic nature of these soils renders them highly

susceptible to compaction and erosion, and great care should be taken in the planning of any

development if these soils are to be impacted. They classify as wet based soils, and should not be

impacted.

Rensburg (Rg)

The Rensburg and Arcadia soils are characterised by high clay contents, often of a swelling variety that

produce strongly structured and blocky fabric, are generally pale in colour (grey to grey brown), highly

leached, and are, in almost all cases associated with the bottomland areas were accumulations of

transported soils make up the majority of the soil pedogneisses.

The Rensburg Form comprises a vertic “A” horizon on a gleyed G-horizon, with its distinctive greyish-

yellow mottling due to direct influence of the water table. Chemically, these soils returned moderate to

poor levels of most nutrients (aluminium, phosphorous and nitrogen materialisation capacity).

Conversely, the salts (potassium and zinc) return as higher levels, resulting in a greater potential for

salinity and/or sodicity problems (moderate to severe).

Physically, these soils have very high clay contents (> 55 %) with moderate to high moisture holding

capabilities. The intake rates range from moderate to poor with poor drainage characteristics and a high

erosion hazard index. The ERD are between 200mm to 400mm.

Structurally, these soils are difficult to work, and better than average management of both erosion as well

as compaction will be needed to retain the usability of these soils during the rehabilitation process.

Bonheim (Bo)

The Bonheim soil forms are found associated with the more basic derived lithologies found extensively in

this area. The often hydromorphic nature (not noted in study area) and structured texture of these soils

renders them highly sensitive to compaction and erosion.



Page 1-21

Soil chemical characteristics

Sampling of the soils for nutrient status was confined where possible to areas of undisturbed land. These

results are representative indications of the pre-construction conditions and are outlined in Table 13

below.

TABLE 13: ANALYTICAL RESULTS (ESS, 2007)

CONSTITUENTS UNITS SAMPLE NO

SW 122

SW 156

SW 184

SW 201

SW 222

SW 241

SW 256

SW 255

OPTIMUM RANGE

pH pH unit 6.72 4.75 6.4 6.2 6.7 5.25 4.75 6.6 5.2-6.5

Calcium as Ca mg/kg 4651 6450 4990 5201 1560 1827 1061 4131 >200 Magnesium as Mg mg/kg 960 1544 990 1298 1080 448 268 1533 >60 Potassium as K mg/kg 89 132 98 254 456 272 119 350 >40 Sodium as Na mg/kg 15 16 14 40 34 13 137 104 20-80 "S" Value me% 30.9 41.8 30.9 34 18.5 13.6 8.4 34.7 5 - 10 Ca Ratio me% 69 70 69 64 40 67 63 59 55-75 Mg Ratio me% 28 26 25 22 52 27 26 37 18-30 K Ratio me% 1 2 1 3 5 5 4 3 6-10 Na Ratio me% 0.2 0.2 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.4 7 1.3 <2.0 Phosphorus as P mg/kg 6 6 8 5 8 9 0 8 6 2-1 Zinc as Zn mg/kg 0.3 0.45 0.4 1 0.2 5 1.4 1.9 0.5 >0.7 Organic Carbon % 0.31 0.49 0.48 1.1 0.72 0.52 0.39 0.55 1–3 Clay % 48 49 40 45 50 60 38 5 68 15 - 25

In general, the pH ranges from slightly acid (5.00) to neutral soils (7.8) with values as low as 4.75, a base

status ranging from eutrophic (slight leaching status) to mesotrophic (moderate leaching status), and

nutrient levels reflecting generally high levels of calcium, magnesium and sodium, but deficiencies in the

levels of potassium, phosphorous and the metals, with exceptionally low levels of organic carbon matter.

The more structured soils and associated sandy and silty clay loams returned values that are indicative of

the more iron rich materials and more basic lithologies that have contributed to the soils mapped. They

are inherently low in potassium reserves, and returned lower levels of zinc and phosphorous.

The growth potential on soils with these nutrient characteristics are at best moderate, but are generally

poor to very poor.

Soil Acidity

As a rule, the soil pH has a direct influence on plant growth in a number of different ways. These include:

• through the direct effect of the hydrogen ion concentration on nutrient uptake;

• indirectly through the effect on major trace nutrient availability; and

• mobilising of toxic ions such as aluminium and manganese, which restrict plant growth.



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A pH range of between 6 and 7 most readily promotes the availability of plant nutrients. However, pH

values below 3 or above 9, will seriously affect the nutrient uptake by a plant. The majority of the soils

that are planned to be affected by the project are neutral to slightly acidic (6.75 to 4.75).

Soil Salinity or Sodicity

In addition to the acidity/alkalinity of a soil, the salinity is of importance in a soils’ potential to sustain plant

growth. Highly saline soils will result in the reduction of plant growth caused by the diversion of plant

energy from normal physiological processes to those involved in the acquisition of water under highly

stressed conditions.

Salinity levels of <60 mS/m will have no effect on plant growth. From 60 –120 mS/m salt sensitive plants

are affected, and above 120 mS/m growth of all plants is severely affected. In addition, soil salinity may

directly influence the effects of particular ions on soil properties. The sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) is an

indication of the effect of sodium on the soils. At high levels of exchangeable sodium, certain clay

minerals, when saturated with sodium, swell markedly. With the swelling and dispersion of a sodic soil,

pore spaces become blocked and infiltration rates and permeability are greatly reduced. The critical SAR

for poorly drained (grey coloured) soils is 6, for slowly draining (black swelling) clays it is 10, and for well

drained, (red and yellow) soils and recent sands, 15.

Generally, soils mapped in this area show signs of being slightly saline to extremely saline, and may

become susceptible to an increase in salinity if they are not well managed. The Valsrivier and Hutton

forms show only slight tendencies towards salinity, while the Swartland, Sterkspruit and Arcadia forms

show high degrees of salt build-up. The soils associated with the streams and waterways are more

susceptible to salt build-up due to capillary actions through the soil combined with the shallow soil and

groundwater.

Soil Fertility

The soils mapped returned at best moderate levels of some of the essential nutrients required for plant

growth with sufficient stores of calcium and sodium. However, levels of zinc, phosphorous, magnesium,

aluminium, copper and potassium are generally lower than the optimum required.

Significantly large areas of soil, with a lower than acceptable level of plant nutrition, exist within the

project area. These poor conditions for growth were further compounded by the low permeability and

high clay contents of the majority of the soils. The organic carbon for most of the soils is also extremely

low. There is no indication of any toxic elements that are likely to limit natural plant growth in the soils

mapped within the study area.



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Nutrient Storage and Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC)

The potential for a soil to retain and supply nutrients can be assessed by measuring the cation exchange

capacity (CEC) of the soils.

The low organic carbon content and very low clays are detrimental to the exchange mechanisms, as it is

these elements which naturally provide exchange sites that serve as nutrient stores. These conditions

will result in a low retention and supply of nutrients for plant growth.

Low CEC values are an indication of soils lacking organic matter and clay minerals. Typically a soil rich in

humus will have a CEC of 300 me/100g (>30 me/%), while a soil low in organic matter and clay may have

a CEC of 1-5 me/100g (<5 me/%). Generally, the CEC values for the soils mapped in the area are

moderate due to the higher than average clay contents of many of the soils.

Soil Organic Matter

The soils mapped are all extremely low in organic carbon as would be expected for a semi-arid

environment. This factor coupled with the moderate to high clay contents for the majority of the soils

mapped will adversely affect the erosion indices for the soils, with a moderate index prevailing for the

majority of the materials classified, all be it that the flat to undulating topography does temper this

significantly.

Organic matter content of a soil is important in determining the soil erodibility factor (K) and the nitrogen

mineralisation potential. This will be one of the more sensitive issues to be assessed in more detail as

part of the detailed survey. It should be noted for this exercise that the soils mapped are susceptible to

erosion as well as compaction, and great care will need to be exercised on any soils that are to be

disturbed or impacted by the operation.

Soil Physical Characteristics

The majority of the soils mapped exhibit vertic to massive structure with significant areas of apedel to

weak crumby structure, moderate to high clay content and a eutrophic leaching character. Their texture is

commonly single grained sandy to silty clays with a range of effective rooting depths.

The climate and geochemistry of the parent formations in the study area are conducive to the formation

of ferricrete and calcrete formations, with low rainfall (<450mm/yr.), high evaporation (1450mm/yr.) and a

calcium rich source. These layers are considered to be an extremely important feature of the biosphere

and are expected to contribute to the sustainability of the ecological systems.

The gradation of calcrete formation and weathering from calcareous soil (very friable and easily dug with

a spade or shovel), through calcified soil (varying in particle size from sand to gravel – but no

cementation) and powdery calcrete (silt and sand sized calcrete particles – little to no cementation) to



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nodular calcrete (cementation of calcareous grains into nodules), honeycomb calcrete (cemented

nodules) and hard pan calcrete (cemented honeycomb – all voids filled).

Soil distribution

The distribution of soils is closely linked to the parent materials from which they are derived.

Soil erosion and compaction

Erodibility is defined as the vulnerability or susceptibility of a soil to erosion. It is a function of both the

physical characteristics of that soil as well as the treatment of the soil.

The average “Erosion Indices” for the dominant soil forms on the study site are shown in Table 14 below.

The average “Index of Erosion” or “Erosion Indices” for the dominant soil forms on the study site are

classified as having a moderate to high erodibility index in terms of their clay content (very high), organic

carbon (very low) and structure (vertic to massive), which is off set and tempered by the almost flat

terrain to an index of moderate and low.

TABLE 14: ERODIBILITY OF DIFFERENT SOIL TYPES SOIL FORM ERODIBILITY INDEX INDEX OF EROSION (I.O.E.)

Arcadia, Sterkspruit Moderate to high 1.05 - 1.20 Bonheim, Rensburg Moderate to high 1.05 - 1.10 Milkwood, Mayo Moderate to high 0.95 – 1.05 Mispah Moderate 0.85 - 0.95 Swartland and Valsrivier Moderate 0.85 - 0.95 Shortlands and Hutton Low to Moderate 0.15

The wet (Bonheim, Sepane and Rensburg) and structured soils (Arcadia, Swartland, Sterkspruit) are

much more susceptible to compaction, and generally have a moderate to high erosion index. The main

concerns for the soils of this site are the possibility of erosion, the ease with which the soils are

compacted, and the generally high sensitivity of the soils to chemical weathering.

Soil Depth

On average, the more sandy clays and clay loams returned rooting depths between 400 mm and a

maximum of 600 mm, while the more strongly structured and gleyed soils returned rooting depths of

between 200 mm and 400 mm.

Dry Land Production Potential

The dry land production potential of the shallow Swartland, Sterkspruit, Bonheim and Arcadia form soils

is poor to very poor, and due to the relatively low to moderate nutrient status of the soils in their natural

state, fertilizers would be required to increase the productivity of the majority of these soils for

economically viable dryland cropping to be sustainable. Grazing of cattle and sheep on a low intensity



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rotation system has proven to be sustainable in the area, and although the number of head per hectare

was not investigated as part of this assessment, a general rule of not more than three to five head per

hectare is the norm for low intensity grazing lands.

The Hutton, Shortlands and deeper Valsriver Form soils are of a better quality agricultural rating, and will

sustain dryland cropping if well managed. Rainfall is the limiting factor in this area. Short rotation annual

cropping on these soils has proven to be practical in the past.

Irrigation Potential

The irrigation potential for the structured and shallow soils is limited. However, with the impoundment of

water, and with good management of both water and the soils (drainage), irrigation could be undertaken

on a sustainable basis, and has been used on the site in the past with limited success. Irrigation is not a

common practice in the area of study. For any irrigation to be undertaken in the area, the installation of a

number of surface water impoundments as storage during the dry months would be required.

Soil Utilisation Potential

In general, the soils that will be disturbed by the operation and its related infrastructure, and that will

require rehabilitation at closure, are moderate to shallow, (100 mm to 400 mm), highly structured, and are

generally poorly drained with moderately large areas that show some signs of wetness or dampness at

depth. These soils are classified as being “sensitive” and are easily impacted if not well managed. Of

significance is the high susceptibility of the majority of the soils mapped to erosion and compaction.

The wet based and structured soils will be difficult to work (strip and stockpile), both from a traffic ability,

workability, and rehabilitation point of view, and care will be needed in the management of these soils

from the outset. Compaction must be considered carefully. The working of the wet based soils when wet

(rainy season), will be detrimental and compaction will occur.

The structure of the soils will affect their workability, and provision will need to be made for the timing of

the rehabilitation works to be undertaken if these soils are to be worked. The arable potential of the wet

based soils for maize, Soya bean production and /or market gardening is at best poor; the use of these

areas as wilderness lands being the preferred option.

Conclusion

The project has the potential to disturb all identified soil types. In summary, the soils encountered can be

broadly categorised into three groupings, with a number of dominant soil forms that are associated with

sub dominant or sub forms/groups. The major soil forms are associated predominantly with the change in

the underlying parent materials from which they have been derived (in-situ derivation), and/or by their

position in the landscape (surface topography). The soils mapped range from shallow sub-outcrop and



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outcrop to moderately deep rooting profiles. Simplifying the trends mapped the following three major soil

groupings exist in the study area:

• shallow to moderately deep, structured (apedel to weak blocky) fine to medium grained sandy to

silty clay loams that are associated with the development of in-situ materials from the underlying

lithologies that form the base to the soil profile (saprolite, ferricrete and calcrete). This grouping

comprises predominantly moderately deep red structured, apedel and some neocutanic soils;

• much shallower soils that are associated almost exclusively with the outcropping of the evaporite

or ferricrete layer at surface, and with which the underlying host lithologies are present. These

areas form a relatively small percentage of the overall area of study, but have a relatively large

and very important function in the sustainability of the ecology of the total area. Groundwater is

generally relatively deep (>20m) for the majority of the area of study. However, where the aquifer

is perched or occurs close to surface, the development of wet based soils and moist grassland

environments can and does occur; and

• colluvial or transported soils that make up the majority of the study area comprise well sorted but

highly clay rich deposits with very strong structure (massive to vertic) and poor drainage

characteristics.

In almost all cases mapped, the soil materials are founded on a hard base that comprises either the host

lithology (bedrock) or a sequence of ferricrete or calcrete (evaporite derived materials) of varying

consistency. This underlying layer is significant to the overall ecological success of the area in its natural

state.

A better than average management strategy of water and wind erosion, as well as compaction will be

needed to retain the usability of these soils for the rehabilitation process.

1.1.5 PRE-MINE LAND CAPABILITY

Information sources

Information in this section was sourced from the baseline land capability study conducted for the project

by Earth Science Solutions (ESS, 2012), included in Appendix E.

Data collection

Land capability within the study area was classified into different classes namely, wet soils, arable land,

grazing and wilderness by applying the classification system in terms of the South African Chamber of

Mines Land Capability Rating System in conjunction with the Canadian Land Inventory System. The land

capability classification was used to classify the land units identified during the soil survey.



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The land capability classification is based on the soil properties and related potential to support various

land use activities. Mining operations have the potential to significantly transform the land capability. To

understand the basis of this potential impact, a baseline situational analysis is described below.

Results

The land capability of the study area was classified into four distinctly different and recognisable classes,

namely, wet soils, arable land, grazing land and wilderness or conservation land. The criteria for this

classification are set out in Table 15.

TABLE 15: CRITERIA FOR PRE-CONSTRUCTION LAND CAPABILITY (S.A. CHAMBER OF MINES 1991) CLASSIFICATION CRITERIA

Wet based soils

• Land with organic soils or supporting hygrophilous vegetation where soil and vegetation processes are water determined.

Arable Land • Land, which does not qualify as a wet lands. • The soil is readily permeable to a depth of 750mm. • The soil has a pH value of between 4.0 and 8.4. • The soil has a low salinity and SAR • The soil has less than 10% (by volume) rocks or pedocrete fragments larger than

100mm in the upper 750mm. • Has a slope (in %) and erodibility factor (“K”) such that their product is <2.0 • Occurs under a climate of crop yields that are at least equal to the current national

average for these crops. Grazing Land

• Land, which does not qualify as wet lands or arable land. • Has soil, or soil-like material, permeable to roots of native plants, that is more

than 250mm thick and contains less than 50% by volume of rocks or pedocrete fragments larger than 100mm.

• Supports, or is capable of supporting, a stand of native or introduced grass species, or other forage plants utilisable by domesticated livestock or game animals on a commercial basis.

Conservation of Land

• Land, which does not qualify as wet lands, arable land or grazing land, and as a result is regarded as requiring conservation practise/actions.

Figure 10 illustrates the distribution of land capability classes for the study area. The distribution of the

land capability is reperesented in Table 16 below followed by a description of the different land capability

classes identified.

TABLE 16: PRE-CONSTRUCTION LAND CAPABILITY DISTRIBUTION

LAND CAPABILITY AREA (HA) % OF STUDY AREA Arable 121.13 2.14%

Grazing 1,831.44 32.31%

Wilderness 2,388.38 42.14%

Wet based soil 993.31 17.52%

Dam, pans and water courses 333.92 5,89%

Total 5,668.19 100.00%



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Arable Land

The low rainfall of this area limits the utilisation potential of the study area to low intensity grazing and

wildlife conservation. The land utilisation ability to obtain a return on any cropping system will fall short of

the national average, which is a measure used in the Land Capability Rating System (refer to Table 15),

and will therefore negate the idea of even the deep soils being a potential for arable cultivation unless the

water requirements can be augmented through inputs by irrigation. There are only limited areas of arable

potential.

Grazing Land

The areas that classify as grazing land are generally confined to the shallower and transitional zones that

are well drained. These soils are generally darker in colour, and are not always free draining to a depth

of 750mm, but are capable of sustaining palatable plant species on a sustainable basis, especially since

only the subsoils (at a depth of 500mm) are periodically wetted. In addition, there should be no rocks or

pedocrete fragments in the upper horizons of this soil group. If present it will limit the land capability to

wilderness land.

Wilderness Land

The majority of the study area classifies as either conservation or wilderness land based on the shallow

rocky nature of the materials or the excessive depth of free draining (no clay) sands, both of which render

the soils unable to sustain a crop yield that is at least equal to the current national average.

Wet based soils

The wet based soils are generally characterised by dark grey to black (organic carbon) in the topsoil

horizons and are often high in transported clays and show variegated signs of mottling on gleyed

backgrounds (pale grey colours) in the subsoils. These soils are found almost exclusively within the

depositional environment, and vary in both texture and structure from loose and friable sandy loams to

highly structured glay and glaycutanic forms.

There are only a very few areas of true wet based soils present within the study area, with zones of slight

wetness at depth where the calcrete layer is moderately close to surface, and on the fringes of some of

the pan structures where there is sufficient soil coverage on the calcrete to create a recognisable soil

profile with characteristic wet-based mottling.

These wet soil zones (Figure 10) are considered very important, sensitive and vulnerable due to their

ability to contain and hold water for periods through the summers and into the dry winter seasons. They

are also well distributed across the terrain and form watering points for the wildlife and plant species not

found on the sandy soils. These ‘wet-based’ soils occur along the banks of the Wilgespruit, Bofule and

Lesele rivers and its tributaries and influence the biogeochemical functions of these systems; such as



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playing a role in the salt and nutrient balance along the watercourse during these periodic flooding

episodes. Where possible these soils should be preserved in situ.

Evidence of misuse

Cattle grazing is widespread with grazing impacts more predominant on the southern Pilanesberg Wash

areas. Evidence of this is clear in the presence of bush encroachment of species such as Dichrostachys

cinerea and erosion patches.

Conclusion

The majority of the study area investigated, is considered to be of a wilderness (require conservation

actions if disturbed) or low intensity grazing land potential rating/status based on the depth of the

materials and their structure, while consideration is given to the possibility and utilization potential of the

grazing potential, albeit that the grazing is of a very low intensity grazing land potential.

The ‘wet-based’ soils which occur along the banks of the Wilgespruit, Bofule and Lesele rivers and its

tributaries influence the biogeochemical functions of these systems; such as playing a role in the salt and

nutrient balance along the watercourse during these periodic flooding episodes and where possible these

soils should be preserved in situ.

1.1.6 BIODIVERSITY BASELINE

Information sources

Information in this section was sourced from the biodiversity specialist study (NSS, 2014) that was

undertaken for the project area as well as the specialits bullfrog assessment (NSS, 2015) (Appendix F).

Information in this section provides an overview of the baseline conditions prior to any development in the

study area.

Data collection

Review of available information and site visits

Review of available information from a wide range of available sources, included previous studies

undertaken in the Sedibelo area and neighbouring farms. The following studies were undertaken by NSS

in the greater study area:

• Sedibelo project:

o August 2006,

o February 2007,

o March 2009 (bull frog study assessment),

o January 2012, and

o February 2014

• PPM Mine related projects:



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o November 2005,

o mid-January 2006,

o March 2006,

o May 2011,

o January 2011 (bat and giant bullfrog surveys) and

o February 2014

• Magazynskraal project:

o April 2010 (desk top with brief site visit) and

o April 2012.

• Specialits bullfrog assessment on the Wilgespruit 2JQ and Magazynskraal 3JQ farms:

o 21-22 December 2014; and

o 6-7 January 2015.

Flora Assessment

A desktop study was conducted to generate a checklist of expected flora and to identify Conservation

Important (CI) species in the region. Available literature and databases were consulted.

Topographical maps (1:50 000) and Google Earth Images were used to delineate specific areas of

uniform vegetation structure. Various sampling methods were used to determine the various vegetation

communities within the study area at a number of locations. Some areas within the study area not

sampled during previous studies were included in the more recent studies. These sampling methods

included field surveys and data analysis. Field surveys used the Braun-Blanquet Cover classes. Data

analysis was undertaken using a TWINSPAN analysis to delineate the different vegetation communities

and the Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA) ordination to determine the proximity and the

relationship between the various vegetation communities.

Watercourse and riparian assessment

A riparian assessment was undertaken by NSS in 2012 for sections of the Wilgespruit and the Bofule

River systems. The findings of this study were updated according to the additional studies undertaken in

February 2014 on the NFEPA section of the Bofule River.

Subsequent to the NSS study undertaken in 2012, a new classification system for South African wetlands

has been published: “Classification system for Wetlands and other Aquatic Ecosystems in South Africa”

by Ollis et al. (2013). This classification system was used to classify the systems identified, which

recognizes three broad inland systems- rivers, wetlands and open waterbodies – and asserts that the

functioning of an inland aquatic ecosystem is determined fundamentally by hydrology and

geomorphology.



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The riparian vegetation within the study area was delineated at a selection of points along the

Wilgespruit, Bofule and along the Lesele River. Delineation of riparian vegetation followed the steps

outlined in the draft methods compiled by Mackenzie & Rountree for indigenous and naturally occurring

vegetation.

The Riparian Vegetation Response Assessment Index (VEGRAI) model was applied to assess the

riparian vegetation in the study area. The riparian vegetation sampling points, Sites A to F, are indicated

in Figure 11.

The assessment of wetland Ecological Importance and Sensitivity (EIS) was based on the DWAF (1999)

guidelines. According to the guidelines, the ecological importance of a water resource is an expression

of its importance to the maintenance of ecological diversity and functioning on local and wider scales.

Ecological sensitivity refers to a system’s ability to resist disturbance, and its capability to recover from

disturbance once this has occurred. The results of the various biodiversity assessments undertaken by

NSS were incorporated into the assessment of the EIS, together with available National and Provincial

data.

Fauna assessment

Methods used during the study of animal life within the study area included a literature review and

fieldwork. The main fieldwork components included visual observations (day and night), live and camera

trapping.

Lists of potentially occurring species were compiled for:

• mammals, using the published species distribution maps in Friedmann & Daly and the online species

distribution maps from MammalMap;

• birds, using data from the First and Second Southern African Bird Atlas Projects;

• reptiles, using the online species distribution maps from ReptileMap;

• amphibians, using the species distribution maps in published sources and the online species

distribution maps from FrogMap; and

• butterflies, using the online species distribution maps from LepiMap.

Aquatic ecology

Sampling points for assessing aquatic ecology are indicated in Figure 11. The high flow assessment was

undertaken in December 2013. The upstream site (Site 1) on the Wilgespruit is a non-flowing pool with

limited water levels and only water quality, diatoms, sediment and habitat could be assessed. The

downstream site (Site 2) on the Wilgespruit was dry and only sediment and habitat could be assessed. A

farm dam (Site 3) next to the downstream site was chosen to determine water quality and diatoms. It

was assumed that the water in this dam could give a representation of the water in the downstream

Wilgespruit. Both the upstream site (Site 4) and the downstream site (Site 6) on the Bofule River were



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dry during the summer assessment of 2013. During the wetland component of the project in February

2014, the Bofule River contained minimal water. Therefore, only in situ water quality measurements were

taken at a point located between upstream and downstream points on the Bofule River (Site 5). The in

situ water quality parameters were also measured at the upstream point on the Wilgespruit for

comparison.

The Index of Habitat Integrity (IHI) assessment protocol, described by Kleynhans was used to assess the

impacts on the aquatic and surrounding habitats of all the sites sampled. The Integrated Habitat

Assessment Index (IHAS) has been designed to assess the habitat state and availability of instream

habitats relative to the application of the South African Scoring System, version 5 (SASS5), invertebrate

index.

Diatoms: The assessment of diatoms involves a biological monitoring technique that has been introduced

as part of routine monitoring programmes because of certain shortcomings in standard physical and

chemical water quality methods. Although they do not currently form part of the array of bio-indicators

used in the National Aquatic Ecosystem Bio-monitoring Programme (NAEBP), there is strong motivation

to include diatoms as alternatives to macro-invertebrate assessments when low habitat diversity occurs.

Sediment sampling and analysis: NSS (2014) undertook sediment sampling and analysis at various sites.

The physical properties of the sediment were assessed by implementing the United States Protection

Agency (2001) methods for assessing the physical properties of sediment.

Macro-invertebrates: The assessment of macro-invertebrate communities in a river system is a

recognised means of determining river “health”. Macro-invertebrates were collected with the SASS5

sweep method due to limited habitat and identified to family level. The occurrence and sensitivity of

these macro-invertebrates were recorded. Previous studies in the area were used to compile a literature

review of the macro-invertebrate communities (Econ@uj, 2007; NSS 2011).

Ichthyofuana: No fish sampling was done during the 2014 study. The majority of the sites had no water

available. Site 1 and Site 3 were shallow pools with limited water levels. Therefore, the fish community

integrity could not be assessed because the Fish Response Assessment Index (FRAI) could not be used

in these ephemeral systems. For these reasons, only a literature review of the fish community in this

area was provided in 2014 study.

Introduction and link to anticipated impact

In the broadest sense, biodiversity provides value for ecosystem functionality, aesthetic, spiritual, cultural,

and recreational reasons. The known value of biodiversity and ecosystems is as follows:




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• maintenance of genetic resources.

The establishment of mining-related infrastructure and support facilities have the potential to result in the

loss of vegetation, habitat and related ecosystem functionality through physical disturbance and/or

contamination of soil and/or water resources.

As a baseline, this section provides an outline of the type of vegetation occurring in the study area and

the status of the vegetation, highlights the occurrence of sensitive ecological environments including

sensitive/ endangered species (if present) that require protection and/or additional mitigation should they

be disturbed.

Results

Introduction

The study area does not fall within any National Priority listings such as the South African National

Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), National Priority Areas (NPA), and the National list of threatened terrestrial

ecosystems for South Africa. A Conservation Plan has not yet been developed for the North West

Province.

The majority of the study area is recognised as a Critical Biodiversity Area (CBA2) (Near-natural

landscapes and Important Habitat (Hyperdiversity)). These are defined as:

• ecosystems and species largely intact and undisturbed;

• areas with intermediate irreplaceability or some flexibility in terms of area required to meet

biodiversity targets; and

• landscapes that are approaching but have not passed their limits of acceptable change.

The Study Area is located within the conceptual Heritage Park Corridor, which could in future link the

Pilanesberg National Park to Madikwe Game Reserve. This is also recognised within the CBA categories

and the Pilanesberg National Park and Madikwe Game Reserve fall within the Protected Areas Category.



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Mining and Biodiversity Guidelines

The DEA, DMR, Chamber of Mines (CM), South African Mining and Biodiversity Forum (SAMBF), and

SANBI published the Mining and Biodiversity Guideline in 2013 (DEA et al.). This guideline provides

explicit direction in terms of where mining-related impacts are legally prohibited, where biodiversity

priority areas may present high risks for mining projects and where biodiversity may limit the potential for

mining. The guideline distinguishes between four categories of biodiversity priority areas in relation to

their importance from a biodiversity and ecosystem service point of view, as well as the implications for

mining. These categories of biodiversity importance include:

• legally protected areas;

• highest biodiversity importance;

• high biodiversity importance; and

• moderate biodiversity importance.

The highest biodiversity importance areas account for (DEA et al, 2013) the following and are deemed to

be important for conserving significant biodiversity features and associated ecosystem services, ensuring

environmental sustainability and human well-being:

• critically endangered and endangered ecosystems;

• critical biodiversity areas (or equivalent areas) from provincial spatial biodiversity plans; and

• river and wetland Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Areas (FEPAs) and a 1km buffer around these

FEPAs.

High Biodiversity Importance areas include (DEA et al, 2013) protected area buffers, including buffers

around National Parks, World Heritage Sites and Nature Reserves, trans frontier conservation areas

(remaining areas outside of formally proclaimed protected areas) and other identified priorities from

provincial spatial biodiversity plans and high water yield areas, amongst others.

The Sedibelo study area is predominantly classified as having a highest and high biodiversity importance

and is illustrated in Figure 12.

River Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Areas (FEPAs), and 1km buffer

The National Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Area (NFEPA) project is a partnership between SANBI,

Council for Scientific and Industrial research (CSIR), Water Research Council (WRC), DEA, DWS, World

Wildlife Fund (WWF), the South African Institute of Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB) and South African

National Parks (SANParks). Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Areas (FEPAs) are aquatic areas containing

key ecological processes, ecosystem types and species that are associated with rivers, wetlands and

estuaries. FEPAs are regarded as ecologically important and as generally sensitive to changes in water

quality and quantity, owing to their role in protecting freshwater ecosystems and supporting sustainable

use of water resources.



Page 1-35

A stretch of the Bofule river system is rated as a Level 1 Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Area (FEPA)

before the confluence with the Wilgespruit on the Sedibelo property as indicated in Figure 7. Identified

river FEPAs comply with biodiversity targets set for river ecosystems and threatened/near-threatened fish

species. These areas were identified in rivers that are currently in a good condition (A or B ecological

category). Their FEPA status indicates that they should remain in a good condition in order to contribute

to national biodiversity goals and support sustainable use of water resources. In addition to maintaining

the ecological status of the river FEPA itself, the surrounding land and smaller stream network need to be

managed in a way that maintains the good condition (A or B ecological category) of the river reach.

Results- Vegetation

Regional vegetation structure

The region, in which the study area is located, is typical of the Dwaalboom Thornveld, which is a

component of the Savanna Biome. The Savanna Biome covers a large area and is subdivided into

various components, with the Dwaalboom Thornveld comprising a part of the Central Bushveld Bioregion.

The features of this vegetation type include plains with layers of scattered, low to medium high,

deciduous microphyllous trees and shrubs with a few broad-leaved tree species, and an almost

continuous herbaceous layer dominated by grass species. The conservation status of this vegetation

type is considered Least Threatened and the nationally set conservation target is 19%, with 6% statutorily

conserved, mostly in the Madikwa Nature Reserve.

Vegetation communities

The study area shows limited local variation within the vegetation, which is typical of African savannas.

Three plant communities were identified within the study area. These plant communities, together with

some transformed areas are discussed below and are illustrated in Figure 11 and summarised in Table

17.

TABLE 17: HABITATS AND PLANT COMMUNITIES HABITAT PLANT COMMUNITY AREA (ha)

Black turf soils Acacia tortilis – Eragrostis rigidior black turf savannah, which include some areas in recovery as identified in the 2007 study undertaken by NSS.

2490

Red clay soils Searsia leptodictya – Urochloa mosambicensis Red Pilanesberg wash savanna 1820

Watercourses Ziziphus mucronata – Buddleja saligna Riparian Vegetation 126

Transformed habitats Cleared savanna 343 Settlement / urbanised areas 43 Broken farm dam 36

Acacia tortilis – Eragrostis rigidior black turf savannah

This vegetation unit covers the majority of the study area, with a calculated coverage of 51% of the site.

The vegetation here is distinct from that which grows on the red Pilanesberg Wash and is determined by



Page 1-36

the black turf soil. Black turf soil is generally fertile but poorly drained and is often employed for

agricultural purposes as observed on the Sedibelo Site.

The site has a history of extensive farming (over 30% of the area), with some areas in recovery. These

areas have now been grouped into the black turf soils habitat type due to extensive similarities and

advancement of the recovery. Black turf is characteristically waterlogged during the rainy season but dry

in the seasons that do not have rain. Plants in this environment are thus suitably adapted to withstand

these extremes. There was a noticeably lower diversity of fauna in the northern section of Sedibelo,

which was dominated by black turf savannah.

This vegetation was typified by an open canopy of A. tortilis (Umbrella Thorn); Acacia species and an

abundance of Dichrostachys cinerea (Sickle Bush). The understory consisted mainly of grasses: Aristida

bipartita (Rolling Grass); Bothriochloa insculpta (Pinhole Grass); E. rigidior (Broad Curly Leaf) and

Panicum maximum (Guinea Grass) as well as dominant forbs Asparagus laricinus (Cluster-leaf

asparagus); Hibiscus trionum (Bladder Hibiscus); Nidorella anomala. Black turf savanna extended up to

the river boundary in some areas.

The average tree height ranged from 3 to 5m, with a grass height of less than 1m. The majority of grass

species in this vegetation type were sub-climax Increaser 2 species, which offer moderate to poor grazing

potential and are usually indicators of disturbance. These grasses, however; act as effective protection

against erosion by covering bare patches of ground. A list of the common and characteristic plant

species occurring in this vegetation unit is presented below in Table 18.

TABLE 18: COMMON AND CHARACTERISTIC PLANT SPECIES OF THE ACACIA TORTILIS – ERAGROSTIS RIGIDIOR BLACK TURF SAVANNA

SPECIES NAME Acacia caffra Chloris virgata Panicum maximum Acacia karroo^ Combretum hereroense Pavonia senegalensis Acacia nilotica Commelina africana Pentarrhinum insipidum Acacia robusta Cymbopogon excavatus Plectranthus hereroensis Acacia tortilis Cynodon dactylon Schkuria pinnata* Argemone ochroleuca* Datura ferox*# Searsia lancea Aristida bipartita Dichrostachys cinerea^ Searsia pyroides Asparagus cooperi Digitaria eriantha Setaria sphacelata Asparagus densiflorus Diospyros lycioides Sida dregei Asparagus laricinus Ehretia rigida Solanum panduriforme Asparagus suaveolens Eragrostis rigidior Tagetes minuta* Asparagus virgatus Flaveria bidentis* Tephrosia purpurea Bidens pilosa* Flueggea virosa Hillardia oligocephala Boscia foetida Grewia flava Xanthium strumarium*# Bothriochloa insculpta Gymnosporia buxifolia Ximenia americana Brachiaria serrata Hibiscus trionum* Zinnia peruviana*



Page 1-37

SPECIES NAME Buddleja saligna Lantana rugosa* Ziziphus mucronata Carissa bispinosa Nidorella anomala Note: * Denotes alien plant species, ^ Potential bush encroacher

Searsia leptodictya – Urochloa mosambicensis red Pilanesberg wash savanna

This vegetation unit covers approximately 37.5% of the study area. Plant diversity is much higher here

compared to the black turf community and the majority of Conservation Important (CI) species were

identified on the red Pilanesberg wash community. There is a history of intensive grazing by cattle which

has been a contributing factor to gulley erosion in some areas of the habitat.

Soils here are derived from the Pilanesberg Mountains as a result of erosion and are red vertic clays.

These soils are also found in the Pilanesberg Nature Reserve and have an alluvial origin. Vegetation

structure of the red Pilanesberg savanna consisted of a dense woodland that was impenetrable in parts

but open in some areas where cattle had access.

The canopy consisted of mostly A. erubescens (Blue Thorn); A. mellifera (Hook Thorn); A. tortilis

(Umbrella Thorn); Boscia foetida (Smelly Shepherd’s Tree) and Searsia leptodictya (Mountain Karee).

Shrubs Carissa bispinosa (Num-Num) and Grewia flava (Raisin Bush) were densely distributed and the

understory was comprised mostly of grasses: Cynodon dactylon (Couch Grass); Eragrostis curvula

(Weeping Love Grass); Heteropogon contortus (Assegai Grass); Panicum maximum (Guinea Grass) and

Urochloa mosambicensis (African Liverseed Grass). Tree height was recorded between 4 and 5m and

grass height higher than1.5m. A list of the common and characteristic plant species occurring in this

vegetation unit is presented in Table 19.

TABLE 19: COMMON AND CHARACTERISTIC SPECIES OF THE SEARSIA LEPTODICTYA – UROCHLOA MOSAMBICENSIS RED PILANESBERG WASH SAVANNA SPECIES NAME Acacia erubescens Euclea undulata Melinis repens Acacia mellifera Graderia scabra Orbea lutea Aloe marlothii Grewia bicolor Peltophorum africanum Aloe zebrina Grewia flavescens Rhigozum brevispinosum Aponogeton junceus Hermannia depressa Sansevieria aethiopica Aristida congesta subsp. congesta Hermbstaedtia fleckii Sarcostemma viminale Barleria transvaalensis Heteropogon contortus Searsia leptodictya Boscia albitrunca Hibiscus calyphyllus Sporobolus pyramidialis Cadaba natalensis Justicia flava Tragus berterianus Crassula rotundifolia Lantana camara*# Urochloa mosambicensis Duvalia polita Melhania acuminata Ximenia caffra

Eragrostis superba Note: * denotes alien plant species; bold text denotes CI Species; ^ Potential bush encroacher, #Category aliens



Page 1-38

Mammals, birds, reptiles and invertebrates (butterflies, scorpions and spiders) were abundant in the

Pilanesberg-red savanna in the south-eastern and south-western corners of the study area (i.e.

respectively, north and south of the P50-1 road through Legkraal). This habitat was conducive to

burrowing and as such has the potential to support a higher diversity of fossorial or burrowing fauna. This

was also the typical trend for floral species with a higher diversity within the Pilanesberg red savanna and

a larger concentration of CI species.

Ziziphus mucronata - Buddleja saligna riparian vegetation

This vegetation unit covers 2.6% of the Sedibelo study area. The riparian vegetation occurred as a

combination of shrubs and trees that are characteristic of watercourses such as Acacia karroo (Sweet

Thorn); Buddleja saligna (False Olive) and Ziziphus mucronata (Wag-‘n-bietjie). These species occurred

within the closest proximity of the river and were replaced by Combretum hereroense (River bushwillow)

and Gymnosporia buxifolia (Pendoring) towards the outer terrestrial peripheries.

This vegetation type was found along the river flowing from the north-eastern corner of the site as well as

the catchment towards the south-east. The understory was comprised of mostly grasses: Cynodon

dactylon (Couch Grass) and Panicum maximum (Guinea Grass) and herbs: Asparagus densiflorus;

Ehretia rigida (Deurmekaarbos) and Solanum panduriforme (Poison Apple). Sarcostemma viminale

(Melktou) was found to be abundant on trees. A list of the common and characteristic plant species

occurring in this vegetation unit is presented in Table 20.

TABLE 20: COMMON AND CHARACTERISTIC SPECIES OF THE ZIZIPHUS MUCRONATA - BUDDLEJA SALIGNA RIPARIAN VEGETATION

SPECIES NAME Acacia mellifera Grewia flava Acacia nilotica Gymnosporia buxifolia Acacia tortilis Justicia flava Aloe zebrina Melhania acuminata Argemone ochroleuca Nidorella anomala Asparagus densiflorus Panicum maximum Asparagus suaveolens Pavonia senegalensis Barleria transvaalensis Pentarrhinium insipidum Boscia foetida Schoenoplectus cf. decipiens Bothriochloa insculpta Searsia lancea Buddleja saligna Searsia pyroides Carissa bispinosa Sida dregei Clematis brachiata Erucastrum austroafricanum (Sisymbrium thellungii)* Combretum hereroense Solanum panduriforme Cynodon dactylon Xanthium strumarium*# Dichrostachys cinerea^ Ximenia americana Diospyros lycioides Zinnia peruviana* Echinochloa colona Ziziphus mucronata Note: * denotes alien plant species; bold text denotes CI Species, ^ Potential bush encroacher, #Category aliens



Page 1-39

Grazing by livestock has considerably reduced the ground cover and there were many exposed areas

near streams. This had resulted in erosion which subsequently caused the formation of gulleys.

Results- Watercourse and riparian habitats

Watercourse classification

A number of watercourses are present on the Sedibelo site. A summary of the classification for each

river system, assessed by NSS (based on Ollis et al. 2013), is presented in Table 21.

TABLE 21: LEVEL 1 TO 4 CLASSIFICATION FOR WATERCOURSES (NSS, 2014)

SYSTEM NAME

LEVEL 1

LEVEL 2 LEVEL 3 LEVEL 4 System DWA

EcoRegions NFEPA WetVeg

Landscape Unit

4a 4b 4

Wilgespruit Inland 8.06 CBG2* Slope River Upper Foothill

Active Channel Riparian Zone

Bofule, upstream of confluence with Wilgespruit

Inland 8.06 CBG2* Slope River Upper Foothill


Bofule, downstream of confluence with Wilgespruit

Inland 8.06 CBG2* Slope River Upper Foothill


Lesele Inland 8.06 CBG2* Slope River Upper Foothill


* Central Bushveld Group 2

Watercourse extent and riparian delineation

The extent of the watercourse and riparian habitat is illustrated in Figure 11 and was determined from the

following criteria:

• riparian habitat, taking topography, riparian indicator species and alluvial deposits into

consideration;

• watercourse boundary was determined utilising soils (wet soils) and floodline data; and

• buffer zones, where riparian zones and buffer zones must be designated as sensitive within a

100m buffer zone as determined by NSS (2014) from the edge of the riparian zone for

rivers/streams outside the urban edge. The Bofule River system, also requires a 1km buffer in

terms of mining due to the system being a NFEPA.

Present ecological state (PES)

Wilgespruit

The Wilgespruit exists in a relatively pristine state at the point where it exits the Pilanesberg National

Park (Site A, Figure 11), where it supports well-developed riparian vegetation with a high diversity of plant

species. The vegetation supports a number of typically riparian species and the riparian vegetation can

be easily distinguished from the surrounding terrestrial vegetation. The riparian vegetation here was

assessed using the VEGRAI analysis and found to be largely natural.



Page 1-40

The Wilgespruit has been diverted around the south and east of the neighbouring PPM Tuschenkomst Pit

and it is planned that this diversion is maintained for the operational lifetime of the PPM pit ensuring that

flow within this system is unaffected by PPM mining activities. Following which, it is planned that the

diversion channel is decommissioned and the Wilgespruit returned to its original course in an attempt to

aid the flooding of the Tuschenkomst Pit.

Immediately upstream of this diversion of the Wilgespruit (Site B, Figure 11), well developed riparian

vegetation was present, but the species composition is reduced. The marginal, lower and upper zones

were clearly discernible. However extensive vegetation clearing had occurred on the western edge

immediately adjacent to the river and encroached into the upper riparian zone. Limited harvesting of fuel

wood was evident in the lower zone. A VEGRAI assessment at this point found the conditions to be

moderately modified.

Downstream of the PPM river diversion (Site C, Figure 11), reduced species diversity was apparent,

although well-developed riparian structure was present. Instream water-retaining impoundments existed;

considerable harvesting of fuel wood and heavy grazing by livestock (cattle, goats and pigs) was evident.

The riparian vegetation was assessed as moderately modified. The result of the present ecological state

of the Wilgespruit is summarised in Table 22.

TABLE 22: RESULTS OF ASSESSMENTS OF THE ECOLOGICAL STATE FOR THE RIPARIAN VEGETATION AT THREE SITES ALONG THE WILGESPRUIT

RIPARIAN ASSESSMENT SITE Riparian Zone Site A Site B Site C

VEGRAI % EC VEGRAI % EC VEGRAI % EC

Marginal zone 90.8 A/B 72.6 C - -

Lower Zone 90.8 A/B 75.5 C 76 C

Upper zone 74.8 C 52.4 C 72.5 C

Overall PES 85.5 B 66.8 C 74.3 C

Largely natural Moderately modified Moderately modified

The Wilgespruit shows a significant decline in ecological state between the point where it exits

Pilanesberg National Park and within the study area. This change is attributed to differences in

management between the two areas. The upstream site is located within a restricted area of the mining

rights area, and no habitation occurs nearby. Being on the boundary of the Pilanesberg National Park,

this site is not influenced by any upstream disturbances. This compares to the site north of the current

PPM river diversion on the Sedibelo property where the habitat is heavily grazed by cattle and numerous

homesteads of cattle keepers are established close to the river. The following was observed:



Page 1-41

• crop farming occurs right up to the banks of the Wilgespruit, and has resulted in extensive

removal of riparian vegetation;

• due to past disturbances such as dam construction, crop farming and the utilization of the area

for cattle grazing, large areas are now dominated by weedy and alien invasive species;

• numerous homesteads are established close to the river. The permanent human presence

together with numerous pets including dogs and cats increase predation on faunal species;

• the high level of livestock activity, within the available pools of water, has resulted in an increase

in faeces in the aquatic environment, which lowers the water quality, impacting on the biotic

communities;

• habitat fragmentation and a loss in connectivity with the downstream catchment occur due to

manmade impoundments;

• soil erosion - evidence of the erosive nature of these soils could be seen downstream of the

existing river diversion and all along the banks of the Wilgespruit. The soil erosion leads to an

increased sedimentation within the river which clogs fish gills and habitats, negatively affecting

biota;

• there is a large number of alien plant species, specifically around the various impoundments, for

example Eucalyptus sp. These species are well known water abstractors. These plants cause

water levels to drop, especially in the dry season, and loss of aquatic habitats (refugia) will

reduce biotic integrity. Further to this, a number of Category species such as Ricinus are also

present; and

• extensive harvesting of natural resources occurs, particularly firewood but also includes hunting

of wildlife, harvesting of medicinal plants, grazing (described separately) and water abstraction.

Bofule River

A stretch of the Bofule system is rated as a Category B, Level 1 Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Area

(FEPA) before the confluence with the Wilgespruit (Refer to Figure 7). The riparian vegetation of the

Bofule system was assessed at Site F (Figure 11), in the section of the river classified as the FEPA. The

Bofule System is similar to that of the Wilgespruit and Lesele systems with a substrate consisting of

reddish soils with occasional patches of bedrock exposed. The river supported ephemeral flows and a

deeply incised channel.

Riparian vegetation could not easily be distinguished along the system from the surrounding vegetation.

However, areas where density and height increased were dominated by the Riparian Indicator Ziziphus

mucronata. The woody component also included Acacia mellifera, Buddleja saligna, Grewia flava,

Searsia pyroides, Asparagus larcinus and Acacia tortillis. Herbaceous vegetation included Panicum

maximum, Justica flava, Aloe zebrina, Nidorella anomala, Aristida congesta, Sporobolus and Themeda

triandra. Riparian indicator species such as Crinum bulbispermum were also recorded within the

Marginal to Upper zones. The Lower Zone contained limited riparian indictors with some scattered



Page 1-42

recordings of Juncus species. The riparian vegetation here was assessed using the VEGRAI analysis

and found to be largely natural as indicated in Table 23.

TABLE 23: RESULTS OF ASSESSMENTS OF THE ECOLOGICAL STATE FOR THE RIPARIAN VEGETATION AT ONE SITE WITHIN THE BOFULE

RIPARIAN ASSESSMENT SITE Riparian Zone Site F

VEGRAI % EC

Marginal zone 83.8 B

Lower Zone 84.7 B

Upper zone 79.8 BC

Overall PES 82.8 B

Largely natural

Few past anthropogenic impacts were observed: damming along the system, pockets of alien vegetation

and grazing of cattle was evident. Natural processes potentially exacerbated by heavy grazing include

erosion. The main impacts that have occurred are as a result of recent mining activities. This includes

the altering of the banks of the system specifically in areas where roads and fencing have been

constructed. Any disturbances created have allowed for limited alien and invasive species growth but

include Category 1 species such as Datura stramonium.

In terms of erosion, the Bofule River has a low sinuosity (a river's sinuosity is its tendency to move back

and forth across its floodplain) in comparison to rivers in more humid areas. However, the Bofule River

meanders for approximately 700m upstream from sampling point at Site 4 (Figure 11) and thus has a

higher sinuosity ratio than the Wilgespruit with its river diversion. A river with a higher sinuosity will slow

the water more sufficiently during flood conditions. However, the increased sinuosity of this section of the

Bofule River also increased the erosion of the stream banks.

Lesele River

The Lesele River cuts through the south-eastern corner of the study area prior to entering the

Magazynskraal farm. This river supports healthy riparian vegetation, which was assessed at two points

(Sites D and E, Figure 11). Similar conditions were found at both sites. The river supported ephemeral

flows and a deeply incised channel. Both sites were based on red clay soils and high species diversity

was observed in the riparian vegetation. Dominant woody species include Buddleja saligna, Ziziphus

mucronata, Combretum hereroensis and Acacia caffra. Herbaceous vegetation tended to be sparse but a

high diversity of forbs and some grasses. Abundant herbaceous species included Albuca sp, Aloe

zebrina, Nidorella anomala, Aristida congesta and Themeda triandra.

Few anthropogenic impacts were observed. Some grazing of cattle was evident and limited harvesting of

fuel wood. A large field had been cleared of woody vegetation on the north bank of the river against the



Page 1-43

eastern boundary, but did not encroach into the upper riparian zone. The riparian vegetation was

assessed using the VEGRAI analysis and found to be largely natural at both sites, as indicated in Table

24.

TABLE 24: RESULTS OF ASSESSMENTS OF THE ECOLOGICAL STATE FOR THE RIPARIAN VEGETATION AT TWO SITES WITHIN THE LESELE

RIPARIAN ASSESSMENT SITE Riperian Zone Site D Site E

VEGRAI % EC VEGRAI % EC

Marginal zone 90.8 A/B 87.6 A/B

Lower Zone 89.8 A/B 92.7 A

Upper zone 76.5 C 79.3 B/C

Overall PES 82.8 B 86.5 B

Largely natural Largely natural

Ecological Importance and Sensitivity (EIS)

On a quaternary catchment scale, the A24D catchment is classified as having a Low/Marginal Ecological

Importance and Sensitivity (EIS) (http://www.dwaf.gov.za/WAR/systems.html). These quaternaries are

said to be not unique at any scale. These rivers (in terms of biota and habitat) are generally not very

sensitive to flow modifications and usually have a substantial capacity for use.

On a more local scale the EIS of the Wilgespruit was assessed as being High. Systems with a High EIS

are considered to be ecologically important and sensitive. The biodiversity of these systems may be

sensitive to flow and habitat modifications. All non-perennial systems are ecologically fragile and

sensitive to hydrological changes. Various faunal and floral species, with Conservation Important status,

are supported by the various habitats found along the Wilgespruit and Bofule Rivers. This include the

shallow dams potentially supporting Giant Bullfrog for breeding and the tall trees of the riparian habitat

providing suitable nesting sites for a number of Conservation Important bird species.

Results – Faunal communities

The numbers of mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian and butterfly species, and insect and arachnid families,

which were observed in the Sedibelo study area and on the neighbouring Tuschenkomst, Witkleifontein

and Magazynskraal farms are presented in Table 25. Numbers of additional taxa that have not been

observed, but which potentially occur in the area based on desktop research, are also provided.



Page 1-44

TABLE 25: SUMMARY OF FAUNAL DIVERSITY IN THE SEDIBELO AND SURROUNDING AREA

TAXA

NUMBER OF TAXA OBSERVED

POTENTIALLY OCCURRING SEDIBELO NEIGHBOURING FARMS

Mammal species 16 31 91 Bird species 88 111 290 Reptile species 6 12 41 Amphibian species 6 18 23 Insect families (excluding butterflies) 23 37 Not determined Butterfly species 15 46 94 Arachnid families 14 12 Not determined

Mammals

Rodents, carnivores, bats, even-toed ungulates and insectivores represent 89% of the 91 mammal

species that are listed for the study area. Up to 25% of species in each of these five mammalian orders

was observed within the study area. Many potentially occurring mammal species that were not observed

are nocturnal (e.g. bats), secretive (e.g. small carnivores) and/or inconspicuous (e.g. rodents). More than

four bat species almost certainly occur in the study area, but were not detected because specific

sampling for bats was not performed during the survey. Numbers of observed or potentially occurring

species per mammalian order are summarised in Table 26.

TABLE 26: OBSERVED OR POTENTIALLY OCCURRING SPECIES PER MAMMALIAN ORDER

ORDER COMMON NAME

NUMBER OF SPECIES OBSERVED

POTE

NTI

ALL

Y O

CC

UR

RIN

G

SED

IBEL

O

NEI

GH

BO

UR

ING

FA

RM

S

INSECTIVORA Golden moles, hedgehog and shrews 1 2 9 MACROSCELIDEA Elephant-shrews 2 TUBULIDENTATA Aardvark 1 1 HYRACOIDEA Hyraxes 1 1 LAGOMORPHA Hares & rabbits 1 1 2

RODENTIA Squirrels, springhare, molerats, porcupine, rats and mice 4 7 24

PRIMATES Monkeys & baboon 1 2 3 CHIROPTERA Bats 4 12 PHOLIDOTA Pangolin 1

CARNIVORA Foxes, jackals, weasel, mongooses, genets, civets, hyenas, Aardwolf and cats 6 8 24

ARTIODACTYLA Pigs, giraffe and antelope 3 5 12



Page 1-45

Mammal species that were identified on the study area, through actual observation or capture, and

through evidence of presence, are listed in Table 27.

TABLE 27: IDENTIFIED MAMMAL SPECIES

SPECIES

STA

TUS

SED

IBEL

O

&

RO

OD

ERA

ND

MA

GA

ZYN

S-K

RA

AL

WIT

KLE

IFO

N-

TEIN

TUSC

HEN

-K

OM

ST

ARTIODACTYLA, BOVIDAE Aepyceros melampus Impala LC 1 1 1 1 Oreotragus oreotragus Klipspringer LC 2 Pelea capreolus Grey Rhebok LC 3 Raphicerus campestris Steenbok LC 1 1 Redunca arundinum Reedbuck LC 2 Redunca fulvorufula Mountain Reedbuck LC 2 Sylvicapra grimmia Common Duiker LC 1 1 1 Tragelaphus angasii Nyala LC 3 Tragelaphus scriptus Bushbuck LC 2 1 Tragelaphus strepsiceros Kudu LC 2 1 ARTIODACTYLA, SUIDAE Phacochoerus africanus Warthog LC 2 Potamochoerus porcus koiropotamus Bushpig LC 3 CARNIVORA, CANIDAE Canis mesomelas Black-backed Jackal LC 1 1 1 Otocyon megalotis Bat-eared Fox LC 2 Vulpes chama Cape Fox LC 2 CARNIVORA, FELIDAE Caracal caracal Caracal LC 2 1 Felis nigripes Black-footed Cat LC 3 Felis silvestris African Wild Cat LC 2 Leptailurus serval Serval NT 2 Panthera pardus Leopard LC 2 CARNIVORA, HERPESTIDAE Atilax paludinosus Water Mongoose LC 2 1 Cynictis penicillata Yellow Mongoose LC 1 Galerella sanguinea Slender Mongoose LC 1 1 1 Helogale parvula Dwarf Mongoose LC 2 Ichneumia albicauda White-tailed Mongoose LC 2 1 Mungos mungo Banded Mongoose LC 1 Suricata suricatta Suricate LC 3 CARNIVORA, HYAENIDAE Parahyaena brunne Brown Hyaena NT 1 1 1 Proteles cristatus Aardwolf LC 2 CARNIVORA, MUSTELIDAE



Page 1-46

SPECIES

STA

TUS

SED

IBEL

O

&

RO

OD

ERA

ND

MA

GA

ZYN

S-K

RA

AL

WIT

KLE

IFO

N-

TEIN

TUSC

HEN

-K

OM

ST

Aonyx capensis Cape Clawless Otter LC 2 Ictonyx striatus Striped Polecat LC 2 Mellivora capensis Honey Badger NT 2 Poecilogale albinucha African Weasel DD 2 CARNIVORA, VIVERRIDAE Civettictis civetta African Civet LC 2 Genetta genetta Small-spotted Genet LC 1 1 1 Genetta tigrina Large-spotted Genet LC 2 1 CHIROPTERA, EMBALLONURIDAE Taphozous mauritianus Mauritian Tomb Bat LC 3 CHIROPTERA, HIPPOSIDERIDAE

Hipposideros caffer Sundevall's Leaf-nosed Bat DD 2

CHIROPTERA, MOLOSSIDAE

Sauromys petrophilus Flat-headed Free-tailed Bat LC 2

Tadarida aegyptiaca Egyptian Free-tailed Bat LC 3 CHIROPTERA, NYCTERIDAE Nycteris thebaica Egyptian Slit-faced Bat LC 3 1 CHIROPTERA, RHINOLOPHIDAE

Rhinolophus clivosus Geoffroy's Horseshoe Bat NT 3

Rhinolophus darlingi Darling's Horseshoe Bat NT 3 Rhinolophus simulator Bushveld Horseshoe Bat LC 3 1 CHIROPTERA, VESPERTILIONIDAE

Miniopterus schreibersii Schreibers' Long-fingered Bat NT 3

Neoromicia capensis Cape Serotine Bat LC 3 1 Neoromicia zuluensis Aloe Bat LC 3 Pipistrellus rusticus Rusty Bat NT 3 Scotophilus dinganii Yellow House Bat LC 3 1 HYRACOIDEA, PROCAVIIDAE Procavia capensis Rock Hyrax LC 2 1 1 INSECTIVORA, ERINACEIDAE

Atelerix frontalis Southern African Hedgehog NT 2

INSECTIVORA, SORICIDAE Crocidura cyanea Reddish-grey Musk Shrew DD 3 Crocidura fuscomurina Tiny Musk Shrew DD 2 1 Crocidura hirta Lesser Red Musk Shrew DD 2 Crocidura mariquensis Swamp Musk Shrew DD 2 Crocidura silacea Lesser Grey-brown Musk

Shrew DD 3 Myosorex varius Forest Shrew DD 2



Page 1-47

SPECIES

STA

TUS

SED

IBEL

O

&

RO

OD

ERA

ND

MA

GA

ZYN

S-K

RA

AL

WIT

KLE

IFO

N-

TEIN

TUSC

HEN

-K

OM

ST

Suncus infinitesimus Least Dwarf Shrew DD 1 Suncus lixus Greater Dwarf Shrew DD 1 LAGOMORPHA, LEPORIDAE Lepus saxatilis Scrub Hare LC 1 1 1 1

Pronolagus randensis Jameson's Red Rock Rabbit LC 2

MACROSCELIDEA, MACROSCELIDIDAE Elephantulus brachyrhynchus

Short-snouted Elephant-shrew DD 2

Elephantulus myurus Rock Elephant-shrew LC 2 PHOLIDOTA, MANIDAE Manis temminckii Pangolin VU 2 PRIMATES, CERCOPITHECIDAE Cercopithecus pygerythrus Vervet Monkey LC 1 1 1

Papio hamadryas Chacma Baboon LC 2 1 PRIMATES, GALAGIDAE Galago moholi Southern Lesser Galago LC 2 RODENTIA, BATHYERGIDAE Cryptomys hottentotus Common Mole-rat LC 2 1 RODENTIA, HYSTRICIDAE Hystrix africaeaustralis Porcupine LC 1 1 1 RODENTIA, MURIDAE Acomys spinosissimus Spiny Mouse LC 2 Aethomys chrysophilus Red Veld Rat LC 1 Aethomys ineptus Tete Veld Rat LC 2 Aethomys namaquensis Namaqua Rock Mouse LC 2 Dendromus melanotis Grey Climbing Mouse LC 2 Dendromus mystacalis Chestnut Climbing Mouse LC 3 Lemniscomys rosalia Single-striped Mouse DD 2 Mastomys coucha Multimammate Mouse LC 3 1 Mus indutus Desert Pygmy Mouse LC 3 Otomys angoniensis Angoni Vlei Rat LC 2 Otomys irroratus Vlei Rat LC 2 Rhabdomys pumilio Striped Mouse LC 2 Saccostomus campestris Pouched Mouse LC 1 1 Steatomys pratensis Fat Mouse LC 2 Tatera brantsii Highveld Gerbil LC 2 Tatera leucogaster Bushveld Gerbil DD 1 Thallomys paedulcus Tree Rat LC 2 1 RODENTIA, MYOXIDAE Graphiurus murinus Woodland Dormouse LC 2 RODENTIA, PEDETIDAE



Page 1-48

SPECIES

STA

TUS

SED

IBEL

O

&

RO

OD

ERA

ND

MA

GA

ZYN

S-K

RA

AL

WIT

KLE

IFO

N-

TEIN

TUSC

HEN

-K

OM

ST

Pedetes capensis Springhare LC 2 RODENTIA, SCIURIDAE Paraxerus cepapi Tree Squirrel LC 1 1 Xerus inauris Cape Ground Squirrel LC 2 RODENTIA, THRYONOMYIDAE Thryonomus swinderianus Greater Cane Rat LC 2 TUBULIDENTATA, ORYCTEROPODIDAE Orycteropus afer Aardvark LC 2 1 1 Note: DD =Data Deficient: A Red Data classification used by the IUCN for describing species for which there is inadequate data available to assess their danger of facing extinction; LC= Least concern; VU=Vulnerable; NT= Near Tthreatened.

The Red Listed mammals include one Vulnerable (VU) and eight Near Threatened (NT) species.

Birds

As many as 290 bird species has the potential of occuring in the study area. A total of 104 bird species

were collectively recorded in the study area during numerous site visits. This represents 35% of the

potentillay occurring species. Bird species identified on site, through actual observation and through

evidence of presence, are listed in Table 28.

TABLE 28: IDENTIFIED BIRD SPECIES

SPECIES COMMON NAME STATUS

Ardeacinerea Grey Heron LC Ardea melanocephala Black-headed Heron LC Bubulcus ibis Cattle Egret LC Plectropterus gambensis Spur-winged Goose LC Anas undulate Yellow-billed Duck LC Alopochen aegyptiacus Egyptian Goose LC Vanellus coronatus Crowned Lapwing LC Vanellus armatus Blacksmith Lapwing LC Dendroperdix sephaena Crested Francolin LC Pternistis swainsonii Swainson’s Spurfowl LC Numida meleagris Helmeted Guineafowl LC Burinus capensis Spotted Thick-knee LC Gyps coprotheres Cape Vulture VU Gyps africanus White-backed Vulture EN Torgos tracheliotus Lappet-faced Vulture VU Aviceda cuculoides African Cuckoo Hawk LC Milvus parasitus Yellow-billed Kite LC



Page 1-49


Elanus caeruleus Black-shouldered Kite LC Buteo vulpinus Steppe Buzzard LC (NB) Melierax canorus Southern Pale Chanting Goshawk LC Tyto alba Barn Owl LC Asio capensis Marsh Owl LC Columba guinea Speckled Pigeon LC Streptopelia capicola Cape Turtle Dove LC Oena capensis Namaqua Dove LC Corythaixoides concolor Grey Go-away-bird LC Cuculus solitarius Red-chested Cuckoo LC (B) Cuculus clamosus Black Cuckoo LC (B) Clamator glandarius Great Spotted Cuckoo LC (B) Clamator levaillantii Levaillant's Cuckoo 1 LC (B) Clamator jacobinus Jacobin Cuckoo LC (B) Chrysococcyx klaas Klaas's Cuckoo LC Chrysococcyx caprius Dideric Cuckoo LC (B) Centropus burchelli Burchell's Coucal LC Colius striatus Speckled Mousebird LC Urocolius indicus Red-faced Mousebird LC Halcyon albiventris Brown-hooded Kingfisher LC Merops apiaster European Bee-eater LC (B/NB) Coracias caudatus Lilac-breasted Roller LC Tockus nasutus African Green Hornbill LC Tocks leucomelas Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill LC Hirundo rustica Barn Swallow LC (NB) Hirundo abyssinica Lesser Striped-swallow LC Dicrurus adsimilis Fork-tailed Drongo LC Corvus albus Pied Crow LC Corvus capensis Cape Crow LC Turdoides bicolor Southern Pied-babbler LC Pycnonotus tricolor Dark-capped Bulbul LC Cercotrichas paean Kalahari Scrub-robin LC Parisoma subcaeruleum Chestnut-vented Tit-babbler LC Bradornis mariquensis Marico Flycatcher LC Lanius minor Lesser Grey Shrike LC Laniarius atrococcineus Crimson-breasted Shrike LC Tchagra australis Brown-crowned Tchagra LC Corvinella melanoleuca Magpie Shrike LC Acridotheres tristis Common Myna Alien Lamprotornis nitens Cape Glossy Starling LC Calendulauda sabota Sabota Lark LC Pinarocorys nigricans Dusky Lark LC (NB) Eremopterix leucotis Chestnut-backed Sparrowlark LC Pycnonotus tricolor Dark-capped Bulbul LC Camaroptera brevicaudata Grey-backed Camaroptera LC



Page 1-50


Cisticola chiniana Rattling Cisticola LC Prinia subflava Tawny-flanked Prinia LC Prinia flavicans Black-chested Prinia LC Parus cinerascens Ashy Tit LC Dicrurus adsimilis Fork-tailed Drongo LC Corvus albus Pied Crow LC Turdoides jardineii Arrow-marked Babbler LC Turdoides bicolor Southern Pied-babbler LC Cercotrichas leucophrys White-browed Scrub-robin LC Muscicapa striata Spotted Flycatcher LC (NB) Bradornis mariquensis Marico Flycatcher LC LC Batis molitor Chinspot Batis LC Terpsiphone viridis African Paradise-flycatcher LC Lanius minor Lesser Grey Shrike LC (NB) Lanius collaris Common Fiscal LC Lanius collurio Red-backed Shrike LC (NB) Laniarius ferrugineus Southern Boubou LC Laniarius atrococcineus Crimson-breasted Shrike LC Dryoscopus cubla Black-backed Puffback LC Tchagra australis Brown-crowned Tchagra LC Corvinella melanoleuca Magpie Shrike LC Eurocephalus anguitimens Southern White-crowned Shrike LC Acridotheres tristis Common Myna Alien Lamprotornis nitens Cape Glossy Starling LC Buphagus erythrorhynchus Red-billed Oxpecker NT Cinnyris mariquensis Marico Sunbird LC Cinnyris talatala White-bellied Sunbird LC Passer domesticus House Sparrow Alien Passer melanurus Cape Sparrow LC Passer diffusus Southern Greyheaded Sparrow LC Sporopipes squamifrons Scaly-feathered Finch LC Ploceus intermedius Lesser Masked Weaver LC Ploceus velatus Southern Masked-weaver LC Quelea quelea Red-billed Quelea LC Pytilia melba Green-winged Pytilia LC Lagonosticta rubricata African Firefinch LC Lagonosticta rhodopareia Jameson’s Firefinch LC Uraeginthus anglolensis Blue Waxbill LC Granatina granatina Violet-eared Waxbill LC Estrilda erythronotos Black-faced Waxbill LC Vidua regia Shaft-tailed Whydah LC Vidua paradisaea Long-tailed Paradise-whydah LC Crithagra atrogularis Black-throated Canary LC Emberiza flaviventris Golden-breasted Bunting LC



Page 1-51

The table above does not include the additional 16 species which were observed during the 2014 study.

These included: Hadeda Ibis (Bostrychia hagedash), Emerald-spotted Wood-dove (Turtur chalcospilos),

Little Swift (Apus affinis), Acacia Pied Barbet (Tricholaema leucomelas), Greater Striped-swallow

(Hirundo cucullata), Desert Cisticola (Cisticola aridulus), Neddicky (Cisticola fulvicapilla), Chestnut-vented

Tit-babbler (Parisoma subcaeruleum), Cinnamon-breasted Bunting (Emberiza tahapisi), Red-eyed Dove

(Streptopelia semitorquata), Rock Martin (Hirundo fuligula), Blackchested Snake-eagle (Circaetus

pectoralis), European Roller (Coracias garrulus), Yellow-bellied Eremomela (Eremomela icteropygialis),

Yellow-bellied Greenbul (Chlorocichla flaviventris) and Bar-throated Apalis (Apalis thoracica).

One Endangered (EN), seven Vulnerable (VU) and six Near Threatened (NT) bird species were recorded

in the study and surrounding areas, which included mainly vultures, raptors and largebodied terrestrial

and inland water birds. During previous surveys in the area Red-billed Oxpecker and Lanner Falcon

(Falco biarmicus) were observed on the farms Magazynskraal 3 JQ and Tuschenkomst 135 JP. During

the 2012 survey Red-billed Oxpeckers, two Lappet-faced Vultures (Torgos tracheliotus) and a large

number of Cape (Gyps coprotheres) and White-backed (Gyps africanus) vultures were observed in the

Sedibelo area. The White-backed Vulture has recently been upgraded from VU to EN because it is

undergoing rapid population declines due to poisoning and persecution.

Alien birds including the Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis), House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) and

Rock Dove (Columba livia) were observed in the study area, but are expected to have a limited impact on

biodiversity due to their current low abundance.

Reptiles

The complete list of 42 reptile species for the study area is provided in Table 29. Of the 42 reptile

species listed for the study area, seven species have been observed to date during various site visits to

the area and surrounds.

TABLE 29: REPTILIAN SPECIES FAMILIY SPECIES COMMON NAME STATUS BOIDAE Python natalensis African Rock Python NT*

ATRACTASPIDIDAE Atractaspis bibronii Bibron's Burrowing Asp - - Aparallactus capensis Cape Centipede-eater LC

COLUBRIDAE

Mehelya capensis Southern File Snake LC Psammophylax tritaeniatus Striped Skaapsteker LC Psammophis brevirostris Short-snouted Grass Snake - Psammophis subtaeniatus Yellow-bellied Sand Snake LC Philothamnus semivariegatus Spotted Bush Snake - - Dasypeltis scabra Common Egg-eater LC Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia Red-Lipped Herald Snake - Dispholidus typus Boomslang - - Thelotornis capensis capensis Vine Snake LC

ELAPIDAE Elapsoidea boulengeri Zambezi Garter Snake Naja mossambica Mozambique Spitting Cobra

VIPERIDAE Bitis arietans Puff Adder



Page 1-52

FAMILIY SPECIES COMMON NAME STATUS

AGAMIDAE Acanthocercus atricollis Tree Agama LC Agama aculeata distanti Ground Agama Agama atra Southern Rock Agama

CHAMAELEONIDAE Chamaeleo dilepis Flap-necked Chameleon LC

VARANIDAE Varanus albigularis Rock Leguaan - Varanus niloticus Nile Monitor Lizard

LACERTIDAE Nucras intertexta Spotted Sandveld Lizard SCINCIDAE Mochlus sundevallii Sundevall's Writhing Skink Trachylepis capensis Cape Skink

Trachylepis punctatissima Montane Speckled Skink LC

Trachylepis sp. [Transvaal varia] Variable Skink - Trachylepis varia Variable Skink - CORDYLIDAE Cordylus vittifer Transvaal Girdled Lizard - GERRHOSAURIDAE Gerrhosaurus flavigularis Yellow-throated Plated Lizard -

GEKKONIDAE Hemidactylus mabouia Moreau's Tropical House Gecko -

Lygodactylus capensis Cape Dwarf Gecko - Pachydactylus affinis Transvaal Gecko - Pachydactylus capensis Cape Gecko - - TESTUDINIDAE Stigmochelys pardalis Leopard Tortoise - Kinixys lobatsiana Lobatse Hinged Tortoise -

No reptile species for the study area are currently Red Listed. However, the African Rock Python

(Python natalensis) is considered Near Threatened in South Africa. Until the Southern African Reptile

Conservation Assessment has been completed, the conservation status of most Southern African reptiles

remains undetermined.

Frogs

The complete list of 23 amphibian species for the study area is provided in Table 30. Based on

distribution and availability of suitable habitat 18 species are considered highly likely to occur on site.

TABLE 30: AMPHIBIAN SPECIES


BREVICIPITIDAE Breviceps adspersus adspersus Bushveld Rain Frog LC

BUFONIDAE

Amietophrynus garmani Eastern Olive Toad LC Amietophrynus gutturalis Guttural Toad LC Amietophrynus poweri Western Olive Toad LC Amietophrynus rangeri Raucous Toad LC Poyntonophrynus fenoulheti Northern Pygmy Toad LC Poyntonophrynus vertebralis Southern Pygmy Toad LC Schismaderma carens Red Toad LC

HYPEROLIIDAE Kassina senegalensis Bubbling Kassina LC MICROHYLIDAE Phrynomantis bifasciatus Banded Rubber Frog LC PHRYNOBATRACHIDAE Phrynobatrachus natalensis Snoring Puddle Frog LC

PTYCHADENIDAE Hildebrantia ornata Ornate Frog LC Ptychadena anchietae Plain Grass Frog LC Ptychadena mossambica Broad-banded Grass Frog LC

PIPIDAE Xenopus laevis Common Platanna LC

PYXICEPHALIDAE Cacosternum boettgeri Boettger’s Caco LC Amieta angolensis Common River Frog LC



Page 1-53


Pyxicephalus adspersus Giant Bullfrog NT Pyxicephalus edulis African Bullfrog LC Tomopterna cryptotis Tremolo Sand Frog LC Tomopterna natalensis Natal Sand Frog LC

RHACOPHORIDAE Chiromantis xerampelina Southern Foam Nest Frog LC

During visits in 2006-2011, NSS detected 14, six and nine species in Tuschenkomst, Witkleifontein and

Magazynskraal, respectively. Two species were added to the original lists during the recent survey in

February 2014.

The lack of records for the remaining seven species considered highly likely to occur were probably due

to limitations in sampling rather than a lack of suitable habitat. The dams and artificial water holes on site

provide suitable habitat for Eastern Olive Toad (Amietophrynus garmani), Western Olive Toad

(Amietophrynus poweri), Guttural Toad (Amietophrynus gutturalis) and Raucous Toad (Amietophrynus

rangeri) while the edges of smaller more ephemeral water holes may be used by Natal Sand Frog

(Tomopterna natalensis) and Snoring Puddle Frog (Phrynobatrachus natalensis). The study area lies

within an area of range overlap for Giant Bullfrog (Pyxicephalus adspersus) and African Bullfrog (P.

edulis) however, the former species usually (but not always) inhabits grassland while the latter species

inhabits savanna. The soft aeolian sands (Pilanesberg Wash) which prevail in parts of the study area

provide a substrate conducive for the burrowing Bushveld Rain Frog (Brevieps adspersus)

Since 2006, NSS has observed Giant Bullfrogs at various locations in the Sedibelo and adjacent study

areas. In December 2014 and January 2015, NSS undertook site visits to confirm previously recorded

locations as breeding sites and to identify sites not previously observed. The confimed and newly

recorded Giant Bullfrog breeding sites within the Sedibelo study area, are indicated in Figure 13. A total

of eight sites were recorded within the Sedibelo study area and is listed in Table 31 below.

TABLE 31: GIANT BULLFRG OBSERVATIONS (REFERENCE FIGURE 13)

LABEL ON MAP POSITION BULLFROG OBSERVATION

Site b 25° 5'22.38"S, 27° 1'56.22"E

February 2008: Giant Bullfrog breeding observed December 2014: Juvenile African Bullfrog found near water

Site c 25° 4'57.72"S, 27° 2'12.90"E 2008: Giant Bullfrog adults observed in inundated grass verges

Site d 25° 5'28.20"S, 27° 2'51.00"E

2008: Adult Giant Bullfrog observed February/March 2009: Bullfrog tadpoles observed

Site e 25° 6'16.09"S, 27° 1'24.58"E

December 2014: Giant Bullfrog tadpoles, which were metamorphosing into froglets. There was high froglet and tadpole mortality due to ant predation, and possibly, low oxygen availability or high water temperature, respectively.

Site f 25° 5'28.20"S, 27° 2'2.05"E January 2015: Giant Bullfrog froglets



Page 1-54

LABEL ON MAP POSITION BULLFROG OBSERVATION

Site g 25° 7'26.48"S, 27° 4'41.64"E January 2015: A Giant Bullfrog male guarding a small school of tadpoles.

Site h 25° 5'28.20"S, 27° 2'2.05"E One school of bullfrog tadpoles (but no adult male) was observed

Site i 25° 5'3.51"S, 27° 2'41.63"E

December 2014: African Bullfrog froglets were observed along the water’s edge

Note: Site a was observed within the PPM mining rights area

Insects

The complete list of observed insects (excluding butterfly) taxa for the study area is provided in Table 32.

At least 42 insect (excluding butterfly) families from twelve orders have been recorded by NSS in the

study area to date. During January 2012, insect (excluding butterfly) specimens representing

approximately 23 families and 10 orders were observed in the whole of the Sedibelo area. Collectively

37 families and 12 orders of insects were recorded by NSS in Tuschenkomst and Magazynskraal during

visits in 2006-2011.

TABLE 32: INSECT TAXA ORDER, COMMON NAME AND

FAMILY GENUS/SPECIES ORDER, COMMON NAME AND FAMILY GENUS/SPECIES

COLEOPTERA – Beetles LEPIDOPTERA – Moths (butterflies excluded)

BUPRESTIDAE - NOCTUIDAE Cyligramma latona Grammodes exclusiva

CARABIDAE - PSYCHIDAE -

CARABIDAE Thermophilum homoplatum MANTODEA - Mantids

CERAMBYCIDAE - MANTIDAE Tarachodes Popa undata

CHRYSOMELIDAE * Antipus THESPIDAE Hoplocoryphela grandis CURCULIONIDAE - NEUROPTERA - Antlions LYCIDAE - ODONATA – Dragonflies & damselflies MELOIDAE Mylabris oculata ORTHOPTERA – Crickets & grasshoppers ACRIDIDAE -

TENEBRIONIDAE Anomalipus elephas ACRIDIDAE Acrida acuminate Trulaloides

BRADYPORIDAE Acanthoplus armiventrus TROGIDAE - GRYLLIDAE -

HYMENOPTERA – Ants, bees & wasps PAMPHAGIDAE Lamarckiana Phymateus viridipes Zonocerus elegans

APIDAE Apis mellifera PYRGOMORPHIDAE Zonocerus elegans FORMICIDAE - TETTIGONIIDAE Phaneroptera*

VESPIDAE - HEMIPTERA - Bugs LYGAEIDAE Spilostethus pandurus

ISOPTERA - Termites PHASMOTODEA – Stick insects TERMITIDAE - BACILLIDAE Maransis rufolineatus

Based on distribution data provided in Henning et al. (2009) the study area falls within the distribution

ranges of some 94 butterfly species. LepiMap lists 54 species for the QDGS 2527AA. Given this

information and considering the suitability of available habitat some 60 species are considered highly



Page 1-55

likely to occur on site. NSS has recorded 23 species within the Sedibelo study area. Previous NSS

surveys on the farms Magazynskraal 3 JQ, Witkleifontein 136 JP and Tuschenkomst 135 JP yielded 18, 7

and 36 species resepctively. Numbers of observed or potentially occurring species per butterfly

subfamily are summarised in Table 33.

TABLE 33: BUTTERFLY DIVERSITY IN THE STUDY AREA

SUBFAMILY COMMON NAME COMMON NAME

NUMBER OF SPECIES OBSERVED

POTENTIALLY OCCURRING

SEDIBELO NEIGHBOURING FARMS

DANAINAE Monarchs 1 1 1 SATYRINAE Browns, widows & ringlets 1 2 6 HELICONIINAE Acraeas 2 3 4 CHARAXINAE Emperors 1 3 LIMENITINAE Gliders, Guineafowl & sailors 1 2 BIBLIDINAE Nymphs, jokers & pipers 1 1 1

NYMPHALINAE Diadems, commodores, pansies & admirals 2 5 7

PORITIINAE Zulus, buffs & rocksitters 1 1

LYCAENINAE Saphires, playboys, coppers, opals, hairtails & blues 10 13 39

PIERINAE Vagrants, orange tips, whites & borders 4 13 18

COLIADINAE Yellows & migrants 1 2 3 PAPILIONINAE Swallowtails & swordtails 1 1 1 COELIADINAE Policemen 1 1

PYRGINAE Flats, skippers, elfins & sandmen 1 5

HETEROPTERINAE Sylphs 1

HESPERIINAE Rangers, darts, hoppers & swifts 1

Of the 19 additional potentially occurring butterfly species in the study area, four and eight species belong

to the subfamilies Pyrignae and Lycaeninae, respectively. These subfamilies were under sampled

probably because they include many species with fast and erratic flight, which are also difficult to identify.

Arachnids and other invertebrates

The complete list of arachnid taxa for the study area is provided in Table 34. To date 17 spiders and two

scorpions have been observed within the Sedibelo study area. During the February 2014 survey, an

extraordinarily high abundance of Banded-legged Nephila (Nephila senegalensis) and Black and Yellow

Garden Spider (Argiope australis) was observed on site. Interestingly the density of these spiders was

notably higher in areas with high densities of cattle and little grass cover as opposed to those without

cattle and dense grass cover. As specific sampling for invertebrates was not performed during the

survey, many more arachnid taxa certainly occur in the study area. More extensive sweep-netting and

inspection of micro-habitats under logs and rocks would increase the likelihood of detecting more

species.



Page 1-56

TABLE 34: ARACHNID TAXA IN THE STUDY AREA FAMILY COMMON NAME GENUS/SPECIES SPIDERS ARANEIDAE Hairy Field Spiders Araneus/Neoscona ARANEIDAE Orb-web spiders Argiope ARANEIDAE Orb-web spiders Gasteracantha ARANEIDAE Tropical tent spiders Cyrtophora ARANEIDAE Bark spiders Caerostris NEPHILIDAE Golden orb-web spiders Nephila senegalensis ERESIDAE Velvet spiders Stegodyphus AGELENIDAE Funnel-web spiders Olorunia THERIDIIDAE Comb-footed spiders Latrodectus geometricus CLUBIONIDAE Sac spiders - HETEROPODIDAE Large wandering crab spiders Palystes LYCOSIDAE Wolf spiders - PISAURIDAE Nursery-web & fishing spiders Thalassius SALTICIDAE Jumping spiders - SELENOPODIDAE Flat spiders - IDIOPIDAE Front-eyed trapdoor spiders Idiops THERAPHOSIDAE Baboon spiders Harpactira* SCORPIONS SCORPIONIDAE - Opistothalmus glabifrons* BUTHIDAE - Uroplectes triangulifer* Apart from insects and arachnids, millipedes and centipedes were also observed on the study site during

site visits. No threatened invertebrates including range-restricted butterflies were observed in the study

area. Sampling specifically for invertebrates, which requires considerable time and specialist expertise,

was not performed during January 2012, therefore, many insect orders were not recorded.

Results – Aquatic ecology

This section should be read with reference to sampling points, Sites 1-6, indicated as in Figure 11.

Habitat

Habitat Integrity

The riparian habitat of the upstream site on the Wilgespruit (Site 1) was considered natural (A) because it

was only slightly affected by bank erosion, water quality as well as channel and flow modifications due to

river crossings. The downstream site of the Wilgespruit (Site 2) had the most impacted riparian zone.

The channel modification due to the upstream river diversion, alien vegetation (Gum trees - Eucalyptus

and Castor-oil Plant- Ricinus communis), removal of indigenous vegetation and bank erosion caused this

site to be classed as moderately modified (C).

The riparian habitats of both the sites (Site 4 and Site 6) on the Bofule River were classed as largely

natural (B). The upstream site on the Bofule River (Site 4) was mainly impacted on by bank erosion. The

downstream site on the Bofule River (Site 6), after the confluence with the Wilgespruit, was impacted by



Page 1-57

the removal of indigenous vegetation, increases in alien vegetation (Datura ferox and D stramonium –

Thorn Apples) and flow modifications due to impoundment.

In most cases, the instream habitats were more impacted on than the riparian habitats of the sites, except

Site 4 as indicated in Table 35. The instream habitat of both the upstream sites, Site 1 and Site 4, were

classified as largely natural (B). Site 1 was moderately impacted on by water quality, channel and bed

modification due to river crossings and low water bridges. Site 4 was largely impacted on by upstream

dams and roads through the river and slightly by bed- and channel modification due to these roads.

However, both sites were still close to their original state. The most impacted site was Site 2 which was

classed as moderately modified (C). The river diversion upstream of this site caused significant bed- and

channel modification to the instream habitat. In general, these habitat modifications is expected to

indirectly impact on the biotope availability, velocity depth flow structures and water quality, which will

also influence the biotic component of the ecosystem at these aquatic sampling sites when these rivers

are flowing.

TABLE 35: IMPACTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DECREASES IN INSTREAM AND RIPARIAN HABITATS SITE 1

(UPSTREAM WILGESPRUIT)

SITE 2 (DOWNSTREAM WILGESPRUIT)

SITE 4 (UPSTREAM

BOFULE)

SITE 6 (DOWNSTREAM

BOFULE) Instream Habitat

IHI % 83 61 81 71 IHI Class B C B C Impacts Water quality,

moderate channel and bed modifications due to river crossings and low water bridges.

Upstream bed-, channel and flow modifications due to river diversion.

Moderate flow modifications due to upstream dams and river crossings. Slight bed and channel

difi i

Flow modifications due to dams

Riparian Habitat RHI % 90 69 80 82 RHI Class A C B B Impacts Bank erosion, slight

channel and low modifications.

Bank erosion, channel modifications, alien vegetation, indigenous vegetation removal.

Bank erosion and flow modifications.

Bank erosion, flow modifications, alien vegetation, indigenous vegetation removal.

Habitat availability for diatoms, macro-invertebrates and fish

The study area is located within the Bofule Catchment (which includes the Wilgespruit sub catchment)

where the rivers have a naturally low range of suitable habitats. Both the Wilgespruit and Bofule River

are non-perennial systems with no flowing shallow and deep habitats at any of the sites. Only a shallow

pool existed at the upstream site on the Wilgespruit (Site 1).

In addition, these rivers are typical of lower foothills dominated by the first stream order. Of the biotope-

groups, no bedrock, stones in current (SIC), aquatic vegetation (AQV) or marginal vegetation in current

(MVIC) were present at the sampling sites which limits the habitat availability for aquatic organisms. At



Page 1-58

Site 1, mainly gravel, sand and mud (GSM), marginal vegetation out of current (MVOOC) and limited

stones out of current (SOOC) were present. The farm dam (Site 3), next to the downstream site on the

Wilgespruit (Site 2), contained water with mainly GSM and MVOOC present.

Sediment

The results of the sediment analysis at the four sites are presented in Table 36. Currently no sediment

quality guidelines (SQGs) exist for freshwaters in South Africa. Therefore, the available international

guideline values were used and the concentrations that appear in shaded cells are concentrations that

exceed these international SQGs. The first part of Table 36 indicates the salt concentrations in the

sediment samples from the various sampled sites. No national or international guideline values are

available for these variables. Therefore, this data will serve as a reference for future samples. No

increases in these values should be found in future surveys.

TABLE 36: METAL CONCENTRATIONS IN THE SEDIMENT OF THE RIVER SYSTEMS

n/a – not available; *Guideline values derived from Australia-New Zealand (ANZECC, 2000), Netherlands (Friday, 1998), Canada; (Friday, 1998), Hamilton (2004) and Sheppard et al. (2005).

Abbr. Site 1 Site 2 Site 4 Site 6

CalciumPotassiumMagnesiumSodiumPhosphorus

Ca K Mg NaP

mg/kg mg/kg mg/kg mg/kgmg/kg

n/a n/a n/a n/an/a

5272.50 2547.503905.00711.25459.50

5430.002615.003847.50650.75451.75

5700.00742.75

1556.50495.75356.25

6975.004067.505790.00548.00554.50

6.96 9.1725125.00 12927.50

Silver Gold Boron Cadmium

Ag Au B

Cd

mg/kgmg/kg mg/kg mg/kg

0.360.120.400.16

0.420.110.000.21

0.340.131.080.14

Cobalt Co mg/kg 21.05 37.80 21.99Chromium Copper

CrCu

mg/kgmg/kg

2616

114.9818.36

155.5522.52

167.6016.13

161.7026.63

IronLead Mercury Manganese Molybdenum

Fe Pb Hg Mn Mo

mg/kgmg/kgmg/kg mg/kgmg/kg

n/a35

0.1746010

34325.0031.230.00

2274.456.43

37250.0026.580.00

2158.254.54

35425.0030.480.00

5462.507.17

40675.0027.880.00

1822.503.62

Nickel Ni mg/kg 18 39.15 55.65 71.63 62.33Selenium Se mg/kg 0.08 0.45 0.12 0.05 0.34

StrontiumTitanium

SrTi

mg/kgmg/kg

n/an/a

283.50749.75

188.43582.75

168.60353

316.75326.25

Uranium U mg/kg 2.50 3.89 2.46 2.23 2.89VanadiumZinc

VZn

mg/kgmg/kg

n/a200

75.90139.45

85.78106.78

106.6556.58

86.43131.25

UNIT GUIDELINE VALUE*

1.00 n/a n/a0.57

20.00

5.8635500.00

0.300.120.230.17

15.59

METAL SAMPLING SITES

IONS

METALS

ArsenicAluminium

AsAl

mg/kgmg/kg

5.90n/a

5.8328950.00



Page 1-59

Water quality

Water quality variables were assessed to determine the impacts within an ecosystem that may contribute

toward changes within the biotic integrity. The full set of results are included in the ecologicl assessment

report (NSS, 2014). The qualiy of the water were assessed against the Target Water Quality Range

(TWQR) values for aquatic ecosystems (DWAF, 1996). A summary of the constituents above TWQR is

discussed below. The relevant sampling points are indicated in Figure 11.

The natural dissolved oxygen (DO) should be between 8 and 12 mg/l (depending on temperature, total

dissolved solids and height above sea level) and the percentage saturation should be between 80% and

120%. Compared to natural conditions, the DO and percentage saturation were low at all the sampling

sites. The low oxygen levels were due to limited flow at the sites and increased water temperatures in the

summer conditions. In addition, elevated levels of organic wastes (COD) were also observed at Site 1

and Site 3 which probably reduced the DO levels even further. Increased COD is commonly associated

with animal feedlots and cattle grazing.

In addition, there were a number of chemical constituents that also exceeded the TWQR including

aluminium, alkalinity, fluoride, ammonia, phosphate, suspended solids, turbidity and Total coliform.

The aluminium (Al) concentration at the Bofule upstream site, Site 3, was at an unacceptable level. Very

high concentrations of Al were also found in the soils of the study area and it is suspected that this

caused the high Al concentrations in the water as well. Aluminium is one of the more toxic metals within

a water ecosystem and is associated with numerous biochemical effects on aquatic biota.

At Site 1, the high concentration of bicarbonate in the water was indicated by the increased alkalinity. In

most cases, this is directly related to the amount of plant life within the aquatic system and abundant

riparian vegetation was still observed upstream of Site 1. However, high concentrations of bicarbonate

were also observed in the groundwater during previous studies (AGES, 2013) suggesting an additional

source. The high alkalinity aided in the buffering capacity of the water and was also observed with a pH

value of 7.3 at this upstream site.

When considering the ions, high concentrations of fluoride (F) were observed at both the upstream and

downstream sites. These high concentrations of F are natural in the sediment and igneous rocks in the

area. In addition, F also reacts rapidly with calcium (Ca) and phosphate ions (PO4-P) to form insoluble

complexes, which settles out of the water column. This probably caused the high concentrations of F in

the water at both sites. The water temperatures were high at both sites and therefore increase the toxic

effects of F. On the other hand, the increased water hardness concentration (104 mg/ℓ) at Site 1 reduces

these toxic effects of F. However, this was not the case at Site 3 where the total hardness concentration

was very low (17 mg/ℓ). A higher PO4 concentration was also observed at Site 3. In most cases, elevated



Page 1-60

PO4 concentrations stimulate the growth of aquatic plants. However, this was not observed at Site 3. The

major source of the increased concentration of PO4 is most likely the cattle farming surrounding the dam.

The sediment also contained high concentrations of phosphorus (P) that might have influenced the

concentrations in the surface water. Natural waters typically contain ammonia and ammonium (NH4)

compounds in concentrations below 0.1 mg/ℓ. This was not the case at Site 1 (1.43 mg/ℓ) and Site 3

(0.488 mg/ℓ), indicating that the waters of the river and dam are not completely pristine. The main source

of NH4 probably comes from the biological degradation of manure (DWAF, 1996) which in this case

includes the cattle farming as well as wildlife in the area.

In addition, increased concentrations of biological contamination were also observed in the form of Total

coliform (T. coli). These bacteria are mostly found in the intestine and faeces of endotherms (warm-

blooded animals) and even though T. coli are usually not the cause of serious illness it can still indicate

pathogens including bacteria, viruses or protozoa.

The erosive nature of the soils in the area is most probably the main cause of the high suspended solids

(SS) and turbidity at the sampling sites. Anthropogenic activities like erosion and construction exposed

and disturbed soils could also have influenced these concentrations. According to DWAF (1996)

increased SS and turbidity levels will affect the light penetration in these water bodies, which will in turn

affect any benthic invertebrates and fish that occupy these habitats.

TABLE 37: THE CONSTITUENTS ANALYSED AT EACH SITE DURING HIGH FLOW 2013/2014 AND AQUATIC TWQR

CONSTITUENTS CHEMICAL SYMBOL OR

ABBREVIATION UNIT TWQRA)

SAMPLING SITES

SITE 1 DEC 2013

SITE 2 FEB 2014

SITE 3 DEC 2013

SITE 5 FEB 2014

IN SITU WATER QUALITY PARAMETERS pH Dissolved Oxygen Percentage saturation Temperature Electrical Conductivity Total Dissolved Solids Salinity

- DO

DO% Temp.

EC

TDS

-

- mg/ℓ

% °C

mS/m

mg/ℓ mg/ℓ

6-9 8-12

80-120

5-30

70

450 0.5

7.4 7.3 7.0 7.5 2.9

33

2.1

32

3.1

32

4.7

71 25

37

185 0.2

27

21

104 0.1

28 7

37 0.03

30

15

73 0.1

METALS Aluminium Arsenic Cadmium Cobalt Total chromium

Al As Cd Co

mg/ℓ mg/ℓ mg/ℓ mg/ℓ

0.005 0.01 0.15 0.25* 0.007

<0.003 <0.007 <0.001 <0.001 <0.001

- - - - -

0.754 - - - - -

<0.007 <0.001 <0.001



Page 1-61

CONSTITUENTS CHEMICAL SYMBOL OR

ABBREVIATION UNIT TWQRA)

SAMPLING SITES

SITE 1 DEC 2013

SITE 2 FEB 2014

SITE 3 DEC 2013

SITE 5 FEB 2014

Copper Iron Manganese Nickel Lead Selenium Tellurium Zinc Total alkalinity Total hardness

Cr Cu Fe Mn Ni Pb Se Te Zn -

mg/ℓ mg/ℓ mg/ℓ mg/ℓ mg/ℓ mg/ℓ mg/ℓ mg/ℓ mg/ℓ

mg CaCO3/ℓ

0.003 0.1* 0.18 0.1*

0.0002 0.002

- 0.002

20 90

<0.001 <0.003 <0.001 <0.001 <0.004 <0.007 0.011

<0.002

- - - - - - - - - -

<0.001 <0.001 0.656

<0.001 <0.001 <0.004 <0.007 0.001

<0.002 17

- - - - - - - - - -

104 87

IONS Calcium Chloride Fluoride Potassium Magnesium Sodium

Ca Cl F K

Mg Na

mg/ℓ mg/ℓ mg/ℓ mg/ℓ mg/ℓ mg/ℓ

150* 50* 0.75 50* 70* 50*

20.2 39.6

- - - - - -

4.84 6.34

- - - - - -

3.02 0.852 12.4 8.78 33.9

3.94 2.11

0.441 NUTRIENTS

Ammonium Nitrate Nitrite Orthophosphate Sulphate

NH4 NO3 NO2 PO4

SO4

mg/ℓ mg/ℓ mg/ℓ mg/ℓ mg/ℓ

0.007 6*

20* 0.3* 80*

1.43 - - - - -

0.488 - - - - -

0.610 0.163 0.293 25.0

0.427 0.104 0.437 3.02

ORGANIC ENRICHMENT Chemical Oxygen

COD mg/ℓ 20 22 - 40 -

TURBIDITY

Suspended Solids Turbidity

SS -

mg/ℓ NTU

5* 25

115 132

- -

148 279

- -

BIOLOGICAL Escherichia coli Total coliform

E. coli T. coli

(CFU/100mg/ℓ) (CFU/100mg/ℓ)

150R 130R

58 - -

58 - - 1100 360

a) TWQR – Target Water Quality Range (DWAF, 1996a) - Not available; * No data available from DWAF (1996) therefore obtained from Kotze (2001); R= Water quality guidelines for recreational use (DWAF, 1996b); Constituents highlighted in grey are characterised as exceeding limits that would significantly influence the aquatic integrity in flowing systems. The constituents highlighted in bold are considered a concern. Diatoms

Diatom community structures were sampled and analysed to determine the current water quality and also

provide an indication of historical conditions. Diatoms could only be collected at the two non-flowing

sites, Site 1 and Site 3, which contained water and where none of the other indices were applicable

because of the low habitat diversity. However, the habitats of both these sampling sites were limited with

mainly GSM (gravel, sand and mud) available and some SOOC (stones out of current) at Site 1. The



Page 1-62

majority of living plants like these micro algae (diatoms) require sunlight to survive and photosynthesize.

However, both the sampling sites contained non-flowing water with high turbidity and sedimentation. It is

possible, that this turbid water affected the light penetration and therefore restricted the photosynthesis of

diatoms. For this reason together with the limited habitat available might explain the absence of any

diatoms at both of these sample sites. Therefore, no diatom valves were counted and no ecological

conclusions could be drawn from these results.

Macro-invertebrates

Six families of macro-invertebrates were observed and indicated a low biodiversity in the area. The

sensitivity of each family ranges from one (highly tolerant) to six (moderately tolerant). The average

sensitivity was a score of three which indicates that the macro-invertebrates in the study area are

dominated by highly tolerant taxa. This was due to the ephemeral nature of these systems and the harsh

conditions these macro-invertebrates have to endure. The majority of the families present prefer pools

and/or very slow flowing water. The habitat preferences also included muddy areas. These were the only

two biotopes available and therefore mainly inhibited by macro-invertebrates that prefer these habitat

conditions. A low percentage of air breathers (16%) were also observed which indicate sufficient

dissolved oxygen (DO) levels for the macro-invertebrates.

High abundances of the fairy shrimps were noted in the farm dams and ephemeral systems in the area.

The species were not identified but about 80% of the species are endemic to a region. Even though fairy

shrimps are not part of SASS5, they provide a good indication of the type of watercourse present. Fairy

shrimps inhibit temporary, freshwaters where they feed on algae, detritus and other items filtered from

suspension. The life cycles are generally very short to accommodate the transience of the habitat. In this

case, the family Thamnocephalidae mostly occur in the North-West Province.

According to previous studies (Econ@uj, 2007; NSS, 2011) done in the area, the macro- invertebrates

sampled included Baetidae, Belostomatidae, Ceratopogonidae, Chironomidae, Choenagriodidae,

Corixidae, Culicidae, Dytiscidae, Gerridae, Gomphidae, Gyrinidae, Hirudinea, Notonectidae, Oligochaeta

and Veliidae. The sensitivity of these families also ranged from highly (Culicidae and Oligochaeta) to

moderately tolerant (Baetidae and Gomphidae). The average sensitivity was a score of four and

indicated that mainly highly tolerant taxa inhibited these ephemeral systems when water is available. The

low DO levels and percentage saturation were also reflected by the higher percentage of air breathers

(50%) during the previous sampling runs.

Ichthyofuana

Expected species

The reference list used was compiled from various literature sources as well as previous studies done in

the area (Econ@uj, 2007; NSS, 2011). The reference list consisted of 10 expected fish species and is

presented in Table 45. The fish species that should occur in Quaternary Catchment A24D include



Page 1-63

Barbus paludinosus, Barbus trimaculatus, Barbus unitaeniatus, Chetia flaviventris, Clarius gariepinus,

Mesobola brevianalis, O. mossambicus, Pseudocrenilabrus philander and Tilapia sparmanii. The majority

of these fish species in the area do not have a conservation status according to the IUCN (2013), except

O. mossambicus, which has a Near Threatened status. The alien fish species in the catchment includes

Cyprinus carpio.

TABLE 38: EXPECTED FISH SPECIES

FAMILY SPECIES COMMON NAME CONSERVATION STATUS CICHLIDAE CICHLIDAE

Chetia flaviventris Oreochromis mossambicus

Canary kurper Mozambique tilapia

LC NT

CICHLIDAE CICHLIDAE

Pseudocrenilabrus philander Tilapia sparrmanii

Southern mouthbrooder Banded tilapia

LC LC

CLARIIDAE Clarias gariepinus Sharptooth catfish LC

CYPRINIDAE CYPRINIDAE

Barbus paludinosus Barbus trimaculatus

Straightfin barb Threespot barb

LC LC

CYPRINIDAE CYPRINIDAE

Barbus unitaeniatus Mesobola brevianalis

Longbeard barb River sardine

LC LC

CYPRINIDAE Cyprinus carpio Carp Alien NT = Near threatened; LC = Least concern.

Absence of fish species

None of these fish species listed were found at theany of sampling sites. Even though the majority of

these fish species will be able to survive in these systems if there was water available. Previous studies

also indicated that no fish species were sampled in the Wilgespruit and Bofule Rivers. However, O.

mossambicus individuals were sampled in the Bierspruit Dam approximately 2km downstream of Site 4

(Econ@uj, 2007; NSS, 2011). It is not uncommon to encounter no fish species in ephemeral systems.

There is also very little connectivity to larger tributaries of the catchment, and recruitment from these

streams and rivers would be low, if at all possible. For example, the Bierspruit Dam will act as a barrier

and no recruitment of fish from the downstream perennial Crocodile River will occur. However, Econ@uj

(2007) indicated if the Bierspruit did not exist the entire Bierspruit/Bofule catchment would be dry. This

storage dam has been known to periodically dry up and the presence of the O. mossambicus in the

system can be explained by the local anglers regularly trans-locating this species into this dam after

extended dry periods.

Results – Species of Conservation Importance

Flora

SANBI’s Plants of South Africa (POSA) database did not list any threatened species for the area within

which the project site falls. One Declining and one Data Deficient species were however listed. Some of

the listed endemic species were recorded within the study area as well as number of species that are

protected by South African legislation (including the NW Conservation Bill). All Declining, Data Deficient,

Endemic and Protected species are considered as species of Conservation Importance (CI). Table 39

provides a list species with CI with their occurrence in the different communities.



Page 1-64

TABLE 39: SPECIES OF CONSERVATION CONCERN FOR THE PROJECT AREA FAMILY SPECIES COMMON NAME STATUS

AMARYLLIDACEAE Boophone disticha Tumbleweed *Declining AMARYLLIDACEAE Crinum sp. - **Protected APOCYNACEAE Duvalia polita Polished Star **Protected APOCYNACEAE Huernia transvaalensis Stent Huernia **Protected APOCYNACEAE Orbea lutea Yellow Carrion Flower **Protected ASPHODELACEAE Aloe zebrina Baker Zebra Leaf Aloe **Protected CAPPARACEAE Boscia albitrunca Shepherd’s Tree **Protected FABACEAE Acacia erioloba Camel Thorn Declining EUPHORBIACEAE Spirostachys africana Tamboti **Protected Note: * Determined from the POSA database managed by SANBI; ** Protected under the North-West Biodiversity Conservation Bill, which incorporates the old Transvaal Nature Conservation Ordinance12 of 1983

Furthermore, CI species that have been recorded on neighbouring farms by NSS are listed in Table 40.

As similar habitats to the Sedibelo site are identified in neighbouring areas, these species can therefore

be expected to occur within the Sedibelo area.

TABLE 40: SPECIES OF CONSERVATION CONCERN ON NEIGBOURING FARMS

FAMILY SPECIES COMMON NAME STATUS

TUSC

EN-

KO

MST

MA

GA

ZYN

S-K

RA

AL

AMARYLLIDACEAE Brunsvigia radulosa Candelabra Flower **Protected X AMARYLLIDACEAE Crinum lugardiae Veld Lily **Protected X AMARYLLIDACEAE Scadoxus puniceus Paintbrush Lily **Protected X ANACARDIACEAE Sclerocarya birrea Marula **Protected X APOCYNACEAE Huernia zebrina Lifesaver Plant **Protected X

ARALIACEAE Cussonia transvaalensis Grey Cabbage Tree **Protected X

ASPHODELACEAE Aloe marlothii Mountain Aloe **Protected X HYACINTHACEAE Drimia altissima ( Tall White Squill Declining X IRIDACEAE Gladiolus sp. - **Protected X ORCHIDACEAE Bonatea antennifera Antennae Bonatea **Protected X Note: * Determined from the POSA database managed by SANBI; ** Protected under the North-West Biodiversity Conservation Bill, which incorporates the old Transvaal Nature Conservation Ordinance12 of 1983

Fauna

The faunal species listed in this section are prioritised according to the International Union for

Conservation of Nature and Natural Resource’s Red List categories (IUCN, 2012), which are recognized

internationally, and which are largely used to define the national conservation status of species in South

Africa.



Page 1-65

Mammals

Conservation importance mammal species for the study area are listed in Table 41.

TABLE 41: PRESENT AND POTENTIALLY OCCURRING CI MAMMAL SPECIES

ORDER1 & SPECIES2 COMMON NAME2

STATUS

LoO

SITE

(NSS

201

4)

SITE

(NSS

201

3)

MA

GA

ZYN

SKR

AA

L

TUSC

HEN

KO

MST

ATL

AS

(252

7AA

)

GLO

BA

L IU

CN

5

S.A

. RED

S.A

. NEM

BA

3

INSECTOVORA (Insectivores)

Atelerix frontalis Southern African Hedgehog LC (S) NT PS 2 x

PHOLIDOTA (Pangolin)

Manis temminckii Pangolin LC (D) VU VU 2 x

CARNIVORA (Carnivores)

Hyaena brunnea Brown Hyaena NT (D) NT PS 1 x x x

Panthera pardus Leopard NT (D) LC VU 1 x

Felis nigripes Black-footed Cat VU (D) LC PS 3

Leptailurus serval Serval LC (S) NT PS 2 x

Vulpes chama Cape Fox LC (S) LC PS 2 x

Mellivora capensis Honey Badger LC (D) NT PS 2 x

ARTIODACTYLA (Even-toed Ungulates) Redunca arundinum Reedbuck LC (S) LC PS 3 x

KEY Status: D = Decreasing; LC = Least Concern; NT = Near Threatened; PS = Protected Species; S = stable; VU = Vulnerable

LoO (Likelihood of Occurrence): 1 = Present; 2 = High; 3 = Moderate.

Sources: 1Stuart & Stuart (2000); 2Friedmann & Daly (2004); 3NEMBA (2007); 4IUCN (2014).

Birds

NSS surveys have confirmed the presence of four CI bird species within the Sedibelo study area (NSS

SBA, 2013). These include the three vultures (observed resting in an old cultivated field on the Sedibelo

farm) and one oxpecker discussed below. Present and potentially occurring bird species of conservation

importance for the study area are listed in Table 42.



Page 1-66

TABLE 42: PRESENT AND POTENTIALLY OCCURRING CI BIRD SPECIES

CATEGORY1 &

SPECIES2

COMMON NAME2

STATUS

LoO

SITE

(NSS

201

4)

SITE

(NSS

201

3)

MA

GA

ZYN

SKR

AA

L

TUSC

HEN

KO

MST

ATL

AS

(SA

BA

P 1)

ATL

AS

(SA

BA

P 2)

GLO

BA

L IU

CN

3

S.A

. RED

DA

TA4

S.A

. NEM

BA

5

1. Ocean birds Pelecanus onocrotalus Great White Pelican LC (U) NT - 3 x

2. Inland water birds Mycteria ibis Yellow-billed Stork LC (D) NT - 3 x Ciconia nigra Black Stork LC (U) NT VU 3 x

4. Large terrestrial birds Sagittarius serpentarius Secretarybird VU (D) NT - 3 x x Anthropoides paradiseus Blue Crane VU (S) VU EN 3 x Ardeotis kori Kori Bustard NT (D) VU VU 3 x

5. Raptors Gyps coprotheres Cape Vulture VU (D) VU EN 1 x x Gyps africanus White-backed Vulture EN (D) VU EN 1 x x Torgos tracheliotos Lappet-faced Vulture VU (D) VU EN 1 x

Falco biarmicus Lanner Falcon LC (I) NT - 2 x x Aquila rapax Tawny Eagle LC (S) VU VU 3 x Polemaetus bellicosus Martial Eagle VU (D) VU VU 2 x Circus ranivorus African Marsh- harrier LC (D) VU PS 3 x

11. Oxpeckers & nectar feeders Buphagus erythrorhynchus

Red-billed Oxpecker

LC (D) NT - 1 x x x x x

KEY Status: D = Declining; EN = Endangered; I = Increasing; LC = Least Concern; NT = Near Threatened; PS = Protected Species; S = Stable; U = Unknown; VU = Vulnerable

LoO: 1 = Present; 2 = High; 3 = Moderate.

Sources: 1Newman (2002); 2SABAP 2 (2013); 3IUCN (2013.1); 4BARNES (2000); 5NEMBA (2007).

Herpetofauna

One CI reptile and two CI frog species have the potential to occur on site. The presence of African Rock

Python (Python natalensis) and Giant Bullfrog (Pyxicephalus adspersus) was confirmed on site from

photographic evidence supplied by mine staff. The nationally protected African Bullfrog (Pyxicephalus

edulis) has the potential to occur on site but has not been observed during NSS projects within the study

area or neighbouring farms.

Giant Bullfrog (Pyxicephalus adspersus): The Near Threatened Giant Bullfrog has been recorded by NSS

on the farms Witkleifontein 136 JP. Due to the dry weather and lack of standing water during the

Sedibelo studies it was difficult to assess whether or where Giant Bullfrogs might breed on site. The



Page 1-67

formation of small, rain-filled depressions on black turf after heavy rain could facilitate widespread but

diffuse breeding by bullfrogs in the study area.

From 2007 to 2009, Sedibelo appointed a team of scientists and engineers to undertake a site

assessment. During this time, the team had identified populations of Giant Bullfrog at scattered localities

mainly within the northern section of the study area (Figure 13). Sedibelo commissioned NSS to conduct

a specialist amphibian and Giant Bullfrog survey and provide management proposals for the conservation

of the Giant Bullfrog within the study area prior to the commencement of any open cast mining. Giant

Bullfrogs are found in specific habitats in grassland and savanna. They occur at intermittent sites in the

conceptual Heritage Park corridor between the Pilanesberg and Madikwe Game Reserves (NSS, 2014),

in which the Sedibelo property lies, and are an important indicator of the ecological health of ephemeral

wetland systems in the region. NSS in association with VC Management Services compiled a report and

field investigation in 2009.

Although no bullfrogs were encountered during any of the site visits, it was concluded that, there is a

probability that Giant Bullfrogs breed in the shallow temporary pools and the shallow ends of dams along

and adjacent to the two main watercourses (Bofule and Wilgespruit) and their tributaries. Breeding may

also take place elsewhere on the property. However, Giant Bullfrog breeding sites are not often

contiguous over large areas and it is unlikely that every waterhole is a breeding site. It is possible that

there are several separate but related breeding populations on the property. Watercourses and adjacent

grasslands almost certainly serve as connecting corridors between such breeding populations. They also

offer foraging grounds and hibernating retreats, and foraging and hibernation would occur anywhere

within a kilometre or more of breeding sites.

Terrestrial Macro-invertebrates

Except for butterflies, comprehensive data of the IUCN status of any particular order of invertebrate is

limited. However, the NEMBA Schedule of 2007 lists a number of South African invertebrate taxa as

protected. Potentially occurring CI invertebrates which may occur within the study area are represented

in Table 43. Two CI species were detected within the Sedibelo study area, namely Common Baboon

spider (Harpactira sp.) and Burrowing Scorpion (Opistothalmus glabifrons). No butterfly species of IUCN

threat status have the potential to occur within the study area based on distribution data provided.



Page 1-68

TABLE 43: PRESENT AND POTENTIALLY OCCURRING CI TERRESTRIAL MACRO-INVERTEBRATE SPECIES

CLASS & SPECIES

COMMON NAME

LoO

STATUS

SITE

(NSS

201

4)

SITE

(NSS

201

3)

TUSC

HEN

KO

MST

INSECTA (Insects) Dromica spp. Tiger Beetles 3 PS Manticora spp. Monster Tiger Beetles 3 PS

Oonotus spp. Stag Beetles 3 PS

ARACHNIDA (Spiders & Scorpions) Opistothalmus glabifrons Burrowing Scorpion 1 PS x

Opistohthalmus spp. Burrowing Scorpions 2 PS

Opisthacanthus spp. Creeping scorpion 2 PS

Hadogenes troglodytes Rock scorpion 2 PS x Hadogenes spp. 2 PS

Ceratogyrus sp. Horned Baboon spiders 3 PS

Harpactira sp. Common Baboon spider 1 PS x x Harpactira spp. Common Baboon spiders 2 PS

Pterinochilus sp. Golden brown baboon spiders 3 PS

KEY Status: PS = Protected Species. LoO: 1 = Present; 2 = High; 3 = Moderate. Source: NEMBA (2007).

Results - Intruder or exotic species

Alien plant species identified in the study area are listed in Table 44, together with their classification in

terms of the Conservation of Agriculture Resources Act, 43 of 1983 (CARA).

TABLE 44: INTRUDER SPECIES SPECIES NAME COMMON NAME CARA CATEGORY

Achyranthes aspera Burweed Category 1 Gomphrena celosioides Bachelor's Button Weed Gomphocarpus fruticosus Milkweed Indigenous weed Bidens pilosa Black jacks Weed Conyza bonariensis Fleabane Weed Flaveria bidentis Smelter's Bush - Schkuhria pinnata Dwarf marigold Weed Tagetes minuta Khakibos Weed Xanthium strumarium Large cocklebur Category 1; 1b Zinnia peruviana Common zinnia Weed Opuntia ficus-indica Prickly pear Category 1; 1b Ammannia baccifera Blistering Ammania Weed Hibiscus trionm Bladder Hibiscus Weed



Page 1-69

SPECIES NAME COMMON NAME CARA CATEGORY Argemone ochroleuca Mexican poppy Weed Richardia scabra Paper thorn Weed Datura feros Large thorn apple Category 1; 1b Datura stramonium Common Thorn Apple Category 1; 1b Lantana camara Common Lantana Category 1; 1b

Of the species identified, 26% were found to be of alien origin. Six of these were Category 1 weeds,

namely: Achyranthes aspera; Datura ferox; Datura stramonium; Lantana camara; Opuntia ficus-indica

and Xanthium strumarium. The majority of alien species were identified in the black turf community,

which is attributable to human disturbance and agriculture.

Domestic cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats, pigs, dogs, cats and poultry were common in the study area.

Grazing and trampling by livestock has had an obvious adverse impact on vegetation, while predation by

dogs and cats is likely to have had a negative impact on certain fauna (e.g., large terrestrial birds and

reptiles). Hybridization and disease transmission may also present a problem between domestic animals

and wildlife.

Alien birds including the Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis), House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) and

Rock Dove (Columba livia) were observed in the study area, but are expected to have a limited impact on

biodiversity due to their current low abundance.

Results – Areas of concern

The Areas of Conservation Significance (AoCS) have been identified based on international, national,

provincial and local scale requirements.

International AoCS

No international AoCS were recognised for the site.

National AoCS

National level AoCS, indicated in Figure 12, included the following requirements:

• nationally protected areas, which may include wetlands and associated riparian areas and buffer

zones, as specifically stipulated in the NWA;

• Nationally Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Areas (NFEPAs). In terms of water resources, the section

of the Bofule (Category B-Largely Natural), emanating from the Pilanesberg as specifically indicated

in Figure 7, is ranked as a Level 1 NFEPA, and is therefore regarded as ecologically important and

generally sensitive to changes in water quality and quantity;

• classification of the Bofule River. The Bofule River was classified as a FEPA based on the river

ecosystem type - an Ephemeral upper and lower foothill system- and the fact that it was still in a good



Page 1-70

condition (Category B) when the FEPA status was determined. This river condition was determined

by evaluating the present ecological state of rivers, river health data, reserve determination data,

expert knowledge and natural land cover data. The Bofule River system contains no threatened fish

species or wetland FEPAs. The river ecosystem types that are represented in the Bofule River are

endangered (upper foothill) and critically endangered (lower foothill). An investigation by NSS (2014)

supported the assessment of the Bofule River being a FEPA, based on ecosystem type and current

conditions.

• Mining and Biodiversity Guidelines (2013). With reference to Figure 12, areas along the Wilgespruit

and Bofule rivers are classified as being of Highest Biodiversity Importance and Risk for Mining,

whereas the southern half of the site is classified as an area of High Biodiversity Importance and Risk

for Mining. The remainder of the site is not classified; and

• national priority areas and recognised threatened systems. The study area does not fall in any

applicable national priority listings.

It should be noted that some of the approved infrastructure, falls within these identified areas as indicated

in Figure 12.

Local level AoCS

Local level AoCS were identified on the basis of ecological sensitivity, conservation value, the presence

of conservation importance species and the level or extent of disturbance and are outlined in Table 45

below and illustrated in Figure 13.

This identification of a local area of significance was undertaken according to a sensitivity-value analysis

adopted by the specialist and included input based on knowledge of the area, on the ground

investigations and experience when dealing with ecological systems and processes. Identified units

within the study area were ranked into Very High, High, Medium-high, Medium, Medium-low classes in

terms of significance.

With reference to Figure 13, the various significance ratings as obtained from the sensitivity analysis

scoring system are explained in Table 45. From the findings on site, a higher richness and abundance of

faunal species would be expected in parts of the study area where:

• there was high diversity of plant species;

• the habitat was least transformed by past and especially, current human settlement, crop cultivation,

livestock grazing and erosion; and

• drainage lines and other water bodies were situated.

It should be noted that some of the approved infrastructure, falls within these identified areas as indicated

in Figure 13.



Page 1-71

TABLE 45: SUMMARY OVERVIEW OF SCORING THE LOCAL AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE (REFER TO FIGURE 13) VEGETATION TYPE

FAUNAL SENSITIVITY (RATING 1-6)

FLORAL SENSITIVITY (RATING 1-6)

CONSERVATION VALUE (RATING 1-6)

PRESENCE OF CI SPECIES (RATING 1-6)

LEVEL/EXTENT OF DISTURBANCE (RATING -1-6)

TOTAL SCORE

Ziziphus mucronata – Buddleja saligna Riparian Vegetation

Medium-High(4) Dense larger vegetation different avifaunal species present

High (5) Unique species in comparison to the surrounds, includes a number of CI Species

Very High (6) • Riparian Zone • Corridor to fauna • Dispersal for flora • Nationally

protected • Provincially

Protected – Permits Required

Yes (5)

Change in vegetation structure (-0) • Reduced Grazing pressures • Alien encroachment present with a

number of weedy species • Soil disturbances with erosion at

cattle crossings

Very high (20)

Ephemeral System and Buffer Zone

High(5) Includes CI Breeding Habitat, Species refuge and corridor

Medium (3)

High (5) • Riparian Zone • Corridor to Fauna • Dispersal for flora • Nationally Protected • CI Breeding Habitat

Yes (6)

Change in vegetation structure (-3) • Grazing pressures • Alien encroachment – around the

Dams –Category species prolific in certain areas

• Soil disturbances with erosion at cattle crossings

• Dam construction, impeding flow • Human settlement close to system

High (16)

Searsia leptodictya – Urochloa mosambicensis Red Pilanesberg wash savanna

Medium (3)

High (5) Increased diversity and richness

Medium-High (4) • Numerous CI

Species present. • Habitat limited

within the larger dwaalboom Vegetation Unit

Yes (4)

Change in vegetation structure (-3) • Extensive Grazing pressures • Alien and bush encroachment • Soil disturbances

Medium- High (13)

Acacia tortilis – Eragrostis rigidior black turf savanna including areas of recovery as per NSS (2007)

Medium-Low

Medium (3) Acacia Thornveld, less diverse, however, there is the presence of certain Protected species. Plant recovery after certain low- moderate impacts is good

Medium (3) • CI (lower order)

species recorded • Listed as LT

Nationally • Recognised CBA

Yes (2)

Change in vegetation structure (-2) • Some past and recent agricultural

activities • Harvesting of species • Minimal alien encroachment –

mainly in agricultural fallow/past fields

• Heavy Grazing

Medium (8)



Page 1-72

Conclusion

The study area is dominated by Acacia Thornveld on both turf and red soils within the nationally Least

Concern Dwaalboom Thornveld but also within a recognised Critical Biodiversity Area and Priority 1

FEPA system. In addition, areas declared as highest and high biodiversity importance were recorded

within the study area in terms of the Mining Biodiversity Guidelines (DEA et al, 2013). A number of

Conservation Important Species have been located within the site and potentially breeding within the

ephemeral pools along the Wilgespruit and Bofule Systems. Of specific concern is the Near Threatened

Giant Bullfrog.

A significant part of the study area has been identified as being an area of national or local conservation

significance. It should be noted that some of these identified areas of significance overlap with the

approved mine infrastructure.

1.1.7 SURFACE WATER

Information sources

Information for this section was sourced from the stormwater management plan study undertaken by SLR

(SLR, 2013a) and included in Appendix G and a specialist investigation into the Freshwater Ecological

Priority Area on Wilgespruit 2JQ (AGES, 2013) included in Appendix H. Additional information in this

section was also obtained from the project-specific hydrology study undertaken for the neighbouring

Magazynskraal property (SLR, 2013b).

Data Collection

Data used in determining the surface water characteristics included climatic data (Section 1.1.2), soil data

(Section 1.1.4) and topographical data (Section 1.1.3).

Hydrological setting

1:50,000 topographical maps

Floodlines and flow peaks

Flood modelling of the Wilgespruit and Bofule watercourses as they flow through the site has been

undertaken by Peen & Associates (June 2011).

Surface water quality

Hydrocensus studies undertaken in May 2010, November 2010 and November 2012 by AGES to identify

water users as well as to determine the quality and quantity of water resources.



Page 1-73

An annual monitoring programme has already been implemented in line with the approved EMP since

2006. The surface water quality information was derived from the most recent information. Although

surface water sites are checked monthly, surface water samples could only be collected when sufficient

water was available, due to the non-perennial nature of the dams and streams in the study area.


Surface water resources include drainage lines, paths of preferential flow of stormwater runoff as well as

the channelling and/or collection of water on the surface such as dams. Mine related activities have the

potential to alter the drainage of surface water through the placement of both temporary (such as

processing infrastructure and support facilities) and permanent infrastructure (such as the tailings storage

facility and WRDs) and/or result in the contamination of the surface water resources through seepage

and/or spillage of process materials, non-mineralised and mineralised wastes. To understand the basis of

these potential impacts, a baseline situational analysis is described below.

The baseline of the aquatic ecological systems is included under the biodiversity baseline description

(Section 1.1.6).

Results

Catchment

The study area falls within the A2 sub-drainage region of the Crocodile River, a major tributary of the

Limpopo River. The study area is located within the quaternary catchments A24D and A24E as indicated

in Figure 7.

Surface water resources within the study area

No perennial rivers are located within the study area. However, two non-perennial watercourse and

associated tributaries and drainage pathways flow across the mining footprint, namely the Wilgespruit

and Bofule Rivers, both of which are described in further detail below. The Lesele River cuts across a

small portion of the south eastern corner of the study area on the farm Koedoesfontein 42JQ. This non-

perennial river originates in the higher elevated Pilanesberg Mountains. By virtue of being non-perennial

streams, it is expected that these watercourses will flow for short durations following rainfall events.

The headwaters of the Wilgespruit and Bofule Rivers originate from the Pilanesberg Mountains and the

upper sections of these watercourses are much steeper than the lower sections. The Pilanesberg is

characterised by rough terrain, with a network of narrow valleys. The maximum elevation of the upper

Wilgespruit and upper Bofule in the Pilanesberg is approximately 1600m AMSL with the elevation at the

base of the Pilanesberg at approximately 1150m AMSL. This represents a change in elevation of 450m,

while the change in elevation from the base of the Pilanesberg to the confluence of the Bofule and

Wilgespruit rivers is approximately 15m.



Page 1-74

Wilgespruit

The Wilgespruit originates from the Pilanesberg and flows in a northerly direction towards the study area

and through a flow diversion channel around the south of the Tuschenkomst Pit, passing through the site

to a confluence (Moswafole dam) with the Bofule River within the northern central area of the site. It is

planned that the Wilgespruit diversion is maintained for the operational lifetime of the PPM pit. Following

which, it is planned that the diversion channel is decommissioned and the Wilgespruit returned to its

original course in an attempt to aid the flooding of the Tuschenkomst Pit. The natural water flow of the

Wilgespruit will however be artificially maintained for the duration of the pit flooding.

The Wilgespruit comprises a catchment area of 56.4km2 upstream of the confluence with the Bofule

River, and a catchment area of 45.9km2 upstream of the flow diversion channel.

Bofule River

The Bofule River features numerous minor tributaries originating from the Pilanesberg Mountains and

flows in a northerly direction through the site to a confluence with the Wilgespruit at the Moswafole dam.

The Bofule River comprises a catchment area of 28.4km2 upstream of the confluence with the

Wilgespruit. The Bofule River continues to the north-east to a confluence with the Kolobeng River 12km

north of the site. A further 4km downstream (north-west) of the Bofule-Kolobeng confluence, the Bofule

River flows into the Bierspruit Dam from where it eventually joins the Crocodile River.

Lesele River

The Lesele River, a non-perennial river, which originates in the higher elevated Pilanesberg Mountains

cuts across a small portion of the south eastern corner of the study area and has catchment area of

25.6km2.

Mean Annual Run-off (MAR)

Parts of the study area fall within adjacent catchments including the Manyedime, a tributary of the

Kolobeng River, and the Lesobeng River situated to the west and east of the mine respectively. The

Bofule and Kolobeng form part of quaternary catchment A24D which has a catchment area of 1 328km2

and a MAR of 15.50 million m3. The Lesobeng forms part of quaternary catchment A24E which has a

catchment area of 688km2 and a MAR of 9.86 million m3.

Based on the MAR of the quaternary catchment, the MAR of the local watercourses can be estimated on

a pro-rata basis from the respective sub-catchment areas as presented in Table 46. It should be noted

that these estimates must be considered as indicative only as flow or MAR is not always linearly

proportional to catchment area. Varying soil types, vegetation coverage and topography mean that some

parts of a catchment will generate more flow per unit area than others.



Page 1-75

TABLE 46: MEAN ANNUAL RUNOFF OF LOCAL CATCHMENTS CATCHMENT AREA (km2) MAR (million m3)

Bofule 161.0 1.88

Kolobeng Tributary 28.4 0.33

A24D 1 328.0 15.50

Lesobeng 111.0 1.59

A24E 688.0 9.86

A review of reservoirs in the Wilgespruit and Bofule River catchments indicates that there are no major

dams present, although a number of small farm dams have been identified. The most significant of these

dams is the Moswafole dam located at the confluence of the Wilgespruit and Bofule River. It is

understood that the Moswafole dam is a ‘breached’ dam and although it does retain water for cattle and

aquatic ecology, its designation as a dam is consequently not accurate since its ability to store water is at

present compromised.

Flood lines

The floodlines for the project site are presented on Figure 14. Due to the relatively low hydraulic gradient

of the Wilgespruit and Bofule watercourses on the site, the floodlines are wide and typically extend to in

excess of 100m from the watercourse.

With the exception of the three waste rock dumps (WRDs), no other surface infrastructure is located

within the 1:100 year flood line. A very small portion of the northern WRD2 is located within the modelled

1:50 year, 1:100 year flood-lines and 100m buffer zone of the Wilgespruit and Bofule watercourses. The

WRD2 will be raised above natural ground level and any flood risks to the WRD will be associated with

erosion along a short section of the southern side of the facility, when the Wilgespruit is in flood.

Wetlands within the study area

No wetlands of national importance (Priority 1) were identified on the site. The wetlands which have

been identified and indicated in Figure 14 are associated with the non-perennial water courses. These

wetlands have all been allocated a Priority 0 and most of these are small dams. The following wetland

types have been identified in the study area:

• channelled valley bottom wetland;

• unchannelled valley bottom wetland;

• seep wetland; and

• valleyhead seep wetland.

Pilanesberg springs

The endorheic pans (spring-fed ‘pannetjies’) (Figure 14) or as it is generally referred to, the Pilanesberg

springs, are solely used by the fauna within the Pilanesberg Nature Reserve, more so during the drier



Page 1-76

winter months. At this stage it is unknown whether these pannetjies may be hydraulically linked to the

groundwater resources found in the study area. A study undertaken by AGES (2013) made a number of

assumptions, based on the permeability of the dyke surrounding the Pilanesberg National Park which

separates the pannetjies from the study area. If the dyke is permeable to hydraulic movement, the

pannetjies and the groundwater in the study area will be linked. For the purposes of the impact

assessments in Section 7 it was assumed that the dyke is permeable and that the pannetjies are

hydraulically linked with groundwater in the study area.

Surface water use

There is no significant reliance on surface water for community consumption because of the fact that the

watercourses (including the breached dam) are dry for most of the year. There is however evidence of

surface water resources being utilised for livestock consumption. Aquatic ecosystem reliance is also

expected to be limited due to the ephemeral nature of the flow in the streams (only exist for a few days

following rain), however this does not negate the importance of the seasonal surface water flow for

certain ecological processes and species that rely on this flow.

River diversions

No river or stream diversions are planned as part of the Sedibelo mine.

Surface/groundwater interaction (Bofule River)

AGES (2014) undertook an investigation to determine the surface and groundwater interaction in the

vicinity of the identified FEPA located in the Bofule River, which is formed by the local perched aquifer on

top of an impermeable clay layer which separates it from the deep aquifer. It is recharged from surface

water and precipitation from rainfall. The groundwater head elevation (level) is below the elevation of the

watercourse and below the impermeable clay layer and based on the observations made during the

study, there is no known hydraulic link between the groundwater and the water in the watercourse.

Pre-mining baseline water quality

Surface water quality data was obtained from Knight Piésold as part of the continuous surface and

groundwater monitoring programme which commenced in 2007. The results from the water quality

analysis indicate that the natural chemistry of water resources is heavily influenced by the presence of

Pilanesberg Alkaline Igneous Complex (PAC), in particular regular elevated levels of fluoride and

occasional elevated levels of aluminium, iron arsenic and molybdenum.

In addition to the ongoing monitoring, AGES undertook hydrocensus studies in May 2010 and November

2012. With reference to the monitoring points indicated in Figure 15, these results are reflected in Table

47. Based on the results which have been obtained during the hydrocensus studies and assessing

surface water quality against the South African Water Quality Guidelines Volume 1: Domestic Water Use

(drinking water purposes) (DWAF, 1996a), poor water quality was detected in SW7 with regards to



Page 1-77

chloride and sodium. Livestock activity around SW7, which is a small stream flowing directly out of the

Pilanesberg Complex, could have led to this chloride and sodium contamination in the form of sodium

chloride (NaCl) in livestock urine. The high evapotranspiration rate of the area is also expected to

contribute to high surface water salt loads, especially during periods of low rainfall.

Hydrocensus data indicates that surface water in the area generally reflects elevated levels of fluoride,

aluminium and iron. These parameters are expected to be naturally elevated in the area as a result of

the underlying geology. In addition, elevated levels of sodium and chloride have been detected at certain

locations. Fluoride occurs in very high concentrations at SW1, SW4 and SW7 due to the high

concentrations of fluoride in the foyaite formations in the Pilanesberg Volcanic Complex.

Evapotranspiration may be a contributing factor. Aluminium and iron were present in concentrations that

were above the prescribed Targeted Water Quality Range (TWQR) in some surface water samples.

According to the hydrocensus studies, elevated iron concentrations (poor drinking water qualities) were

detected in SW 1, SW 4, SW 5 and SW 6. Iron activity and concentrations is governed by the pH and

oxidation state. In general, iron is most soluble under acidic conditions, although ferrous iron can occur

in elevated concentrations in circa-neutral conditions. The high iron concentrations in the surface water

could be due to various external influences. The most likely reason for elevated iron concentrations is

due to the generally high iron content of the mafic Bushveld lithologies and other mafic rocks, such as the

dolerites.

The heavy metals: manganese, copper, zinc, nickel and lead are all present in small concentrations in all

of the samples but pose no health threats if used for domestic purposes or consumption in the case of

both livestock and humans.

According to the South African Water Quality Guidelines Volume 7: Aquatic Ecosystems (DWAF, 1996b),

copper concentrations at almost all the sampling localities exceeded the acute effect concentration during

the initial hydrocencus study in May 2010. However, during the 2012 hydrocencus study, copper

concentrations at all the sampling localities were below the detection limit. Copper is toxic at low

concentrations in water and is known to cause brain damage in mammals if elevated levels occur over

long periods.

Zinc concentrations of the sampling localities SW1, SW4, SW5 and SW6 are within the chronic effect

concentration according to the DWS guideline (DWAF, 1996b) during the initial hydrocencus. For the

2012 hydrocencus study, zinc concentrations at all sampling points fell within the TWQR. Elevated

concentrations of zinc can cause severe imbalances and death, whereas marginal imbalances contribute

to reduced fitness. Lead concentrations for all of the sampling localities are in the target water quality

range.



Page 1-78

Aluminium concentrations for all the surface water localities exceeded the acute effect concentration

according to the DWS guideline (DWAF, 1996b). Elevated concentrations of bio-available aluminium in

water are toxic to a wide variety of organisms.

According to the DWS guideline (DWAF, 1996b), fluoride concentration at sampling locality SW7 can be

defined as being of acute effect concentrations and sampling localities, SW1 and SW4 have reached

chronic effect concentrations.

Conclusion

The mine (including project changes) has the potential to pollute surface water resources that may be

used by third parties for domestic and/or limited agricultural activities, as well as for ecosystem

functionality. Therefore the mine (including project changes) must be managed in a way that pollution of

water resources is prevented. In addition, care is required to ensure that the disturbance of surface run-

off patterns and volumes is limited as far as possible to promote the necessary flows of water and

nutrients.

Surface water quality results obtained from the AGES hydrocensus and the historical Knight Piesold

monitoring programme will be utilised to monitor the potential change in future surface water quality. The

information on catchment characteristics and floodlines was used to develop the stormwater

management plan and for planning the surface layout in order to avoid streams and floodlines as far as

practically possible.

The possibility that the surface and groundwater resources are hydraulically linked will be taken into

consideration when assessing the potential impacts on groundwater, surface water and ecology.



Page 1-79

TABLE 47: PRE-MINING SURFACE WATER QUALITY (POINTS REFERENCED IN FIGURE 15) (AGES, 2013)

TABLE 48: WATER COLOUR CLASS SYSTEM FOR DOMESTIC USE Blue Class 0 Ideal water quality - Suitable for lifetime use

Green Class I Good water quality - suitable for use, rare instances of negative effects

Yellow Class II Marginal water quality - conditionally acceptable. Negative effects may occur in some sensitive groups

Red Class III Poor water quality - unsuitable for use without treatment. Chronic effects may occur

Purple Class IV Dangerous water quality - totally unsuitable for use. Acute effects may occur

Site noDate

Sampled Fluoride

Nitrite Nitrogen

(As N) (mg/ℓ)

Nitrate Nitrogen

(as N) (mg/ℓ)

Chloride (Cℓ)

(mg/ℓ)

Sulphate (SO4) (mg/ℓ)

Ortho phosphat

e

Carbonate Alkalinity

(mg/ℓ)

Bicarbonate

Alkalinity (mg/ℓ)

Sodium (Na)

(mg/ℓ)

Potassium (K) (mg/ℓ)

Calcium (Ca)

(mg/ℓ)

Magnesium (Mg) (mg/ℓ)

Total Alkalinity

(mg/ℓ)pH

Electrical Conductiv

ity (EC)(mS/

m)

Total Dissolved

Solids (TDS)(mg/

ℓ)

Total hardness Langelier

Total Chromiu

m (Cr) (Mg/ℓ)

Ammonium Nitrate

(mg/ℓ) (NH4-N)

Iron (mg/ℓ)

(Fe)

SW 1 05-May-10 0.455 0.172 0.343 9.4 120.54 0.103 0.4 92.1 2.82 5.869 6.504 14.79 92.5 7.66 12.54 216 77 -1.48 0.491 0.026 21.944

SW 4 06-May-10 0.952 0.149 0.396 16.5 15.43 <0.025 0.9 88.1 22.86 4.723 18.585 5.659 89.1 8.06 25.06 138 70 -0.62 0.015 <0.015 6.739

SW 5 06-May-10 1.023 0.224 2.675 17.8 20.06 <0.025 0.6 89.4 23.38 5.112 18.92 5.788 90 7.87 24.64 148 71 -0.8 0.019 0.021 8.29

SW 6 07-May-10 0.318 0.124 0.236 9.2 6.52 0.155 0.1 67.4 3.14 19.456 9.344 3.691 67.4 6.96 18.81 92 39 -2.12 0.022 4.993 21.782

SW 7 11-May-10 11.594 0.13 1.318 522.7 52.91 <0.025 14.5 442 562.34 6.806 25.525 5.679 456.7 8.54 293.9 1451 87 0.61 <0.002 0.401 0.284

SW01 12-Dec-12 2.3 0.053 -0.017 -0.423 2.03 0.117 0.9 87.4 10.1 2.55 18.5 7.89 88.4 8.04 20.1 97 79 -0.64 -0.001 0.194 -0.003

SW04 12-Dec-12 1.95 0.18 1.28 60.8 2.55 0.295 0.7 172 111 4.17 8.78 4.96 173 7.66 13.8 299 42 -1.1 -0.001 0.065 0.746

SW07 12-Dec-12 34.2 0.043 -0.017 1444 23.1 0.157 76.2 719 1387 16.9 19 4.29 796 9.05 656 3406 65 1.19 -0.001 0.057 0.69



Page 1-80

1.1.8 GROUNDWATER BASELINE

Information sources

The information in this section was sourced from the following groundwater specialist investigations:

• Magazynskraal / Sedibelo East: Geohydrological Preliminary Feasibility Study – Technical Report

(AGES, 2011)

• Magazynskraal / Sedibelo East and Central: Hydrogeological specialist study (AGES, 2013),

included in Appendix H .

• Sedibelo Platinum Mine: Specialist investigation into the Freshwater Ecological Priority Area on

Wilgespruit 2JQ – Surface water /groundwater interaction study (AGES, 2014), included in

Appendix H .

Data Collection

Data was obtained from the following sources:

• geophysical surveys;

• falling head tests were conducted on core boreholes within the study area to determine local aquifer

parameters. This was done by measuring and interpreting a change in water level (head) after

introducing a volume of water (slug) to the borehole. Core borehole information with regards to

structures and fractures were used to target and prioritise best suitable localities. Data was

interpreted by means of the computer software AQTESOLV. Water level measurements were

recorded with a Solinst Levelogger; and

• hydrocensus studies undertaken in May 2010, November 2010 and November 2012 to identify water

users as well as to determine the quality and quantity of water resources.

Introduction and link to impacts

Groundwater is a valuable resource and is defined as water which is located beneath the ground surface

in soil/rock pore spaces and in the fractures of lithological formations. Activities such as the handling and

storage of hazardous materials and handling and storage of mineralised and non-mineralised wastes

have the potential to result in the loss of groundwater resources, both to the environment and third party

users, through pollution. In addition, where mining requires dewatering in order to provide a safe working

environment, there is the potential for a dewatering cone to develop and this can result in a loss of water

supply to surrounding users and linked ecological systems. To understand the basis of these potential

impacts, a baseline situational analysis is described below.

Results

Groundwater zone (aquifers)

The region consists of a shallow and weathered aquifer which is also laterally connected to aquifers

along the weathered zones associated with drainage lines as well as a deeper, intact fractured bedrock

aquifer. The weathered aquifer is between 12m and 50m deep and in places is perched above a clay



Page 1-81

layer. It is this shallow aquifer that supports most of the rural borehole abstraction for domestic and small

scale agricultural purposes. Based on the surface/groundwater interaction study undertaken by AGES

(2014), the shallow perched aquifer is fed by surface water runoff. The deeper aquifer has a low matrix

hydraulic conductivity and the groundwater regime in this aquifer is essentially connected fractures and

mine voids.

The aquifer classification scheme (WRC Parsons, 1995) was created for strategic purposes as it allows

the grouping of aquifer areas into types (Table 49) according to their associated supply potential, water

quality and local importance as a resource. The DWA aquifer classification is also included in this table.

TABLE 49: AQUIFER CLASSIFICATION SCHEME AQUIFER SYSTEM

DEFINED BY PARSONS (1995) DEFINED BY DWA MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS (1998)

SOLE SOURCE AQUIFER

An aquifer which is used to supply 50 % or more of domestic water for a given area, and for which there are no reasonably available alternative sources should the aquifer be impacted upon or depleted. Aquifer yields and natural water quality are immaterial.

An aquifer, which is used to supply 50% or more of urban domestic water for a given area for which there are no reasonably available alternative sources should this aquifer be impacted upon or depleted.

MAJOR AQUIFER

High permeable formations usually with a known or probable presence of significant fracturing. They may be highly productive and able to support large abstractions for public supply and other purposes. Water quality is generally very good (<150 mS/m).

High yielding aquifer (5-20 ℓ/s) of acceptable water quality.

MINOR AQUIFER

These can be fractured or potentially fractured rocks, which do not have a high primary permeability or other formations of variable permeability. Aquifer extent may be limited and water quality variable. Although these aquifers seldom produce large quantities of water, they are important both for local supplies and in supplying base flow for rivers.

Moderately yielding aquifer (1-5 ℓ/s) of acceptable quality or high yielding aquifer (5-20 ℓ/s) of poor quality water.

NON-AQUIFER

These are formations with negligible permeability that are generally regarded as not containing groundwater in exploitable quantities. Water quality may also be such that it renders the aquifer as unusable. However, groundwater flow through such rocks, although imperceptible, does take place, and need to be considered when assessing the risk associated with persistent pollutants.

Insignificantly yielding aquifer (< 1 ℓ/s) of good quality water or moderately yielding aquifer (1-5 ℓ/s) of poor quality or aquifer which will never be utilised for water supply and which will not contaminate other aquifers.

SPECIAL AQUIFER

An aquifer designated as such by the Minister of Water Affairs, after due process.

An aquifer designated as such by the Minister of Water Affairs, after due process.

Higher permeability zones are associated with local structures such as faults and contact zones of the

dykes. The study area is characterised by numerous geological lineaments i.e. faults and dykes. The in-

situ stress fields are such that the east –west trending lineaments are all closed. Thus, the only possible

open lineaments are the north south trending faults/dykes. These aquifers are classified as minor

aquifers according to Parsons.

High yielding water bearing structures are present to the west of the study area and not within the mine

lease area. Due to high recorded yields, these aquifers associated with the Frank Fault can be classified

as a major aquifer zone; however, poor water quality influences the classification to minor aquifers.



Page 1-82

The study area including farms surrounding the study area and associated aquifers, limited to the

geological faults and contact zones of dykes, was historically classified as a Sole Source Aquifer. This

was due to the communities relying on groundwater alone for their basic water requirements. There is no

surface water storage in the study area. The classification of a sole source was reviewed (by AGES) due

to the supply from Magalies Water, although this supply is erratic. Although the villages located on the



of the study area rely solely on groundwater. In the immediate vicinity of Wilgespruit 2JQ there are some

boreholes being used for potable and crop watering purposes. The aquifer classification for the study

area is therefore not conclusive.

The aquifers between Mabeskraal and Bagatla are classified as a minor to a poor aquifer according to

the DWA aquifer classification. This is due to moderately to low or negligible yielding aquifers with

variable to moderate or poor water quality.

Groundwater flow

There are a number of hydraulic zones that control groundwater flow:

• shallow soil and weathered zones along the drainage lines that influences recharge;

• upper weathered and fractured aquifers i.e. the slate, norite and gabbro in the west and anorthosite,

magnetite and pyroxenite towards the east and north-east. The Pilanesberg complex is associated

with lava’s. These zones form weathered basins with moderate to high groundwater potential;

• fault zones that form permeable linear zones; and

• dykes that are impermeable (some are weathered in the upper weathered zones, which permits flow)

and permeable dyke-contact zones.

There are numerous hydraulic zones that influence the groundwater flow balance within the aquifer. The

groundwater flow occurs in the weathered zone and along discrete lineaments, found from approximately

20mbgl and deeper. It is mainly confined to water bearing structures such as highly weathered fault,

fracture and contact zones. The primary aquifer in this area would be the fault zones and contact zones

between the intruded dykes and host rocks.

Horizontal groundwater flow directions show that the hydraulic gradient is from the topographical high in

the south towards the northern boundary of the project study area.

Groundwater use

In a recent study undertaken by AGES (2014), aquifer tests showed low hydraulic conductivities, which is

indicative of slow movement in groundwater flow in the shallow perched aquifer as well as the deep

fractured aquifer. This same study also indicated a low and scarce occurrence of groundwater in the



Page 1-83

region of the identified FEPA and wetlands. It was furthermore concluded that the FEPA and wetlands

are associated with the perched aquifer, resulting from surface water flow and slow recharge to the

groundwater regime. The perched aquifer, which is fed by surface water and precipitation, is situated on

top of an impermeable clay layer which separates it from the deep aquifer. The FEPA and wetlands are

therefore not hydraulically linked to the deeper aquifer.

In addition to aquatic ecosystems, groundwater in this area is mainly used for domestic and agricultural

(livestock watering) purposes. In the immediate vicinity of Wilgespruit 2JQ there are some boreholes

being used for potable and crop watering purposes. Boreholes and groundwater are used for water

supply within the domain of the Pilanesberg Nature Reserve and the Black Rhino Private Game Lodge.

From the boreholes surveyed during the hydrocensus studies, 71% (32 boreholes) were not in use, 27%

(12 boreholes) were in use and 2% (1 borehole) were destroyed. Of these boreholes:

• 73% (33 boreholes) were drilled for monitoring purposes;

• 13% (6 boreholes) were drilled for livestock watering;

• 11% (5 boreholes) were drilled for domestic supply; and

• One borehole was drilled for mining purposes.

Groundwater levels and yields

The position of the boreholes included in the various hydrocencus studies is indicated in Figure 15. The

water levels in the study area are located at depths ranging from 5 – 80 mbgl.

During the initial hydrocensus studies undertaken in May 2010 a number of the boreholes surveyed were

dry. The shallowest water levels were measured in the south-eastern part of the study area, in the

Saulspoort community, with average water levels of 1.53mbgl. Deeper water levels were measured to

the east and north of the study area. During the hydrocensus study undertaken during November 2010,

and which concentrated on the Wilgespruit farm the average water level on the Wilgespruit farm was

measured to be 32.72mbgl with a maximum depth of 50.22mbgl measured in the northern part of the

farm. A minimum water level depth was measured to be 22.88mbgl in a borehole situated in the southern

part of Wilgespruit.

Data from a follow-up hydrocensus of the study area conducted during November 2012 compared

historical information and found that the majority of water levels for the updated hydrocensus survey were

deeper than initially measured. This could be due to delayed recharge from the summer rainfalls and/or

the effect of dewatering from the current mining operation in the area. Comparison of 2010 and 2012

hydrocensus water levels is included in Table 50.

TABLE 50: COMPARISON OF 2010 AND 2012 HYDROCENSUS WATER LEVELS SITE NAME 2010 HYDROCENCUS (MBGL) 2012 HYDROCENCUS(MBGL) BH 9 16.95 15.96



Page 1-84

BH 11 46.05 46.76 BH 12 22.13 23.74 BH 34 48.43 51.96 SEDKPBH01 29.32 30.55 SEDKPBH02 33.71 35.28 SEDKPBH03 50.22 51.91 SEDKPBH04 35.49 33.96 SEDKPBH05 39.77 42.96 SEDCH03 30.13 30.14 SEDCH04 32.69 33.04 SEDTSF01 34.2 34.88 SEDTSF03 29.93 30.28 SEDWRD01 22.88 22.04 SEDWRD02 30.08 34.28

Groundwater quality

AGES undertook hydrocensus studies in May 2010, November 2010 and November 2012. The relevant

monitoring points are indicated in Figure 15 and results reflected in Table 51 Based on the information

obtained during hydrocensus studies, when compared to the South African Water Quality Guidelines

Volume 1: Domestic Water Use (drinking water purposes) (DWAF, 1996a), poor water quality was

detected in a number of boreholes due to elevated fluoride concentrations. Elevated fluoride levels occur

naturally due to the high concentrations of fluorite in the foyaite formations in the Pilanesberg complex.

All other non-metal ions tested for were at low concentration levels and pose no health threats if used for

domestic purposes or human and livestock consumption (AGES, 2012). The heavy metals manganese,

copper, zinc, nickel and lead are all present in small concentration in all of the samples. The majority of

the groundwater samples can be defined as being of sodium – bicarbonate / calcium / magnesium -

bicarbonate nature due to elevated concentrations of these respective cations and anions. The average

pH of the sampled boreholes is 8.2. All the samples show a pH between 7.42 and 9.32.

According to the South African Water Quality Guidelines Volume 7: Aquatic Ecosystems (Second edition,

1996) (DWAF, 1996b) fluoride concentrations at a few sampling localities from the hydrocensus studies

can be defined as having either an acute effect concentration or has reached chronic effect

concentrations. Skeletal fluorosis may occur if organisms are exposed to these fluoride concentrations

for prolonged periods of time. Lead concentrations for all of the sampling localities are within the target

water quality range. Aluminium concentrations at one location exceeded the target water quality range

for aquatic ecosystems. Copper, zinc, cadmium and selenium concentrations at a number of sampling

points exceeded the chronic effect concentration. Zinc concentrations at some of the sampling localities

are within the chronic effect concentration and one exceeds the acute effect concentration. During the

initial hydrocensus, copper concentrations at almost all the sampling locations exceeded the acute effect

concentration. However, during the 2012 hydrocensus copper concentrations at all the sampling

localities were below the detection limit.



Page 1-85

Recent water quality monitoring (KP, 2013) results indicate that the natural chemistry is heavily

influenced by the presence of Pilanesberg Alkaline Igneous Complex (PAC). The water quality values

were compared to the SANS 241-1:2011 drinking water standards (SANS 241) for its suitability for

human consumption and also to the South African Water Quality Guidelines Volume 5: Agricultural Water

Use: Livestock Watering (Second edition, 1996) (DWAF 1996b) for livestock watering, as this is the

current use of most of the groundwater in the project area. A number of samples returned concentrations

of various determinants that exceeded the values prescribed in SANS 241 and SAWQG. Recent water

quality results are summarised below:

• pH values were within the guideline pH value of 5.0 – 9.7 for human consumption;

• borehole SEDKPBH03 indicated an exceedance in Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and electrical

Conductivity (EC). These parameters remain high at this point compared to previous years’

results;

• throughout the sampling carried since 2006, fluoride has been a major concern. The majority of

the groundwater points monitored indicated elevated concentrations of fluoride exceeding the

SANS 241 limit of 1.5 mg/l;

• none of the boreholes have a nitrate concentration above 100 mg/l. Water quality at borehole

SEDKPBH06 indicated elevated nitrate concentrations above the SANS drinking water standard

of 11 mg/l. Elevated nitrate was also recorded at this point in the past;

• chloride results indicated concentrations at or below the SANS (less than 300 mg/l) or SAWQ

(less than 1500 mg/l) guideline values for 2012. Only one point (SEDKPBH 03) exceeded the

SANS aesthetic guideline value of 250 mg/l;

• sodium guideline value of 200 mg/l were exceeded at borehole SEDKPBH03;

• the majority of the results for arsenic indicate values were below the detection limit;

• a number of boreholes indicated concentrations of molybdenum exceeding the SAWQ guideline

value. Borehole SEDTSF01 has a seemingly high concentration of molybdenum at 0.17 mg/l in

comparison to the guideline value of 0,01 mg/l.

• no samples exceeded the SANS 241 guideline value or the SAWQG for livestock watering for

iron during the period of 2012, whereas many boreholes had exceeded the target value for iron in

the past; and

• some boreholes indicated the presence of E. coli.

Monitoring data from boreholes monitored at Black Rhino were acquired and analysed. These analysis

indicated that from October 2011 to December 2012 all samples at BHBR1 exceeded the drinking water

Targeted Water Quality Guideline (TWQG) (DWAF, 1996a) for fluoride, calcium, total hardness, electrical

conductivity and total dissolved solids. The TWQG were exceeded for manganese in all samples, except

those collected in March and December. The fluoride concentrations rendered water in this borehole to

be classified as Class III. The water quality of BHBR2 exceeded the TWQG for all samples in terms of

electrical conductivity, total hardness and total dissolved solids. Fluoride rendered the last sample to be



Page 1-86

collected (September 2012) as Class III water. All heavy metals occurred in concentrations within the

TWQG.

Conclusion

Many communities surrounding the study area rely on groundwater alone for their basic water

requirements. There is no surface water storage in the study area. Although the villages located on the



of the study area rely solely on groundwater. In the immediate vicinity of Wilgespruit 2JQ there are some

boreholes being used for potable and crop watering purposes.

The nature of the mine infrastructure and activities are such that they present real potential for pollution of

groundwater resources that in some cases may be used by third parties for domestic or agricultural uses

as well as ecological purposes. Depletion of groundwater levels within and surrounding the project site

may pose impacts to these third party and ecological uses. The mine (including project changes) must

be implemented/ managed in a way that pollution and reduction of groundwater resources is minimised.

The majority of the groundwater samples can be defined as being of sodium – bicarbonate / calcium /

magnesium - bicarbonate nature due to elevated concentrations of this respective cations and anions.

The heavy metals manganese, copper, zinc, nickel, lead, iron and aluminium are all present in small

concentrations in all of the samples. Groundwater quality data shows high fluoride and magnesium

concentrations. Copper, zinc, cadmium and selenium concentrations at a number of sampling points

exceeded the chronic effect concentration for aquatic water quality. Groundwater quality and borehole

level results obtained from the AGES hydrocensus studies and the historical Knight Piesold monitoring

programme will be utilised to monitor the potential change in future groundwater water quality and

borehole levels.



Page 1-87

TABLE 51: GROUNDWATER QUALITY RESULTS OBTAINED FROM THE HYDROCENSUS STUDIES (AGES, 2013)

TABLE 52: WATER COLOUR CLASS SYSTEM FOR DOMESTIC USE Blue Class 0 Ideal water quality - Suitable for lifetime use

Green Class I Good water quality - suitable for use, rare instances of negative effects

Yellow Class II Marginal water quality - conditionally acceptable. Negative effects may occur in some sensitive groups

Red Class III Poor water quality - unsuitable for use without treatment. Chronic effects may occur

Purple Class IV Dangerous water quality - totally unsuitable for use. Acute effects may occur

Site no Date Sampled

Fluoride

Nitrite Nitrogen

(As N) (mg/ℓ)

Nitrate Nitrogen

(as N) (mg/ℓ)

Chloride (Cℓ)

(mg/ℓ)

Sulphate (SO4) (mg/ℓ)

Ortho phosphat

e

Carbonate Alkalinity

(mg/ℓ)

Bicarbonate

Alkalinity (mg/ℓ)

Na (mg/ℓ)

K (mg/ℓ)

Ca (mg/ℓ)

Mg (mg/ℓ)

Total Alkalinity

(mg/ℓ)pH EC

(mS/m)TDS

(mg/ℓ)Total

hardnessLange

lier

Total Chromiu

m (Cr) (Mg/ℓ)

Ammonium Nitrate

(mg/ℓ) (NH4-N)

Fe (mg/ℓ)

Mn (mg/ℓ)

Cu (mg/ℓ)

Zn (mg/ℓ)

Cd (mg/ℓ)

Co (mg/ℓ)

Pb (mg/ℓ)

Ni (mg/ℓ)

Se (mg/ℓ)

As(mg/ℓ)

Al (mg/ℓ)

SEDCH01 18-Nov-10 0.195 0.187 0.201 38.6 <0.132 0.096 24.8 205.2 111.48 5.36 4.012 4.083 230.6 9.11 59.5 302 27 0.14 0.002 5.633 0.02 0.007 0.027 0.037 <0.001 <0.002 0.01 0.007 <0.023 <0.023 <0.006SEDCH03 18-Nov-10 2.44 0.033 0.186 15.4 8.2 0.037 19.7 267.5 156.92 0.575 1.039 0.531 287.6 8.89 74.6 355 5 -0.57 0.007 0.024 0.074 0.003 0.026 0.005 <0.001 <0.002 0.01 0.01 <0.023 <0.023 0.047

SEDKPBH03 18-Nov-10 0.25 <0.005 <0.057 77.9 329.71 0.034 1.8 504.5 336.93 2.374 44.436 12.117 506.3 7.58 222.7 1107 161 -0.06 0.002 <0.015 0.01 0.003 0.026 <0.004 <0.001 <0.002 0.01 0.01 <0.023 <0.023 <0.006SEDKPBH05 18-Nov-10 1.659 0.104 0.164 46.7 40.88 0.047 1.3 190.8 102.56 0.988 25.527 1.473 192.1 7.85 74.1 334 70 -0.4 0.011 <0.015 0.036 0.006 0.027 0.028 <0.001 <0.002 0.01 0.009 <0.023 <0.023 <0.006SEDTSF03 18-Nov-10 1.391 <0.005 <0.057 20.6 8.8 0.043 5.9 302.9 151.66 0.916 4.523 2.313 308.9 8.32 80.2 374 21 -0.48 0.004 0.02 0.088 0.034 0.024 0.018 <0.001 <0.002 0.01 0.005 <0.023 <0.023 <0.006

BH 2 05-May-10 0.274 0.141 0.27 39.1 16.76 0.088 3.4 579.8 69.44 1.85 94.437 77.706 583.2 7.8 122.5 650 556 0.57 <0.002 0.349 0.026 0.144 0.026 0.099 <0.001 <0.002 0.04 0.019 <0.01 <0.01 <0.006BH 6 05-May-10 0.185 0.126 2.787 15 18.66 <0.025 7.4 432.4 30.58 1.271 28.642 97.013 439.9 8.26 99.1 458 471 0.41 0.015 0.053 <0.006 0.005 0.028 0.01 <0.001 <0.002 0.03 0.018 <0.01 <0.01 <0.006BH 7 05-May-10 <0.183 0.135 3.933 12.1 18.95 <0.025 40.5 375.4 47.62 1.925 2.007 95.493 416.4 9.06 84.9 432 398 0.03 0.011 0.017 <0.006 0.004 0.027 0.005 <0.001 <0.002 0.03 0.018 0.02 <0.01 <0.006BH 9 05-May-10 0.342 0.146 4.785 20.8 24.15 <0.025 4 436.7 42.27 0.961 39.087 90.72 440.7 7.99 100.8 487 471 0.27 0.002 0.092 <0.006 0.005 0.03 0.006 <0.001 <0.002 0.03 0.018 <0.01 <0.01 <0.006BH 27 11-May-10 <0.183 0.139 1.251 95.8 64.31 <0.025 1 95.8 55.22 8.278 39.442 25.573 96.9 8.05 72 348 204 -0.31 <0.002 0.087 0.008 0.004 0.024 0.017 <0.001 <0.002 0.03 0.021 <0.01 <0.01 <0.006BH 29 11-May-10 2.684 0.126 0.297 6.8 16.05 0.034 0.9 234 81.48 0.461 27.329 6.101 234.9 7.62 51.4 279 93 -0.51 <0.002 0.129 0.083 0.241 0.019 2.469 <0.001 <0.002 0.04 0.018 <0.01 <0.01 <0.006BH 43 12-May-10 0.881 0.789 9.777 20 2.89 <0.025 1.6 203 35.69 2.614 47.935 13.067 204.7 7.94 47.3 255 174 0 <0.002 0.069 0.034 0.006 0.02 0.005 <0.001 <0.002 0.03 0.018 <0.01 <0.01 <0.006BH 45 12-May-10 0.44 0.133 9.88 26 3.13 <0.025 1.4 132.8 29.82 0.851 30.958 14.75 134.2 8.05 39.9 196 138 -0.25 <0.002 0.14 0.088 0.008 0.02 0.036 <0.001 <0.002 0.02 0.019 <0.01 <0.01 <0.006

SEDKPBH 03 12-Dec-12 0.258 0.043 -0.017 80.5 415 0.015 7.1 601 299 1.53 174 12.7 608 8.1 189 1348 486 1.12 -0.001 0.034 -0.003 -0.001 -0.001 -0.002 -0.001 -0.001 -0.004 -0.001 0.027 -0.01 -0.003SEDTSF 03 12-Dec-12 1.71 -0.002 0.028 21.8 -0.04 0.049 16.4 363 154 0.332 11.9 4.6 379 8.68 76.1 422 49 0.38 -0.001 0.264 2.62 -0.001 -0.001 -0.002 -0.001 -0.001 -0.004 -0.001 -0.007 -0.01 0.003

SEDKPBH 05 12-Dec-12 1.36 0.043 0.211 40.4 59.4 0.016 3.3 128 76.1 0.221 35.8 1.28 131 8.44 56.5 294 95 0.17 -0.001 0.041 -0.003 -0.001 -0.001 -0.002 -0.001 -0.001 -0.004 -0.001 -0.007 -0.01 -0.003SEDCH 03 12-Dec-12 2.91 0.07 -0.017 8.73 1.84 0.017 20.7 333 165 -0.018 3.26 0.676 354 8.82 71.9 395 11 -0.07 -0.001 0.087 -0.003 -0.001 -0.001 -0.002 -0.001 -0.001 -0.004 -0.001 0.008 -0.01 0.137SEDCH 01 12-Dec-12 2.24 0.052 -0.017 128 59.1 0.012 3 14.9 118 -0.018 11.6 0.012 19 9.32 71.4 330 29 -0.27 -0.001 0.041 -0.003 -0.001 -0.001 -0.002 -0.001 -0.001 -0.004 -0.001 -0.007 -0.01 -0.003

BH 13 12-Dec-12 1.86 1.36 2.46 3.53 7.84 0.088 0.5 194 44 5.19 28.3 9.61 195 7.42 42.8 220 110 -0.76 -0.001 0.243 -0.003 -0.001 -0.001 -0.002 -0.001 -0.001 -0.004 -0.001 -0.007 -0.01 -0.003BH 29 12-Dec-12 3.96 0.114 -0.017 13.3 11 0.012 1 269 88.5 -0.018 33.1 7.47 270 7.6 59.2 319 113 -0.39 -0.001 0.042 -0.003 0.06 -0.001 1.43 -0.001 -0.001 -0.004 -0.001 -0.007 -0.01 -0.003BH 09 12-Dec-12 0.889 0.043 2.42 11 12.8 0.017 3.9 534 38.6 0.267 39.5 87.4 538 7.89 97.2 516 458 0.26 -0.001 0.033 -0.003 -0.001 -0.001 -0.002 -0.001 -0.001 -0.004 -0.001 0.023 -0.01 -0.003

SEDKPBH 04 12-Dec-12 0.305 0.044 -0.017 33.7 26.7 0.013 1.5 406 91.1 0.548 87.4 16.7 408 7.61 89.6 501 287 0.2 -0.001 0.042 -0.003 -0.001 -0.001 -0.002 -0.001 -0.001 -0.004 -0.001 0.008 -0.01 -0.003



Page 1-88

1.1.9 AIR QUALITY BASELINE

Information sources

Information in this section was sourced from the air quality specialist report (Airshed, March 2013)

undertaken for Sedibelo and Magazynskraal included in Appendix I as well as an air quality impact

assessment undertaken for PPM (Airshed, April 2012). Additional information was sourced from the

annual monitoring report, compiled by Knight Piesold (KP, May 2013).

Data collection

Data was obtained from the review of existing literature, available studies and monitoring data. In

assessing current ambient air quality in the study area, reference was made to available monthly dustfall

monitoring data recorded at Pilanesberg Platinum Mine (PPM) over the period June 2010 to

December 2011. Reference was also made to the results of dust fall monitoring undertaken at Sedibelo

from February 2011 to February 2013. Dust fall out monitoring positions are indicated in Figure 16. A

site visit was undertaken by the specialist to compile a qualitative description of existing sources of

atmospheric emission.

Introduction and link to impact

Existing sources of emissions in the region and the characterisation of existing ambient pollution

concentrations is fundamental to the assessment of cumulative air impacts. A change in ambient air

quality can result in a range of impacts which in turn may be nuisance or cause health impacts to nearby

receptors. Potential receptor sites do exist in the surrounding areas (Section 1.3.1). Current land uses

on the project site include limited mine related activity, livestock grazing, crop farming and community

activities. The current land uses immediately surrounding the project site include subsistence farming

(livestock grazing and crops); formal (villages) and informal (livestock herders and farmers) residential,

mining and conservation/eco-tourism activities associated with the PNP and private lodges such as Black

Rhino. To understand the basis of the potential impacts, a baseline situational analysis is described

below.

Baseline Assessment

In characterising the dispersion potential of the site, reference is made to hourly meteorological data

obtained from the MM5 data set for an on-site location for the period January 2008 to December 2010.

Meteorological parameters used in this study included wind speed, wind direction, temperature, rainfall,

relative humidity and solar radiation.

Results

Waterberg-Bojanala airshed priority area

The mine falls within the Waterberg-Bojanala priority area. Under the National Environmental

Management: Air Quality Act, (Act No. 39 of 2004) an airshed priority area may be declared where there



Page 1-89

is concern of elevated atmospheric pollutant concentrations within the area. The DEA identified the

potential of an airshed priority area in the vicinity of the Waterberg District Municipality, which was later

expanded to include the Bojanala Platinum District Municipality (Government Gazette, Number 34631; 30

September 2011).

Potential receptor sites

With reference to Figure 2 potential sensitive receptors could include residential areas, neighbouring

mining operations and conservation/ecotourism areas associated with the Pilanesberg National Park,

which includes the Black Rhino Reserve. More specifically, the residential areas closest to the study

area include dwellings associated with livestock herders and subsistence farmers on the farms

Wilgespruit 2 JQ, Rooderand 16 J and Magazynskraal 3 JQ, as well as the communities of Legkraal,

Lekutung, Ngweding, Lesetlheng, Mothlabe, Lesobeng, Kgamatha, Ntswana-le-Metsing, Magalane,

Magong, Moruleng/Saulspoort, Manamakgoteng, Mononono, Sefikile and Mabeskraal as outlined in

detail in Section 1.3.1 below.

Regional air quality

Existing sources of air pollution in the region include:

• stack, vent and fugitive emissions from mining activities in the area, including PPM, Chromecto,

Nkwe Platinum, Atla Mining, Ruighoek Chrome Mine to the southwest and the Union Platinum

mine to the north east as well as various other exploration phase mining operations in the area;

• vehicle tailpipe emissions;

• household fuel combustion;

• biomass burning (veld fires); and

• various miscellaneous fugitive dust sources (agricultural activities, wind erosion of open areas,

vehicle-entrainment of dust along paved and unpaved roads).

Local Air Quality – Fall out dust

With reference to the monitoring position (Sedibelo 1, 2, 3 and 4) indicated in Figure 16 and the results

(Table 53) of the Sedibelo dust fall out monitoring data (KP, 2013) for the period February 2011 to

February 2013 the SANS residential action levels or threshold value as outlined in the SANS 1929:2011

standard were exceeded once at monitoring point Sedibelo 2. This location is also the most

representative of background conditions as it is the least influenced by neighbouring mining activities,

road traffic or other human activities.

Furthermore, values at the three locations on the western (Sedibelo 1), northern (Sedibelo 4) and eastern

(Sedibelo 3) boundaries of the farm Wilgespruit 3 JQ respectively are expected to be influenced by traffic

on adjacent unpaved roads. Values at the locations in the vicinity of unpaved roads, showed the

expected higher values for the winter (dry) seasons in 2012 and 2013 with some values exceeding the

SANS residential action level (600 mg/m2/day) from time to time. At the sampling point at the northern



Page 1-90

boundary (Sedibelo 4) levels exceeding the SANS industrial action level (1200 mg/m2/day) were recorded

in September 2012. The increased number of exceedances, especially at Sedibelo 1 and Sedibelo 4,

from June 2012 onward could be indicative of increased mining activity and associated vehicle activity in

and surrounding the study area.

TABLE 53: DUST DEPOSITION RESULTS (AIRSHED, 2013a) MONTH OF SAMPLING

SEDIBELO 1 mg/m2/day

SEDIBEL2012O 2 mg/m2/day



Feb 2011 205 141 690 565

Mar 2011 130 41 512 465

Apr 2011 Sample lost 106 461 303

May 2011 Sample lost 41 277 230

Jun 2011 319 Bucket leak 281 150

Jul 2011 293 513 97 555

Aug 2011 371 116 230 398

Sept 2011 348 108 216 373

Oct 2011 263 38 176 213

Nov 2011 282 41 179 229

Dec 2011 * Sample lost 28 206 217

Jan 2012 378 42 218 258

Feb 2012 320 89 216 226

Mar 2012 146 Sample lost 239 144

Apr 2012 292 53 224 173

May 2012 270 44 167 536

Jun 2012 362 1011 342 Sample lost

Jul 2012 693 82 855 188

Aug 2012 663 130 32 945

Sept 2012 626 115 379 1594

Oct 2012 340 125 171 748

Nov 2012 ** Sample lost 18 104 479

Dec 2012 74 171 316 357

Jan 2013 * Sample lost 78 293 431

Feb 2013 242 171 497 788 Notes: * sample taken over 37 days; ** sample taken over 21 days; “sample lost” indicates that the buckets could not be recovered from the location; presumed stolen or vandalised. Underlined text indicate exceedances

Receptors in the area surrounding the project site are already experiencing dust fall out levels which

exceed the SANS 1929:2011 standard. Based on dust fall out monitoring results obtained from the

neighbouring PPM operations over the period June 2010 to July 2012, exceedances of the SANS

1929:2011 standard were recorded at the Mthlankana School monitoring location during the 2011



Page 1-91

monitoring period (October and November 2011) and subsequently in 2012 (January, February, March,

June and July 2012). Exceedances were also recorded at Ramanotwana School and the Pilanesberg

National Park although these occurrences were occasional.

From June 2013, ASHERQ commenced with a dust fall monitoring programme on behalf of PPM at

various monitoring location, including the Sedibelo project site. Two of these monitoring locations are

located on the Sedibelo property and are indicated on Figure 16. Exceedances of both the residential

and industrial action levels were recorded at both these points.

Conclusion

Dust fallout concentrations within areas outside of existing mining operations are generally within the

SANS residential limits with some exceedances recorded from time to time, in particular at locations near

unpaved provincial roads and during the dry winter seasons. No measured PM10 concentrations are

available for the area. Changes to mining operations and infrastructure may increase both dust fallout

concentrations and the ambient PM10 concentrations. The activities should therefore be carefully

designed and managed to ensure that contributions from the mine remain within acceptable limits.

1.1.10 NOISE BASELINE

Information sources

Information in this section was sourced from the noise impact studies undertaken in 2007 for the

approved Sedibelo EIA/EMP (Francois Malherbe Acoustic Consulting (FMAC), 2007) and 2012 (Acusolv,

2012) for the Magazynskraal EIA. Both reports are included in Appendix J.

Data collection

Two site visits were undertaken by two different noise consultants in order to collect baseline information

for the Sedibelo and Magazynskraal EIA studies in 2006 and 2012 respectively. Physical scoping and

measurement surveys were conducted to assess the nature of the existing noise environment and to

determine typical existing pre-development outdoor ambient sound levels in the area.

All measurements were taken in accordance with the requirements specified in South African National

Standard (SANS) 10103. At each measurement point the A-weighted instantaneous sound pressure

level (LpA) was recorded for a minimum period of 15 minutes. Simultaneously, the A-weighted equivalent

sound pressure level (LAeq) was measured. Day and night time readings were taken during the 2012

study. No night time measurements were undertaken during the 2007 study.

A summary of the results from the two studies is provided below.



Page 1-92


The present environment is defined as rural, and the introduction of mining activities will necessarily

affect the existing ambient noise levels in the area, which may cause a disturbance to nearby receptors.

Potential receptor sites may include the communities, farmers and the closer ecotourism facilities that

have been described in Section 1.3.1. To understand the basis of these potential impacts, a baseline

situational analysis is described below.

Results

Ambient day time and night time (2012 study only) noise levels, together with day time (2007 study) noise

levels, measured at the relevant monitoring points are summarised in Table 54. The points at which

these measurements were taken are illustrated in Figure 16. It should be noted that only three of the

seven monitoring points surveyed in the 2012 study for the Magazynskraal EIA were utilised in this report

due to proximity of these points to the Sedibelo operations.

TABLE 54: DAY TIME AND NIGHT TIME AMBIENT NOISE LEVELS

MEASURING POINT DAY TIME LAeq [dBA]

NIGHT TIME LAeq [dBA]

COMMENTS/ SANS 10103 CLASSIFICATION

MP1 (Rural area; centre of

development on the farm Wilgespruit 2 JQ)

49.5 (44.0 if bellowing cow noise

contribution is excluded)

Not measured

Rural ambient noise climate with typical natural sounds and cattle movement. Test shaft drilling operation audible in the distance. Classified as rural residential districts.

MP2 (Rural area; south

western corner of the farm Wilgespruit 2 JQ)

49.6 (38.8 if crowing cockerel noise contribution is

removed)

Not measured

Rural ambient noise climate with typical natural sounds. Test shaft drilling operation clearly audible in distance. Classified as Rural Districts

MP3 (Legkraal) 45.8 Not measured

Ambient noise determined by local road traffic and community activity noise. No mining or industrial noise was discernible. Classified as Suburban Residential Districts

M1* (Legkraal)

51 42

Ambient noise determined by local road traffic and community activity noise. No mining or industrial noise was discernible. Classified as Suburban Residential Districts

M2* (Rural area north-west corner of study area 44 34

Ambient noise determined primarily by natural sounds and human activity. No mining or industrial noise was discernible. Classified as Rural Districts

M3* (Rural area north-west of

study area) 45 37

Very quiet with ambient levels determined primarily by bird, insect and wind sounds. Machine or mining activity noise was discernible in the distance, but levels did not show on the ambient noise readings. Classified as Rural Districts

*Indicate three monitoring points taken from the 2012 study

Conclusion

The study area and surrounding area can be classified as rural in nature with most ambient noise levels

emanating from natural sources or from community based activities and the existing operations at the

neighbouring PPM operations. This baseline information will be used to compare the predicted increase



Page 1-93

in noise levels due to the current project. Careful design and planning should be taken into consideration

during the construction and operation of the mine in order to manage disturbing noise levels.

1.1.11 VISUAL BASELINE

Information sources

Information in this section is taken from the specialist visual report undertaken by Newtown Landscape

Architects (NLA, 2013), included in Appendix K.

Data Collection

Data from this section was obtained from the regional physiographic and cultural data derived from

1:50 000 maps, aerial photographs and information gathered on the site visit.


Mining-related activities have the potential to alter the landscape character of the site and surrounding

area through the establishment of both temporary (such as shafts, pits, mineral processing infrastructure

and support facilities) and permanent infrastructure (such as the tailings storage facility and waste rock

dumps). As a baseline, this section provides an understanding of the visual aspects of the area against

which to measure potential change as a result of mine infrastructure and activities.

Results

In describing the visual landscape, a number of factors are considered, including landscape character,

sense of place, scenic quality, and sensitive views. Each of these concepts is discussed below.

It is important to note that the study area defined for the visual study is a 15km radius around the study

area as beyond this distance, the project components would be ‘absorbed’ into the landscape setting.

Landscape character

The landscape character of the study area is defined by relatively flat plains, punctuated by isolated hills

in the west and the dominant hills associated with the Pilanesberg National Park (PNP) in the south.

While the plains have been disturbed by anthropogenic activities, the hills are relatively ‘untouched’ with a

dense vegetation cover of bushveld species associated with the Dwaalboom vegetation type. Current

land uses in and adjacent to the study area is a combination of grazing, crops, mining, residential and

general community activities.

When considering the overall landscape character, the aesthetic value of the study area has obvious

tourism potential, starting with the Pilanesberg National Park (PNP) which has established a mutually

beneficial arrangement with the Black Rhino Game Reserve with its associated lodges.



Page 1-94

Scenic quality

Landscapes with greater diversity or containing "distinctive" features are classified as having a higher

scenic value than landscapes with low diversity, few distinctive features, or more “common" elements.

Generally, the greater the diversity of form, line, texture, and colour in a landscape unit or area, the

greater the potential for high scenic value. Scenic quality classifications are:

• high - distinctive landscape and strong sense of place;

• moderate - common landscape; and

• low - minimal landscape and weak sense of place

The scenic quality of an area is therefore linked to the type of landscapes that occurs therein. Scenic

quality for the study area ranges from high to low as follows:

• high - these include the mountains and koppies, water bodies and natural drainage systems;

• moderate - these include agricultural activities and recreational areas; and

• low - these include towns, communities, roads, railway line, industries and existing mines.

The study area has many positive aesthetic features. This is primarily due to the physical setting, which

is dominated by the wooded hills associated with the PNP as well as the isolated hills that protrude above

the surrounding plains. Whilst the ‘untouched’ hills are considered to have a high scenic quality, the

plains tend to have a moderate rating. The lower rating is a consequence of the intrusive nature of

anthropogenic elements such as mining and settlement activities. The overall scenic quality of the study

area is considered to be moderate to high.

However, it is the specialist’s opinion that the general beauty of the area is being compromised by the

competing mining activities which stretch in a general arc to the west and north-west of the PNP. These

activities can be seen protruding above the horizon line when viewed from residential and tourist areas

located to the south and west. Their impact is especially evident at night when the bright lights are very

noticeable against the otherwise dark night sky.

Sense of place

Central to the concept of sense of place is that the landscape requires uniqueness and distinctiveness. It

is the extent to which a person can recognise or recall a place as being distinct from other places – as

having a vivid and unique character of its own. When deriving the sense of place of the study area, the

landscape context is considered, as it is the existing land types that define a sense of place. These land

types include mining and utility, community / built up, grassland plains and the natural hills.

The study area and adjacent plains are regarded as having a moderate sense of place as the area has

been disturbed by anthropogenic activities; however, the ‘untouched’ hills are considered to have a high



Page 1-95

sense of place. When the overall landscape character is considered, the combination of flat savannah

plains and treed hills evoke an aesthetically pleasing scene with a strong sense of place. It should be

noted that this area is earmarked for the conceptual Heritage Park Corridor (HPC), which aims to link the

PNP in the south to the Madikwe Game Reserve in the north-west.

Visual receptors

Public views (sensitive viewing areas) to the mine could be experienced by people living and visiting the

adjacent communities, employees travelling to work, as well as tourists visiting the attractions in the area

or travelling through the area to other destinations.

The following communities would have views of the mine:

• Lesobeng and Kgamatha;

• Mononono;

• Manamakgoteng;

• Saulspoort / Moruleng (including Ramoga);

• Lesetlheng;

• Lekutung;

• Legkraal (including Ga-Masilela, Ga-Riphiri, Boriteng and Bofule);

• Ngweding;

• Magalane;

• Magong;

• Mmantserre; and

• Sefikile.

Visitors (primarily from the Black Rhino Game Reserve) to and personnel of the PNP would experience

views of the mine, however most views will be contained by the valley topography during the day.

However, views down the valley along the ‘exit road’ from the PNP to the Black Rhino Game Reserve,

will be framed by hills and focus the viewers’ attention on some of the project’s components. The glow

from the lights would be noticeable from within the PNP. Direct views of these lights would be

experienced where line of sight allows such as from the ‘exit road’ mentioned above. Day time views of

the mining activities would occur from the upper sections of the north-facing slopes of the northern

section of the PNP. Guided walks are held on a regular basis, at least twice a day, in the northern

section of the PNP. Tourists on these walks would tend to have a greater awareness of their surrounding

environment as well as an appreciation of views from lookout points and would be sensitive to seeing

mining activities in the middle ground of their view.



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Views, from within the Black Rhino Game Reserve, would be mostly screened by existing vegetation.

However, views from the higher elevations from within the reserve would be exposed to the mining

activities. At night the glare and glow from the lights associated with the mine would be more visible as

light travels further at night and the contrast between light and darkness is much more evident, thus

drawing the viewers’ attention to these lit areas on the horizon line.

Travellers along the R565 and other local roads would momentarily have views of the project

components as they travel through the study area.

Conclusion

The stud area is considered to have a moderate value with respect to scenic quality. However when the

wider study area is taken into account, it is considered to have a moderate to high value with a relative

strong sense of place. Key to these factors is that the project site is located in close proximity to the PNP

and within the proposed HPC.

It is the specialist’s opinion that the general beauty of the area is being compromised by the competing

mining activities which can be seen protruding above the horizon line when viewed from residential and

tourist areas located to the south and west. Their impact is especially evident at night when the bright

lights are noticeable against the otherwise dark night sky. Mining and community development’s impact

on the available visual resources and visual resource management must therefore be considered during

the design phase of the project.



Page 1-97

1.2 ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS WHICH MAY REQUIRE PROTECTION OR REMEDIATION

Environmental aspects both on the project site and in the surrounding area which may require protection

or remediation during the life of the mine are listed below:

• stripped and stockpiled soils;

• in-situ soils and land capabilities;

• biodiversity;

• groundwater resources;

• surface water resources;

• drainage patterns on site after closure;

• the non-perennial Wilgespruit and Bofule rivers

• ambient air qualities;

• noise environment;

• visual and landscape quality;

• surrounding land uses, socio-economic conditions and economic activity; and

• heritage (and cultural) and paleontological resources.

The list is based on the concise descriptions provided in Sections 1.1 and 1.3.

1.3 LAND USES, CULTURAL AND HERITAGE ASPECTS AND INFRASTRUCTURE

A description of the specific land uses, cultural and heritage aspects and infrastructure on site and on

neighbouring properties/farms is provided in this section. This section identifies whether or not there is

potential for the socio-economic conditions of other parties to be affected by the proposed operations.

1.3.1 LAND USES

Information sources

Mining right and land ownership details were sourced from IBMR and title deed searches. Information on

existing prospecting/mining rights was compiled with input from IBMR and SLR’s knowledge of the area.

Information on the context of the area and the presence of infrastructure was compiled by SLR using

information provided by the various specialist studies, observations during site visits and study of aerial

and satellite images.


Mining activities have the potential to affect land uses both on the site (through land development) and in

the surrounding areas (through direct or indirect positive and/or negative impacts). As a baseline, this

section outlines existing land tenure including surface and prospecting/mining rights (both on the site and

in the surrounding area), describes the land uses on site and in the surrounding area, and identifies third



Page 1-98

party service infrastructure. This section provides the context within which potential impacts on land uses

and existing economic activity may occur.

Results – Mining rights

The IBMR has an approved mining right (Reference number NW/30/3/1/2/3/2/1/333MR) on the farms

Wilgespruit 2 JQ, parts of portion 1 of Rooderand 46 JQ, a portion of portion 1 of Legkraal 45 JQ and a





associated metals on a portion of Wilgespruit 2 JQ and part of Portion 1 of Rooderand 46 JQ to enable

the extension of the Tuschenkomst open pit. This specific area is referred to as the “Mineral Rights

Abandonment Area” as indicated in Figure 2. The DMR has approved PPM’s takeover of the mining

rights on the abandonment area, which measures approximately 440 hectares.

Apart from the exclusion of the Mineral Rights Abandonment Area, Sedibelo’s mining rights and approved

minerals remain unchanged.

Results – Land ownership

The title deed owners are listed in Table 55 below. With reference to Figure 2, the farm Wilgespruit 2 JQ,

a portion of portion 1 of Legkraal 45 JQ and some of the other surrounding farms are held in trust by the

BBK. One of the owners of Koedoesfontein 42 JQ has been reported to SLR by the Bakgatla-Ba-Kgafela

Tribal Authority (BBKTA) as being deceased. Rooderand 46 JQ and the remaining extent of Legkraal 45

JQ are currently held by the State.

TABLE 55: LAND OWNERS IN THE PROJECT SITE FARM NAME PORTION

NUMBER TITLE DEED NUMBER

SURFACE OWNER AS PER TITLE DEEDS SEARCH (FEBRUARY 2012)

Wilgespruit 2 JQ 0 T1230/1919BP Bakgatla-Ba-Kgafela Tribe Rooderand 46 JQ 1 T8993/1916BP Republic of South Africa Legkraal 45 JQ * 0 T17606/1935BP Republic of Bophuthatswana

1 T18364/2008 Bakgatla-Ba-Kgafela Communal Property Association

Koedoesfontein 42 JQ # 0 T5841/1919BP Tchinangoe Pilane (1/6 share); Samuel Tilimane Pilane (1/6 share); Noel Pilane (1/6 share); and Bakgatla Tribe (3/6 share)

Notes: *Information obtained from Deed Search indicates that there are two portions of the farm Legkraal 45 JQ, while the title deed indicates there is one portion. #To date, SLR has not been able to contact Mr. Tchinanagoe Pilane. The Bakgatla-Ba-Kgafela has informed SLR that Mr. Tchinanagoe Pilane is deceased. No clarification on this matter has been obtained.

Other parties that may be directly affected include the landowners and the associated farm workers on

the adjacent properties as listed in Table 56.



Page 1-99

TABLE 56: LANDOWNERS ADJACENT TO THE PROJECT SITE FARM NAME PORTION

NUMBER TITLE DEED NUMBER SURFACE OWNER AS PER TITLE DEEDS SEARCH

(FEBRUARY 2012) Magazynskraal 3 JQ 0 T56447/2000 Republic of South Africa Rooderand 46 JQ 1, 2, 3 and

0 (Remaining

Extent)

T8993/1916BP, T16014/1971BP, T3648/1940BP, T457/1979BP

Republic of South Africa

Cyferkuil 1 JQ 1 T5284/1937BP Republic of South Africa Zandspruit 168 JP 0 T7072/2006 African Mining - Trust Co Ltd

2 T7071/2006 Zandspruit Development Corporation (Pty) Ltd Tuschenkomst 135 JP 0 G594/1938BP Republic of South Africa Wachteenbeetjeslaagte 4 JQ 0 T2403/1948BP Republic of South Africa

Results – land claims

There is an unresolved land claim on the farm Wilgespruit 2 JQ on which some of the mine infrastructure

will be located. The title deeds state (Title Deed number: T1230/1919BP) that the land is owned by the

Bakgatla-Ba-Kgafela Tribe (BBK). This is being disputed by the Lesetlheng Community, who are

currently utilising the property for grazing purposes with associated farm worker dwellings. The

Lesethleng Community is claiming the ownership of the Farm Wilgespruit 2 JQ. Based on verbal

testimony provided to the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLR) (previously the

Department of Land Affairs), the community members claim that in the late 1800s the Lesetlheng

community was granted access by the BBK to Wilgespruit for agricultural purposes. This was part of a

wider initiative of the BBK to secure agricultural land for all the villages under its administration. In

addition to Lesetlheng having access, a small percentage of the Legkraal and Ramasedi villages also

have access to the farm. Although it is agreed that the communities do not “own” Wilgespruit, they do

have rights to the land. It is further recognised that the current farmers on the land are not the only

beneficiaries of these rights as the entire community is a beneficiary. The farm is divided into

approximately 20 sections which are allocated to families from the settlements of Lesetlheng and

Legkraal. It is further claimed that Lesetlheng contributed money and cattle to buy this land after being

encouraged by Kgosi Ditlhake Pilane in 1916.

The DRDLR indicated that they are aware of the land claim and a Ministerial Memorandum requesting

that a commission be appointed to investigate this issue has been submitted.

Results - Land uses

With reference to Figure 1, Figure 2 and Figure 17, the project site is situated approximately 2km north of

the Pilanesberg National Park (PNP) in the North West Province. Current land uses on the project site

include limited mine related activity, livestock grazing, crop farming and community activities. The current

land uses immediately surrounding the project site include subsistence farming (livestock grazing and

crops); formal (villages) and informal (livestock herders and farmers) residential, mining and



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conservation/eco-tourism activities associated with the PNP and private lodges such as Black Rhino.

More detail is provided below.

Transport infrastructure

The existing network of roads in the area is discussed in Section1.3.2.

Power lines and telecommunications

Power lines (and the associated Eskom servitudes) run across the project site along the southern

boundary of the farm Wilgespruit 2 JQ and along the eastern boundary within the farm

Magazynskraal 3 JQ. The Sedibelo Substation is located on the eastern boundary of the farm

Wilgespruit from where power will be distributed via 11kV lines across the mining operations. There is a

network of low voltage power lines and telephone lines which service the area. These lines usually follow

roads before branching off to individual properties.

Water pipelines

A Magalies Water pipeline runs in an east/west direction along the northern boundary of the farm

Wilgespruit 2 JQ. .

Residential

Various farm worker dwellings are located within the study area on the farms Wilgespruit 3 JQ and

Rooderand 16 JQ. Similar dwellings are also located on neighbouring farms such as

Magazynskraal 3 JQ.

The residential areas closest to the project site include:

• Legkraal (± 330m south from the project site boundary)

• Lekutung (± 1km east from the project site boundary)

• Ngweding (± 1,7km north from the project site boundary)

• Lesetlheng (± 1,9km south-east from the project site boundary)

• Mothlabe (± 5km north-west from the project site boundary)

• Lesobeng and Kgamatha (± 5,5km east from the project site boundary)

• Ntswana-le-Metsing (± 5,5km-north west from the project site boundary)

• Mphonyoke (± 6.5km north-west from the project site boundary)

• Magalane (± 5,6km north from the project site boundary)

• Magong (± 7,6km north from the project site boundary)

• Moruleng/Saulspoort (± 8,1km south-east from the project site boundary)

• Manamakgoteng (± 9,6km east from the project site boundary)

• Makgope (± 12 km west from the project site boundary)

• Mononono (± 12,2km north-east from the project site boundary)



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• Sefikile (± 12,8km north-east from the project site boundary)

• Mmantserre (± 15km north-east from the project site boundary)

• Mabeskraal (± 20,7km south-west from the project site boundary)

Agricultural

Agricultural activities in the Moses Kotane Local Municipality (MKLM) consist of subsistence crop and

livestock farming. Crop farming mainly includes maize, sorghum and sunflowers, with relatively low

yields for home consumption and even lower yields for selling. Livestock farming mainly includes cattle

and goat farming. Livestock is commonly kept in subdivided communal farms reserved for grazing. The

lack of sufficient water precludes any intensive commercial farming requiring irrigation.

The farm Wilgespruit 2JQ is currently used for communal agriculture. Cattle herding is the main activity,

however, goats and chickens are also farmed. There are approximately 27 farmers on the land and

between them they have approximately 500 head of cattle. Cattle kraals, dipping tanks and water

reticulation are in place on the site.

Limited crop farming takes place in the project site due to the lack of water and suitable soil types. Crop

farming typically takes place close to residences and is at a subsistence level.

Some of the community members and the communal cattle grazers currently practice dry-land farming

seasonally on the farm Wilgespruit 2JQ. In some cases the cattle herders who live in the southern

villages such as Legkraal and Lesetlheng have appointed farm-hands who remain on apportioned land

on Wilgespruit 2JQ. These farm-hands oversee the cattle and when necessary the crop farming and at

the same time have established vegetable gardens at their temporary shelters (observed from satellite

images, specialist site visits and consultations).

In the approved EIA/EMP (KP, 2007), Sedibelo committed to the relocation of these farmers in line with

internationally accepted requirements.

Retail businesses

Most of the retail businesses are located within the major towns of Saulspoort/Moruleng, Northam and

Mogwase. Typically the villages in close proximity of the mines have retail businesses in the form of

general traders, supermarkets and taverns.

Ecotourism/ Recreational facilities in the vicinity

Recreational facilities within the vicinity include:

• Pilanesberg National Park located south of the project site, including the following private

lodges/park camps which are situated near the north of the PNP:



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o Black Rhino Private Game Reserve, which is linked with the PNP;

o Bakgatla camp; and

o Ivory Tree Lodge;

• various lodges and resorts located in the southern section of the Pilanesberg National Park,

including Manyane, Bakubung, Kwa Maritane, Tshukudu, Shepherd’s Tree;

• Sun City, which lies on the southern edge of the Pilanesberg National Park, approximately 25km

south of the project site;

• Lebatlhane Nature Reserve located to the north of the project site ; and

• BBKTA cultural museum based in Saulspoort/Moruleng located south east of the project site;

• sports centre located in Saulspoort/Moruleng located south east of the project site;

• Madikwe Game Reserve lies approximately 60km to the north west of the project site; and

• further afield there are a number of hotels, restaurants and sporting facilities located in and

around the outskirts of Phokeng and Rustenburg some 60km to the south of the project site.

Conceptual Heritage Park Corridor

The conceptual Heritage Park Corridor (HPC) is an initiative being put forward by the North West Parks

and Tourism Board (NWPTB) where it is planned that over 167 000ha of private, state and community

land will be incorporated into the corridor over a 20 year period to allow the joining of the Madikwe Game

reserve and the Pilanesberg National Park. This is a piece of land that stretches north of the Pilanesberg

towards Dwaalboom and then follows the Dwarsberg Mountain range west before joining the Madikwe

Reserve at Molatedi. This initiative forms part of a larger initiative to establish a significant conservation

area in the province approaching 1 000 000ha. The objective will be to establish a core corridor that

would have the potential to be expanded over time to increase the nature based tourism to the area and

thus increase the socio-economic benefits to the area. The concept of the heritage park is being

promoted based on the following principles:

• to act as a nature-based tourism anchor project and a primary catalyst for the region;

• to establish a corridor that will ultimately link two primary tourism destinations in the North West

Province (i.e. the Pilanesberg national Park and the Madikwe Gam Reserve;

• to promote socio-economic development; and

• to aid in conserving the natural and cultural heritage of this under-developed and rural area

(NWPTB, 2002).

As part of the HPC, two different corridors are planned. The phase 1 corridor is the wider corridor which

will be fenced off to contain non-dangerous game on the farms that form part of the southern part of the

Heritage Park. It is planned that non-dangerous game, community activities and mining activities would

co-exist within this corridor. The phase 2 corridor is likely to be a narrower “Big Five” corridor that will be

used exclusively for animal movement between Pilanesberg National Park and Lebatlhane Game

Reserve (and ultimately the Madikwe Game Reserve), and it will exclude community and mining

activities.



Page 1-103

As a result of the current mining operations on the farms Tuschenkomst 135 JP and Witkleifontein

136 JP, as well as the future mining on Wilgespruit 2 JQ, PPM approached the NWPTB in 2007 to

propose an alternative route for the “Big Five” corridor that would be available in the short term should the

HPC proceed in the near future. The alternative alignment redirects the “Big Five” corridor along the

western boundary of the farm Witkleifontein 136 JQ, after which it joins up with the original alignment

north of the mining area. The original alignment of the HPC as well as the alternative alignment put

forward by PPM is illustrated in Figure 2. Figure 3 illustrates both these alignments in respect of the

infrastructure as approved in the 2007 EIA/EMP report.

With reference to the originally planned alignment of the HPC (Figure 3), the corridor for the dangerous

game will cut across the Sedibelo study area from the southern to the northern boundary across the

farms Rooderand 46 JQ and Wilgespruit 2 JQ. This corridor will therefore be obstructed by infrastructure

approved in the 2007 EIA/EMP, specifically the waste rock dump and tailings storage facility. This

scenario will remain unchanged with the proposed changes in infrastructure. The northern portions of the

farms Legkraal 48 JQ and Koedoesfontein 42 JQ as well as the eastern portion of the farm

Wilgespruit 2 JQ will be included in the non-dangerous game sections. This is however not an alternative

land use in the sense that this non dangerous game corridor is intended to incorporate conservation,

community and mining activities. With the alignment put forward by PPM as illustrated in Figure 2, none

of the Sedibelo properties will be incorporated into the dangerous game corridor.

While the vision of the Heritage Park is supported by a number of stakeholders, there are numerous

challenges that currently face this initiative. These include, but are not limited to, a lack of investors,

numerous private and community landowners within the corridor which is approximately 100km long and

varies in width from 5 to 30km, existing linear infrastructure, as well as existing and proposed

developments including mining operations.

Mining

With reference to Figure 1, Figure 2 and Figure 17, various existing mining operations are located in the

region of the Sedibelo Platinum Mine. These include the following in the immediate vicinity of the mine:

• PPM is situated on the farms Tuschenkomst 135 JP, Witkleifontein 136 JP, Portion 3 of

Rooderand 46 JQ, various portions of Ruighoek 169 JP, a portion of Wilgespruit 2 JQ and a

portion of Portion 1 of Rooderand 46 JQ; and

• Chrometco chrome mine is situated on Portion 2 and the remaining extent of the farm

Rooderand 46 JQ.

Additional mining interests in the immediate vicinity include:

• the proposed Magazynskraal mine is situated on the farm Magazynskraal 3 JQ;

• Platinum Australia (Atla Mining), situated on portion 2 of Rooderand 46 JQ;



Page 1-104

• Nkwe Platinum (portion RE of Rooderand 46 JQ); and

• Rise Africa Mining and Exploration (various Portions of the farms Magazynskraal 3 JQ,

Wildebeestkuil 7 JQ, Haakdoorn 6 JQ, Middelkuil 38 JQ, Syferkuil 9 JQ).

Other mining operations located further afield include:

• Rustenburg Minerals/Nkwe Platinum on the farm Groenfontein 138 JP;

• Chrome Corporation (previously the Samancor Batlhako) on the farm Ruighoek 169 JP;

• Merafe - Xstrata Horizon Mine on the farms Ruighoek 169 JP and Vogelstruisnek 17 JP; and

• Rustenburg Platinum Mines (Union Section) on the farm Zwartklip 405 KQ.

Conclusion

Land uses on and immediately surrounding the project site comprises mining, wilderness, ecotourism,

livestock grazing, subsistence agriculture and community related activities. Further afield, there are a

number of residential areas, recreational facilities and mining operations. Future land uses are important

given the conceptual Heritage Park. The information regarding current and future land uses has been

used by the project team to assess impacts on these land uses and to inform mitigation measures as

required.

1.3.2 TRAFFIC BASELINE

Information sources

Information for this section was sourced from the traffic impact study included in Appendix N (Siyazi,

2012).

Data Collection

Relevant data was sourced from a site inspection of the existing road network, traffic surveys,

calculations and reference to the relevant traffic impact assessment guideline documents.

Traffic counts (12-hour manual) were conducted at intersections that would potentially be affected by the

mine. It is standard traffic engineering practice to conduct 12-hour manual traffic counts at all

intersections that could potentially be affected by a proposed development, as close as possible to a

month-end Friday when traffic movement is expected to be at its highest. From the 12-hour manual

traffic counts, the morning (AM) and afternoon (PM) peak hours are determined respectively, and used

for any further calculations. The traffic counts were therefore undertaken on Friday, the 27th of January

2012.



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Understanding the nature, use and conditions of existing transport systems relevant to the mine provides

a basis for understanding a change as a result of project contributions. This section therefore provides

an overview of the transport systems with specific focus on road infrastructure.

Traffic furthermore has the potential to impact on noise, air quality and public road safety. Results

The various aspects of the traffic baseline are set out below.

Existing Road Network

With reference to Figure 1, Figure 2 and Figure 18, a network of roads exists in the vicinity of the

proposed project area, including the following:

• provincial tarred P54-1 (along the western boundary of the Pilanesberg National Park);

• provincial P50-1 (east / west alignment and connects the R510 to the P54-1);

• regional tarred R510 (along the eastern boundary of the Pilanesberg National Park);

• D511 gravel road (north-west / south-east alignment that connects the P50-1 to Magong);

• D531 gravel road (between Motlhabe and Ntswana-le-Metsing); and

• Z536 gravel road running south from Ngweding. PPM has applied for and has been granted

permission to close the Z536 and construct a new road along the northern boundary of the farm

Wilgespruit 2 JQ (Metago, 2009).

Figure 18 provides a conceptual outline of the existing road network in the area surrounding the study

area. Table 57 provides information regarding the status of relevant road intersections.

TABLE 57: SUMMARY OF INTERSECTION CONTROL AT INTERSECTIONS UNDER INVESTIGATION

POINT DESCRIPTION INTERSECTION CONTROL

PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITIES

A Intersection of Roads P54-1 and P50-1 Free-flow on Road P54-1 Low B Intersection of Roads P50-1 and D531 Free-flow on Road P50-1 Low C Intersection of Roads D531 and Z536 Free-flow on Road D531 Low D Intersection of Road P50-1 and PPM main office and plant access Free-flow on Road P50-1 Low E Intersection of Road P50-1 and PPM stock pile access Free-flow on Road P50-1 Low F Intersection of Road P50-1 and PPM operations access 1 Free-flow on Road P50-1 Low G Intersection of Road P50-1 and PPM operations access 2 Free-flow on Road P50-1 Low H Intersection of Road P50-1 and Rooderand Platinum Mine access Free-flow on Road P50-1 Low I Intersection of Roads P50-1 and Z536 Free-flow on Road P50-1 Low J Intersection of Road P50-1 and Legkraal Road Free-flow on Road P50-1 Low K Intersection of Roads P50-1 and D511 Free-flow on Road P50-1 Low



Page 1-106

Capacity of road network

The available capacity of the various roads near the mine ranges between 700 and 1300 vehicles per

lane per hour, depending on the direction of travel. This allows for sufficient capacity between now and

2022 as indicated by the low levels of saturation or demand in Table 60 and Table 61 below.

Road conditions

The following road conditions were observed:

• road P50-1 is in a fair condition, although there is a lack in sufficient drainage, resulting in

numerous large dams during raining seasons;

• the P54-1 is in a fair condition in the proximity of the intersection with the P50-1. However,

further to the south, through the village of Tlhatlhaganyane and past the entrance to the Black

Rhino Private Game Reserve, the P54-1 was in a state of disrepair and is currently being

resurfaced;

• road D531 is in a very poor condition with insufficient drainage;

• road Z536 is in a poor condition, lacking drainage on some sections; and

• road D511 is in a fair condition, although the riding quality is poor.

Level of service and degree of saturation

Level of service (LOS) is defined according the criteria as outlined in the Table 58 for un-signalled

intersections and Table 59 for signalled intersections.

TABLE 58: LOS CRITERIA FOR UNSIGNALLED INTERSECTIONS LEVEL OF SERVICE AVERAGE TOTAL DELAY

PERFORMANCE

A < 5 Excellent B > 5 and < 10 Very Good C >10 and < 20 Good D >20 and < 30 Average E >30 and < 45 Poor F >45 Fail

TABLE 59: LOS CRITERIA FOR SIGNALLED INTERSECTIONS LEVEL OF SERVICE AVERAGE TOTAL DELAY

PERFORMANCE

A < 5 Excellent B > 5 and < 15 Very Good C > 15 and < 25 Good D > 25 and < 40 Average E > 40 and < 60 Poor F > 60 Fail

The LOS for the various intersections for the year 2012 and the year 2022, is outlined in Table 60 and

Table 61 for signalled and un-signalled intersections.



Page 1-107

The capacity calculations for the traffic impact assessment were conducted for the years 2012 and 2022

respectively. The last mentioned time frame is in line with traffic engineering guidelines and practice and

determined by the expected number of vehicle trips that could potentially be generated during any

specific peak hour by a specific development.

TABLE 60: LOS FOR THE VARIOUS INTERSECTIONS FOR THE YEAR 2012 BASELINE

APPROACH1)

FRIDAY (AM) FRIDAY (PM)

DELAY (S)

LEVEL OF SERVICE

DEGREE OF SATURATION

DELAY (S)

LEVEL OF SERVICE


Point A: Intersection P54-1 & P50-1 7.1 B 0.014 7.3 A 0.033 Point B: Intersection P50-1 & D531 4.5 A 0.013 4.2 A 0.020 Point C: Intersection D531 & Z536 5.8 A 0.006 5.3 A 0.007

Point D: Intersection P50-1 & PPM Ofices and PLant PLANT ACCESS

6.3 A 0.019 7.6 B 0.044

Point E: Intersection P50-1 & PPM Stockpile Access 0.8 A 0.017 0.9 A 0.013 Point F: Intersection P50-1 & PPM Operations Access 1

6.3 A 0.033 4.7 A 0.021

Point G: Intersection P50-1 & PPM Operations Access 2

1.3 A 0.021 1.5 A 0.022

Point H: Intersection P50-1 & Rooderand Mine Access 0.7 A 0.021 0.7 A 0.021

Point I: Intersection P50-1 & Z536 0.7 A 0.024 1.0 A 0.019 Point J: Intersection D531 & Z536 2.9 A 0.028 2.7 A 0.029 Point K: Intersection P50-1 & D511 0.9 A 0.033 1.2 A 0.033

Note 1). Reference points as indicated in Figure 18.

TABLE 61: LOS FOR THE VARIOUS INTERSECTIONS FOR THE YEAR 2022 BASELINE

APPROACH1)


DELAY (S) LEVEL OF SERVICE




Point A: Intersection P54-1 & P50-1

6.7 A 0.015 6.3 A 0.035

Point B: Intersection P50-1 & D531

4.6 A 0.016 4.5 A 0.020

Point C: Intersection D531 & Z536

5.9 A 0.008 5.4 A 0.009

Point D: Intersection P50-1 & PPM Ofices and PLant

6.2 A 0.019 7.4 B 0.044

Point E: Intersection P50-1 & PPM Stockpile Access

0.7 A 0.017 0.8 A 0.014

Point F: Intersection P50-1 & PPM Operations Access 1

6.2 A 0.033 4.5 A 0.021

Point G: Intersection P50-1 & PPM Operations Access 2

1.3 A 0.021 1.5 A 0.023

Point H: Intersection P50-1 & Rooderand Mine Access

3.6 A 0.027 0.6 A 0.022



Page 1-108

APPROACH1)






Point I: Intersection P50-1 & Z536

0.8 A 0.024 1.1 A 0.020

Point J: Intersection D531 & Z536

3.1 A 0.032 2.8 A 0.033

Point K: Intersection P50-1 & D511

0.9 A 0.039 1.2 A 0.037

Note 1). Reference points as indicated in Figure 18.

Conclusion

The roads that service the general area vary in condition with the southern part of the P54-1, in particular,

in a poor state. The growth in the traffic baseline from 2012 to 2022 will not impact on the LOS and

carrying capacity of the existing road network. This includes the increase in traffic volumes as s result of

PPM, Sedibelo and Magazynskraal, but excludes potentially new developments which were not public

knowledge at the time of the traffic impact study.

1.3.3 CULTURAL ASPECTS

Cultural aspects are discussed below as part of the heritage discussion.

1.3.4 HERITAGE BASELINE (INCLUDING CULTURAL RESOURCES)

Information sources

Information in this section was sourced from the heritage impact study which were undertaken in 2012

and included in Appendix L, (Pistorius, 2012) and the paleontological impact study (WITS, 2012) included

in Appendix M.

Data Collection

Data collection for the heritage impact study comprised three key activities:

• desktop review of available studies of the past decade;

• surveying literature relating to pre-historical and historical context of the Pilanesberg region; and

• field surveys - the study area was surveyed during two different occasions, namely when a survey for

the Sedibelo Platinum Mine was conducted during 2007 and more recently in 2011 when this former

project area (confined to the farm Wilgespruit 2JQ) was again surveyed in conjunction with portion 1

Rooderand 46JQ, Legkraal 45JQ and Koedoesfontein 42JQ for the purposes of this study.

Information for the paleontological impact study comprised a desktop review of relevant 1:250 000

geological maps.



Page 1-109


The mine has the potential to impact heritage, cultural and paleontological resources through the

placement of infrastructure and through the related construction and operational activities. To

understand the basis of these potential impacts, a baseline situational analysis is described below.

Results – Heritage and cultural resources

The mine is located in a portion of the North-West Province, which from a heritage point of view, is

amongst others characterised by large numbers of stone walled sites, which can be associated with Late

Iron Age and historical Tswana and Nguni speaking communities. Descendants of these extinct

communities today still live in the Pilanesberg region.

The Pilanesberg as a natural heritage resource

The Pilanesberg is a unique natural landmark and it forms part of South Africa’s natural heritage. This

complex of mountains consists of an eroded circular alkaline volcanic structure, 1 250 million years old, in

the low-lying Bushveld Complex. This extinct volcano is 27km in diameter and is surrounded by six rings

of mountains. The result is a circular mountainous region, which stands in stark contrast to the

surrounding open plains, creating a unique enclave for human occupation and utilisation from the earliest

times. During the Late Iron Age, access to the Pilanesberg was controlled by well-positioned and

extensive settlements near the periphery of this circular mountain range, close to some of the entrances

leading to the pathway-like valleys which criss-cross the central part of the Pilanesberg.

Regional heritage in respect of the project site

The study area is no longer a pristine piece of land as the landscape has been affected by human

settlement since an early period. Although Stone Age people were present in the area during the last

hundreds of thousands of years they did not occupy the area in large numbers or in permanent villages

as the presence of scattered stone tools indicate.

Large numbers of Late Iron Age communities established themselves in large village complexes near and

on the slopes and spurs of mountains and kopjes such as Mogare, Mmatone, Patswane and

Mukukunupu to the west of the project site and at isolated hills such as Mabjaneng and Motsotsodi, also

located to the west of the Sedibelo Mine. These communities were most likely related to the pre-

historical and historical Kgatla. The Ga Ramoga and Moruleng areas to the south-east of the project site

were already occupied during historical times by a section of the Kgatla who practised crop planting and

animal husbandry.

The first colonists followed these pre-historical and historical Iron Age farmers during the second half of

the 19th century. The Voortrekkers continued a mixed farming existence in the Pilanesberg area until the

land was expropriated for incorporation into the former Bophuthatswana.



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A relatively large number of families occupied the farm Wilgespruit 2JQ during the more recent past. These

family groups constructed dwellings and other shelters and also planted crops on patches of land and kept

herds of cattle which, in the specialist’s opinion, have contributed to the general degradation of the study

area.

During the early 20th century, the western limb of the Merensky Reef was discovered and platinum mining

commenced near Swartklip (Notham) and Rustenburg. In the Pilanesberg area, chrome initially attracted the

attention of mining houses. Chrome mining subsequently commenced on the chromite zone to the north and

to the west of the Pilanesberg, where these mining activities, which now have attained heritage significance,

can still be seen.

Types and ranges of heritage resources identified

The Phase I HIA for the study area revealed the following types and ranges of heritage resources as

defined in Section 3 of the National Heritage Resources Act (Act No 25 of 1999):

• scatters of stone tools and potsherds were recorded on two eroded spots;

• the foundations of a pioneer (historical) dwelling; and

• remains of settlements which date from the recent past.

The location of these heritage resources as well as the remains from the recent past are predominantly

concentrated in the northern section of the farm Wilgespruit 2 JQ as illustrated in Figure 19 and

summarised in Table 62.

The heritage resources and remains from the recent past have been assigned codes such as SA (Stone

Age occurrences); IA (Iron Age occurrences); SAIA (Stone Age and Iron Age occurrences that occur

together in one locality, or ‘site’) and RP (remains from the recent past) in order to simplify the

identification and description of these resources.



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TABLE 62: SIGNIFICANCE OF RECORDED HERITAGE RESOURCES AND REMAINS FROM THE RECENT PAST

REFERENCE ON MAP STONE TOOL OCCURRENCES COORDINATES SIGNIFICANCE SA/IA01 Scatter of stone tools and potsherds next to a furrow. Consists mostly of Middle Stone Age

artefacts manufactured from hornfels. Limited number of potsherds which include Early Moloko ware.

25º 05.067 'S; 27º 02.456'E

LOW

SA/IA02 Scatter of stone tools and potsherds on an eroded spot. Stone tools include microlithic types which may date from the Late Stone Age. Manufactures from volcanic material. Two potsherds may be associated with Early Moloko pottery.

25º 05.925'S; 27º 01.719'E

LOW

HH01 Rectangular pioneer dwelling with dolerite foundations. Probably rebuilt and re-used in more recent times by farm labourers or informal settlers. It is highly likely that this dwelling may represent one of the earliest Voortrekker (colonial) dwellings that was built during the middle of the 19th century in the Pilanesberg area. The historical dwelling has been damaged and demolished when one of the large number of family compounds which arose in the area during the last few years (after the first survey was done in 2007) was established on top of these remains.

25º 05.453 'S; 27º 01.936'E

LOW

RP01 Rubble of several abandoned homesteads, part of an ox wagon on an eroded area 25º 05.125 'S; 27º 02.556'E

LOW

RP02 Settlement of the Senwoele family. Lived here in the 1970’s. Open space in bush, which is currently covered with tall grass. Used to incorporate a residential area, cattle kraal and goat enclosure

25º 05.014 'S; 27º 02.455'E

LOW

RP03 Settlement of Pheto family. Lived here in the 1970’s. Includes a residential area as well as enclosures for domestic stock

25º 05.041 'S; 27º 02.524'E

LOW

RP04 Settlement of the Matshego family. Abandoned the settlement in 1993. Used to include a residential area and at least one enclosure for domestic stock

25º 05.262 'S; 27º 02.194'E

LOW

RP05 Settlement of the Malebey family. Located close to the Bofule River. Lived here during 1971 to 1984. Incorporates a residential area, an enclosure for livestock and an enclosure for goats located some distance from the settlement

25º 05.756 'S; 27º 02.954'E

LOW

RP06 Foundation of square one-roomed dwelling. Foundation marked by upright stones. Associated with glass bottles, plough shed, corrugated iron plate, etc.

25º 04.891 'S; 27º 02.178'E

LOW

RP07 Low foundation walls of two-roomed dwelling. Associated with glass bottles, plough shed, corrugated iron plate, etc.

25º 04.878 'S; 27º 02.229'E

LOW

RP08 Scatter of undecorated potsherds on a large bald area. Include remnants of mud dwellings from the recent past

25º 06.268 'S; 27º 01.537'E

LOW



Page 1-112

Results – Paleontological

The study area is underlain by igneous rocks of the Rustenberg Layered Suite of the Bushveld Igneous

Complex (refer to section 1.1.1). This is an intrusive igneous body comprising a series of ultramafic-

mafic layers and a suite of associated granitoid rocks. As these rocks are Precambrian in age and are of

igneous origin it is highly unlikely that fossils will be affected by subsurface mining development.

On the farms Wilgespruit 2 JQ, Legkraal 48 JQ, and Rooderand 46 JQ unconsolidated Quaternary

deposits overlie the rocks of the Rustenberg Layered suite. These will be the only sedimentary deposits

in the area which could be affected by the mining development, and as the deposits are not consolidated

it is very unlikely that any fossils will be present.

Conclusion

The following range of heritage resources were recorded on site, namely:

• scatters of stone tools and potsherds;

• foundations of an early pioneer (colonial) dwelling; and

• remains of settlements dating from the recent past.

Only the scatters of stone tools and potsherds and the foundations of the historical (pioneer) dwelling

qualify as heritage resources. The remains dating from the recent past have no historical or cultural

significance.

The scattered stone tools and potsherds have little significance and these remains can be removed,

altered or demolished. The remains of the historical house presents a low significance because it has

been affected to such an extent that it has no research or any other use. These remains can therefore be

removed, altered, and demolished.

It is highly unlikely that the project will have any palaeontological impacts.

1.3.5 SOCIO-ECONOMIC

Information sources

Information in this section was sourced from the socio-economic impact assessment undertaken by

Managing Transformation Solutions (Pty) Ltd (MTS) which is included in Appendix O (MTS, 2012).

Data collection

Data was collected by means of the following:

• baseline survey of households 2001;



Page 1-113

• semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders and Interested and Affected Parties (IAPs),

including but not limited to, Traditional Authorities, residents and public institutions within the

boundary of and in close proximity to the development as well as the local government planning

authorities;

• National Census 2001 and 2011 statistics that were obtained from the Statistics South Africa

database; and

• community surveys carried out in 2007. The villages included in the study included: Motlhabe,

Ngweding, Magong, Magalane, Legkraal, Bofule, Ramasedi, Lesetlheng, Mononono, Lekutung,

Sefikile and Moruleng


The mine (including project changes) has the potential to result in both positive and negative socio-

economic impacts. The positive impacts are usually economic in nature with mines contributing directly

towards employment, procurement, skills development and taxes on a local, regional and national scale.

In addition, mines indirectly contribute to economic growth in the local and regional economies because

the increase in the number of income earning people has a multiplying effect on the trade of other goods

and services in other sectors.

The negative impacts can be both social and economic in nature. In this regard, mines can cause:

• influx of people seeking job opportunities which can lead to increased pressure on basic

infrastructure and services (housing, health, sanitation and education), informal settlement

development, increased crime, introduction of diseases and disruption to the existing social

structures within established communities;

• a change to not only pre-existing land uses, but also the associated social structure and meaning

associated with these land uses and way of life. This is particularly relevant in the closure phase

when the economic support provided by mines ends, the natural resources that were available to the

pre-mining society are reduced, and the social structure that has been transformed to deal with the

threats and opportunities associated with mining finds it difficult to readapt; and

• relocation and evacuation of all or parts of communities where the impacts associated with mines are

deemed highly significant. While the intention of these relocation exercises is often to mitigate

environmental impacts, the relocation can itself present a separate range of social, economic and

environmental impacts.

To understand the basis of these potential impacts, a baseline situational analysis is described below.

Results

The Sedibelo Mine is located within the North West Province in the Bojanala Platinum District

Municipality and within the Moses Kotane Local Municipality. A number of rural villages closest to the

development have been identified. All of these villages fall under the Moses Kotane Local Municipality



Page 1-114

and although there is some dispute about leadership in certain instances, the villages mostly fall under

the traditional leadership of the Bakgatla Ba Kgafela Traditional Authority.

Provincial Level – North West Province

Population

The North West Province has a population of approximately 3.1 million residents, with an average

household size of three.

Housing

Within the North West Province, it is estimated that 69.6% of the population reside in brick dwellings on a

separate stand. A total of 1.7% of the population resides in traditional dwellings and 21.2% in informal

dwellings.

Basic Services

The majority of the population’s households (74.3%) have access to piped water. Approximately 42.1%

of households with toilet facilities utilise flush toilet with sewage system. 5.8% has no access to any toilet

facilities. In terms of households’ dominant energy source, 75.3%, 61.8% and 84% use electricity as the

primary means for cooking, heating and lighting respectively. Other sources for heating and cooking

include gas, paraffin, wood and coal. Refuse removal services are provided by a local municipality to

50.3% of households, with a small percentage of the population (an estimated 6.4%) not having any

refuse disposal facilities.

Education

Within the North West Province, a significant 34.1% of the population on average were recorded as

having no or limited primary education. A mere 16% of the residents across the province were recorded

as having completed Grade 12 while an average of only 4.7% have a higher qualification.

Employment

It was estimated that the employment rate of the North West Province in 2007 was 33.8%. The

unemployment figure was 3.8%.

Economic activity

Provincially it was estimated that, in 2001, 68.3% of households in the province received no income,

while 21.9% of households received an income of less than R1600 per month. The most dominant sector

contributing to the North West Province’s economy was the mining industry.

HIV Status

The South African National Burden of Disease Study 2000 found that the primary single cause of death in

the North West Province was HIV/AIDS. This study also found that the largest proportion of premature



Page 1-115

mortality in the province was due to HIV/AIDS, indicating a 39.6% of the total years of life lost. The

HIV/AIDS prevalence is estimated at approximately 12.5% of the North West Province population. In

2010, approximately 1% (one percent) of the entire province’s residents died of AIDS related illness.

Local level – Bojanala District Municipality

Population

The population residing within the Bojanala Platinum District Municipality (BPDM) constitutes 1.2million,

approximately 39 % of the total population of the North West province. The average household size in

BPDM is estimated to be a household size of four.

Housing

It is estimated that 29.5% of the BPDM homes are informal dwellings. Approximately 61.6% of the

population reside in brick dwellings on a separate stand. A total of 0.8% resides in traditional dwellings.

Basic Services

The majority of the population’s households have access to piped water, with 74.4% having access.

Approximately 37.2% of households have sanitation facilities which utilises flush toilets with a sewage

system or septic tank. 4.3% has no access to any toilet facilities. In terms of households’ dominant

energy source, approximately 77%, 66.4% and 84.2% use electricity as the primary means for cooking,

heating and lighting respectively. Other sources for heating and cooking include gas, paraffin, wood and

coal. Refuse removal services are provided by a local municipality to 50.9% of households, with a small

percentage of the population (an estimated 6.8%) not having any refuse disposal facilities.

Education

A significant 28% of the population on average were recorded as having no or limited primary education.

A mere 19.2% of the residents across the BPDM were recorded as having completed Grade 12 while an

average of only 4.8% have a higher qualification.

Employment

It was estimated that the employment rate of the North West Province in 2007 was 36.6% and the

unemployment figure 25.3%.

Economic activity

According to 2007 statistics, 48.3% of households in the BPDM received no income, with 30.1% of

households receiving an income of less than R1600 per month. The most dominant employment sector

contributing to the BPDM economy was the mining industry, with employing 28% of the population.



Page 1-116

HIV Status

It is difficult to find reliable statistics for HIV/AIDS infection and prevalence rates by district or town, but

According to the District Health Barometer (2005/06), the BPDM has the third highest HIV/AIDS

prevalence rate in South Africa. The HIV/AIDS prevalence rate among antenatal clinic attendees in 2010

was 29.3%, which was just below the provincial rate of 29.6%.

Local level – Moses Kotane Local Municipality

Population

The population residing within the Moses Kotane Local Municipality (MKLM) constitutes approximately

230 000, 8 % of the total population of the North West province and 20 % of BPDM. The average

household size in MKLM is estimated to be with an average household size of four.

Housing

It is estimated that 74.8% of the MKLM homes are brick dwellings on a separate stand. Informal dwellings

constitute approximately 19.3%.

Basic Services

80.3% of the MKLM population’s households have access to piped water. Only approximately 13.9% of

households have sanitation facilities which utilises flush toilets with a sewage system or septic tank. The

most dominant form of sanitation is pit latrines without ventilation (67.6%). In terms of households’

dominant energy source, 75.2%, 63.5% and 89.9% use electricity as the primary means for cooking,

heating and lighting respectively. Other sources for heating and cooking include gas, paraffin, wood and

coal. Refuse removal services are provided by a local municipality to only 8.2% of households, with

80.6% of the population utilizing their own refuse dump.

Education

According to 2011 census statistics, 33.9% of the population on average were recorded as having no or

limited primary education. A mere 19% of the residents across the MKLM were recorded as having

completed Grade 12 while an average of only 3.5% have a higher qualification.

Employment

It was estimated that the employment rate of the MKLM in 2007 was 25.3% and the unemployment figure

was 26.2%.

Economic activity

In 2007, 50.2% of households in the MKLM received no income, with 35.4% of households receiving an

income of less than R1600 per month. The most dominant employment sector contributing to the MKLM’s

economy was the mining industry, with employing 25% of the population.



Page 1-117

HIV Status

No reliable information on the MKLM area available.

Local level –Communities surrounding the mine

This section focuses on socio-economic conditions on a local level for the communities surrounding the

mine. The villages covered in this section specifically include Motlhabe, Ngweding, Magong, Magalane,

Legkraal, Bofule, Ramasedi, Lesetlheng, Mononono, Lekutung, Sefikile and Moruleng.

Population

The population details for relevant communities in the study area are provided in the table below.

TABLE 63: POPULATION OF COMMUNITIES IN REGION SOCIO-ECONOMIC INDICATORS TOTAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE TOTAL NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS

Legkraal 1284 384 Lesetlheng 2704 692 Magalane 236 72 Magong 1928 550 Motlhabe 2538 667 Ngweding 443 150 Moruleng 19570 5036 Mononono 1975 517 Sefikile 3914 1113

The average household size within the region consists of four (4) household members. However, a few

other villages like Ngweding, Legkraal and Magalane have a lower average household size of three (3)

members which is also the average household size for the whole North West Province. On average the

household sizes in the affected communities are larger than the average household size in the Province.

Housing

The majority of households (79.81%) surveyed across the various municipal areas in 2001 stayed in

formal housing structures. Only 12.83% of households within the areas surveyed during 2001 were

housed in informal settlements. This does not correspond with the visible housing status of the

communities surrounding the project. Furthermore, formal housing structures often are in a visible state

of deterioration.

Basic services

Based on 2001 information, basic services infrastructure appears to be less formalised with only 6.49% of

households, residing within the surveyed area, having access to flush toilets. Based on this, it is clear

that infrastructure in the surrounding areas is still a high priority. One third of households (32.42%) had

access to piped water in their yards. Only 3.82% of households have access to water inside their

dwelling.



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A high average of 87.43% of the households in the area was still utilising their own refuse dumps to

discard their household waste. When looking at the requirements for the area and Moses Kotane`s

Municipal Services challenges as set out in their IDP's, provision of water and sanitation as well as

infrastructure in the surrounding areas are a high priority.

An average of 48.6% had access to electricity for either heating or cooking purposes; all methods of

heating or cooking seem to be widely used throughout the province depending on the location of the

households.

Education

In the various areas, a significant 38.4% of the population on average were recorded as having no or

limited primary education. A mere 18.4% of the residents across the various geographical levels were

recorded as having completed Grade 12 while an average of only 5.7% have a higher qualification,

according to 2001 statistics.

Employment

In 2001 more than half of the population (Average of 65.9%) within the surveyed area fell within the Stats

SA category of Working Age. However, the average employment rate across the various geographical

levels within the working age population was only 24.7%. The contributing factors to the low employment

rate can be assumed to be high illiteracy levels and job scarcity within the various geographical areas.

Economic Activity

The annual household income did not reflect favourably in respect of the economic status of the region.

On average 92.2% households surveyed during 2001 received a maximum of R1600 or no income at all.

Improved literacy levels and job creation projects - especially increased job opportunities through

increase of sustainable SMME's in the area will assist in alleviating these poverty stricken areas.

The mining sector was a dominant industry in 2001 while the Community Services, Private households

and Wholesale and Retail trade sectors were the next dominant ones after mining.

Conclusion

The socio-economic conditions of the abovementioned communities surrounding the mine range from

poor to fair depending on a variety of variables. The employment rate is very low; therefore most

households survive on minimal or no income at all. Since the most dominant economic sector is the

mining industry, most employment is expected to come from the mining sector.

The mine has the potential to alleviate the levels of unemployment in the affected communities directly as

well as indirectly, and to contribute to the development of the area. Further to this, Section 5 provides a



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review of the total property and GDP gain/ loss for the development in comparison to other economic

activities within the affected municipal area.



Page 1-120

1.4 MAPS SHOWING THE SPATIAL LOCALITY AND AERIAL EXTENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES

This section includes a series of maps that show the spatial locality and aerial extent of all environmental,

cultural/heritage, infrastructure and land use features identified on site and on the neighbouring

properties and farms. These maps include:

• Figure 4: The Swartklip sector of the Rustenburg Layered Suite in the North-western Bushveld

Complex

• Figure 5: Conceptual geological cross section

• Figure 6: Position of dykes and faults

• Figure 7: Regional Hydrology, MAP and weather stations

• Figure 8: Period, day and night-time and seasonal wind roses

• Figure 9: Soil Polygon Map

• Figure 10: Distribution of land capability classes

• Figure 11: Habitat and vegetation communities and ephemeral systems

• Figure 12: Areas of conservation significance on a national level

• Figure 13: Areas of conservation significance on local level

• Figure 14: Surface water resources and floodlines

• Figure 15: Hydrocensus points

• Figure 16: Baseline environmental monitoring locations

• Figure 17: Land uses surrounding the project area

• Figure 18: Existing road layout network

• Figure 19: Recorded heritage resources and remains from the recent past



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FIGURE 4: THE SWARTKLIP SECTOR OF THE RUSTENBURG LAYERED SUITE IN THE NORTH-WESTERN BUSHVELD COMPLEX (BARRICK, 2008)



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FIGURE 5: CONCEPTUAL GEOLOGICAL CROSS SECTION



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FIGURE 6: GEOLOGICAL STRUCTURES AND MINING BLOCKS (BARRICK, 2008)



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FIGURE 7: REGIONAL HYDROLOGY, MAP AND WEATHER STATIONS



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FIGURE 8: PERIOD, DAY AND NIGHT-TIME AND SEASONAL WIND ROSES (AIRSHED, 2013)



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FIGURE 9: SOIL POLYGON MAP (ESS, 2012)



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FIGURE 10: DISTRIBUTION OF LAND CAPABILITY CLASSES (ESS, 2012)



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FIGURE 11: HABITAT AND VEGETATION COMMUNITIES AND EPHEMERAL SYSTEMS (NSS, 2014)



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FIGURE 12: AREAS OF CONSERVATION SIGNIFICANCE ON A NATIONAL LEVEL



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FIGURE 13: AREAS OF CONSERVATION SIGNIFICANCE ON LOCAL LEVEL(NSS, 2013)



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FIGURE 14: SURFACE WATER RESOURCES AND FLOODLINES



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FIGURE 15: HYDROCENSUS POINTS (AGES, 2013)



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FIGURE 16: BASELINE ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING LOCATIONS



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FIGURE 17: LAND USES SURROUNDING THE PROJECT AREA



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FIGURE 18: EXISTING ROAD LAYOUT NETWORK



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FIGURE 19: RECORDED HERITAGE RESOURCES AND REMAINS FROM THE RECENT PAST



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1.5 SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS

The following specialist studies are attached as appendices to this report:

• soil and land capability assessment (Appendix E);

• biodiversity assessment (Appendix F);

• hydrological assessment and stormwater management plan (Appendix G);

• groundwater studies (Appendix H);

• air study (Appendix I);

• noise study (Appendix J);

• visual study (Appendix K);

• heritage-cultural study (Appendix L);

• paleontology study (Appendix M)

• traffic study (Appendix N);

• socio-economic study(Appendix O);

• economic and alternative land use studies (Appendix O);

• mineralised waste facilities engineering design report (Appendix P); and

• closure cost calculation (Appendix Q).



Page 2-1

2. MINING OPERATIONS

This section provides a description of the Sedibelo mining operation and includes information on the

approved infrastructure and activities as well as changes proposed for the project.

OVERVIEW AND TIMETABLE

In broad terms the scope of the Sedibelo operation, approved in 2008, comprised an open pit and

underground mining operations (decline and ventilation shafts), a processing facility, a tailings storage

facility (TSF), a waste rock dump (WRD), topsoil stockpiles, run-of mine pads, explosives magazine,

concentrator plant, contractors laydown area, solid and hazardous waste skips and transfer areas, waste

management complex, workshops, fuel bays, salvage yard, raw water reservoir, administration buildings,

change houses, an accommodation camp, transport and conveyance infrastructure (Figure 3).

Since the approval of the original approved EIA/EMP, the following has been established on site:

• site access roads;

• perimeter fencing;

• raw water reservoir;

• Eskom substation, and

• powerlines.

In addition to the establishment of the above -listed infrastructure, general site clearance and debushing

activities has also commenced in line with the approved EIA/EMP.

In order to optimise the extraction of available mineral resources, the following changes are proposed

(Figure 20):




mineralised waste;




• increase in capacity of the approved sewage treatment plant; and


Abandonment Area”) which has been transferred to the neighbouring PPM mine.

These proposed changes will also be able to accommodate operational requirements should the

combined project (see the Introduction) prove to be feasible.



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TABLE 64: DATA THAT PROVIDES PERSPECTIVE ON THE MAGNITUDE OF THE APPROVED INFRASTRUCTURE IN RELATION TO THE PROPOSED INFRASTRUCTURE CHANGES

FEATURE INFRASTRUCTURE AS PER APPROVED EIA

INFRASTRUCTURE CHANGES GROUP SPECIFIC REPOSITIONED OR REDESIGNED OR

RESIZED INFRASTRUCTURE NEW INFRASTRUCTURE

GENERAL INFORMATION Area of disturbance Approximately 725ha Approximately 950ha Employment Construction Approximately 4500 jobs Increased to approximately 6000 jobs

Operation Approximately 3 000 permanent jobs

Increased to approximately 3 860 permanent jobs and 125 long term contractors at full steady state capacity.

Accommodation camp Provision for two separate facilities on the Sedibelo property which will be able to house up to a 3,500 people remains unchanged.

Resource use Water allowance from Magalies Water Board

Unchanged at 15.2megalitre per day

Fresh water demand: Demand ranged from 8.8 megalitre per day during dry conditions to 3.4 megalitre per day during wet conditions (average 6 megalitre per day).

Increased to an average of 9.7 megalitre per day

Power demand - Construction 5MVA temporary power will be reticulated on site from Eskom Power demand: Operational 110 MVA (which included

provision for a smelter) 66 MVA

MINING INFORMATION Target minerals Platinum, palladium, ruthenium, iridium, rhodium, osmium, gold, copper, nickel, cobalt and chrome. Mine lease area Approximately 4850ha Approximately 4410ha Mineable area Approximately 980ha Approximately 980ha Open pit mining – Central Block See Section 2.2 for more detail

Mineable area 103 ha 170ha Depth 130m 170m Length 1680m 2180m Width 800m 1000m Ore contained in open pitshell 11.3million tonnes of ore Waste contained in open pitshell 222.4million tonnes of waste Strip ratio 19.7 Blasting Open pit operations will require at least one blast per week

Mining Blocks Central and Eastern Blocks are roughly equal in size at 5,363,201m2 and 4,442,392m2 Strike lengths • Central block strike length increases from a few hundred meters at the outcrop of the reef (ore zone) to a maximum of 3.2km at the

deepest point. • Eastern block has a smaller strike length than that of the Central Block. The strike length near the sub outcrop at ±130m below surface

is 1,000m but increases to 2,500m at the deepest point. Mining ratios • Underground: UG2 reef – 77% and Pseudo reef – 23%

• Open pit: UG2 reef – 58% and Pseudo reef –42%



Page 2-3




Underground mining - Central and Eastern Blocks See Section 2.2 for more detail

Access In the approved EIA, access to the underground resources of the Central and Eastern Blocks was from a single decline shaft.

The underground resources of the Central and Eastern Blocks will therefore be accessed via the Central and Eastern Shafts respectively.

Number of shafts and Raise-bore-holes

One decline cluster comprising the following: • conveyor decline 4m high

and 5m wide; • material or main access

decline at 4m high and 6m wide; and

• chairlift 3.5m high and 4m wide.

Up cast and down cast raise-bore-holes (RBH) with a diameter of 3.2m and an initial depth of 650m and equipped with surface fans

The approved decline will be repositioned. The decline cluster will comprise of the following: • conveyor decline 4m high





With the changes in the infrastructure a second decline shaft is proposed. The decline cluster will comprise of the following: • conveyor decline 4m high





Depth Approximately 650m Mineable area Unchanged at approximately 980ha Resource estimation Approximately 63.6 million tonnes Mining rate 350,000 tonnes per month ore to

the plant Approximately 135 000tpm UG2 and up to 40 000tpm Pseudo

Approximately 135 000tpm UG2 and up to 40 000tpm (peaking at 55 000tpm)

Life of mine 25 years 40 years Mine related surface area and associated surface infrastructure

Approximately 10ha for the shaft complex and processing facility, 110ha for WRDs and 240ha for the TSF.

Approximately 10ha for each shaft complex and processing facility, 440ha for WRDs, 150ha for the TSF and 30ha for topsoil stockpiles.

Underground blasting Construction of the shaft portals as well as blasting associated with the underground operations will typically require one blast per day.

MINERAL PROCESSING INFORMATION Mineral processing See Section 2.8.2.3 for more detail

350 000 tonnes per month • Production rate and plant design remains unchanged. (350 000 tonnes per month)

• A tailings scavenging and a chrome recovery plant is proposed



Page 2-4




MINERALISED WASTE FACILITIES Mineralised waste disposal facilities – Dense Media Separation (DMS) See Section 2.8.2.9 for more detail

DMS waste, generated by the mineral processing plant, will be temporary stored on a DMS stockpile before being disposed onto the waste rock dumps at a rate of 40 000 tonnes per month.

Mineralised waste disposal facilities -Waste rock for open pit mining See Section 2.8.2.10 for more detail

Number of dumps Single waste rock dump to cater only for Sedibelo waste rock

Three waste rock dumps to cater for all of Sedibelo’s and some of PPM waste rock. WRD 1 will be located in the same position as the approved WRD, but with a different design and two additional waste rock dumps (WRD 2 and WRD 3). WRD 1 has been designed to accommodate PPM waste rock. Will accommodate dense media separation waste from the mineral processing facility

Storage capacity 102 million tonnes (52million m3)

Three WRDs combined storage capacity158 million m3) – Sedibelo and PPM waste rock; WRD1 capacity: 70 million m3 Sedibelo waste: 85.5 million tonnes (47.1million m3) PPM waste 41.5 million tonnes (22.9 million m3)

WRD2:69.1 million tonnes (38.1 million m3) WRD3 :91.4 million tonnes (50.4 million m3)

Footprint 110ha Three WRDs combined: 398ha WRD 1: 140ha WRD2: 113ha

WRD3: 145ha Final height (s) 60m 60m 60m

Mineralised waste disposal facilities -Waste rock from underground mining See Section 2.8.2.10 for more detail

Number of dumps No details specified for waste rock dump associated with shaft infrastructure.

Two waste rock dumps. A waste rock dump will be established at each of the decline shaft complexes

Design The final capacity of the waste rock dump (WRD) associated with the central decline will be 3.5 million tonnes and 5.5 million tonnes for the WRD located at the eastern shaft. The final height of the underground WRDs is expected to be of the order of 30m. On closure the slopes of the WRD will be dozed down to a slope of 1:3 and the dump will then be capped with topsoil and vegetated.

Mineralised waste disposal facilities – Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) See Section 2.8.2.8 for more detail

Location Single TSF. Single TSF will be located in the same position as the approved TSF, but with a different design.

Embankment None Provision is made for a TSF embankment on the western boundary, which will be constructed utilising PPM waste rock material. The embankment will comprise of 48.4 million m3 (90 million tonnes) waste rock within a footprint area of 144.5 ha.

Storage capacity 84 million tonnes in total 60 million tonnes in total



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Production life 20 years 17-30 years Deposition rate 350 000 tonnes per annum 30 years at 150 00tpm or

17 years at 300 000tpm. Height 42m 40m Footprint 240ha 150ha Liner 0.5m of prepared black turf 0.5m of prepared black turf.

NON-MINERAL WASTE FACILITIES Non-mineral waste facilities See Section 2.8.2.7 for more detail

General and hazardous waste to be separated into streams at source for transfer to either of the following facilities within the waste management complex: • general waste skips and

transfer areas; • covered and bunded

hazardous waste handling and storage areas, from where hazardous waste will be regularly removed by a licensed and approved contractor for disposal at a registered hazardous landfill site;

• bioremediation site; and • recycling centre or salvage

yard. A site for the disposal of general waste was included within the boundaries of the waste management complex.

General and hazardous waste to be separated into streams at source for transfer to either of the following facilities within the waste management complex: • general waste skips and transfer areas, from where waste is

sorted for collection by an approved contractor for further processing or diposal at a registerd site ;

• covered and bunded hazardous waste handling and storage areas, from where hazardous waste will be regularly removed by a licensed and approved contractor for disposal at a registered hazardous landfill site;

• bioremediation site; and • recycling centre or salvage yard.

Sewage treatment plant (STP) See Section 2.8.2.7 for more detail

Treatment capacity of 761 m3/day

Increased treatment capacity 900 m3/day will make provision for sewage from the proposed neighbouring Magazynskraal Platinum Mine may be pumped to the Sedibelo STP.

ADDITIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE Transport systems See Section 2.8.1.3 for more detail

• Construction phase: Approximately 30 taxi, 32 bus, 42 private vehicle and eight truck trips per day are expected during the construction phase.

• Operational phase: Approximately 50 busses, 180 private vehicles, 40 taxi and 8 trucks are expected on a daily basis.



Page 2-6




• It is expected that four trucks per day will be utilised for transport of materials along the P54-1, R510, P50-1, D511 and site roads.

Water storage facilities and surface water control measures: in compliance with R704. See Section 2.8.2.1 for more detail

The approved EIA/EMP made provision for the construction of the following dirty water containment facilities: • TSF return water dam; • stormwater control dam at

the WRD; • stormwater control dam at

the decline shaft area; • dirty water control dam for

the plant and shaft area; and

• pit settling dam at the open pit

The design or position for the following dirty water containment facilities will change: • Waste Rock Dump 1 (West)

(SWCD 1); • Tailing Storage Facility and

Waste Rock Dump 2 (SWCD 2);

• Sedibelo open pit (SWCD 4);

• central decline shaft complex (SWCD 5); and

• processing plant and Eastern decline shaft area (SWCD 6).

The following additional infrastructure will be established: • Stormwater control dam for

Waste Rock Dump 1 (East) and Waste Rock Dump 3 (SWCD 3);

• three settlement dams for the topsoil stockpiles.

• water diversion channels: o dirty water; and o clean water.



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Project and mining time table The construction of the Sedibelo Platinum Mine as per the existing approvals commenced during 2014.

The proposed infrastructure changes will be implemented as construction develops and the relevant

approvals are obtained. Initially, the operational phase, will only comprise opencast mining. The second

phase mining operations will commence once the underground operations are fully operational and the

opencast operations have ceased.

TABLE 65: PROJECT AND MINING OPERATIONS TIMETABLE ACTIVITY COMMENCEMENT DATE DURATION OF OPERATION

Open pit pre-stripping of waste 2014 (approved infrastructure only) 1 year

Open pit ore extraction 2015 10-12 years

Construction of mining portals 2017 (approved shaft only);

2018 (additional shaft)

3 years

First reef from central block: January 2019 LOM

First reef from eastern block June 2019 LOM

Construction of Concentrator Phase 1 (design capacity of 150,000 tpm)

2020-2022 LOM

Construction of Concentrator Phase 2 – expansion of capacity to 350 000 tpm

2023-2025 LOM

At this stage, the anticipated life of mine as per the 2007 EIA was expected to be in excess of 25 years,

which included surface and underground mining operations. With the proposed changes to the mine, this

life of mine is expected to be approximately 40 years.



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FIGURE 20: PROPOSED CHANGED INFRASTRUCTURE LAYOUT



Page 2-9

2.1 MINERALS TO BE MINED

The IBMR has an approved mining right (Reference number NW/30/3/1/2/3/2/1/333MR) on the farms

Wilgespruit 2 JQ, parts of portion 1 of Rooderand 46 JQ, a portion of portion 1 of Legkraal 45 JQ and a





associated metals on a portion of Wilgespruit 2 JQ and part of Portion 1 of Rooderand 46 JQ to enable

the extension of the Tuschenkomst open pit. This specific area is referred to as the “Mineral Rights

Abandonment Area” as indicated in Figure 2. The DMR has approved PPM’s takeover of the mining

rights on the abandonment area, which measures approximately 440 hectares in April 2012.



With respect to the mining area, the approved mining area at Sedibelo was originally divided into three

mining blocks known as the Western, Central and Eastern Blocks. The Western Block falls within the

“Mineral Rights Abandonment Area” and will therefore be incorporated into PPM’s mine plan. The

Sedibelo Plantinum Mine mining area therefore only incorporates the Central and Eastern Block.

It should be noted that a portion of the Sedibelo tailings storage facility (TSF) and one of the waste rock

dumps (WRDs) will extend into this abandonment area.

2.2 MINING METHOD TO BE EMPLOYED

This section should be read with reference to the site layout drawing, Figure 20 and underground mining

flow chart, Figure 21.

Apart from the exclusion of the Western Block (see Section 2.1), enlarging of the open pit, and

reconfiguration of the underground mine access to include an additional decline, the open pit and

underground mining methods as presented in the approved EIA/EMP report will remain unchanged. An

overview and description of the mining methods taken from the approved EIA/EMP is provided below for

completeness.

The mining area at Sedibelo will comprise two mining blocks known as the Central and Eastern Blocks.

The Central Block will first be mined from surface via an open pit, and deeper ore zones will be accessed

via underground mining after open pit mining is completed. At 110m below surface a pre-defined

boundary exists at which underground mining would start. The Eastern Block will only be subjected to



Page 2-10

underground mining. The underground production will reach a steady state once the open pit operations

are complete.

Three underground mining methods are being considered, depending on structural geology, the UG2 reef

and Pseudo reef characteristics as well as the PGE grade distribution. These three underground

methods include:

• conventional breast stoping;

• semi-mechanised (hybrid) conventional stoping, using load haul dump (LHD) and haulage trucks

for waste and ore handling and transport to the reef plane boxholes; and

• fully mechanised bord-and-pillar mining which utilises mechanised hydraulic drilling rigs and roof

bolters as well as LHDs in the stopes.

2.2.1 OPEN PIT MINING

The extraction of ore at the Sedibelo operation will start in the open pit. This will be a shovel and truck

strip mining operation. The open pit will be concurrently backfilled. The open pit will be mined such that

a constant feed of ore goes to the plant. An overview of the open pit operations is provided below.

Site preparation

Site preparation relevant to the open pit area will include the clearing of vegetation.

Topsoil stripping and stockpiling

Following site preparation all topsoil and some overburden/waste rock will be removed by means of

scrapers, front end loaders or hydraulic excavators and articulated trucks. The topsoil will be stockpiled

separately for re-use during pit backfilling and rehabilitation.

Overburden/waste removal

Drilling and blasting of overburden

Once the topsoil and some of the overburden/waste rock has been removed drilling and blasting methods

will be used to loosen the remaining waste rock/overburden. Drilling will be undertaken utilising large

diameter blast-hole drills. The holes will then be loaded with emulsion explosives and blasted.

Overburden hauling and dumping – truck and shovel method

Once the overburden has been blasted, it will be loaded into haul trucks, using hydraulic excavators, and

taken to the waste rock dumps or used for construction activities.



Page 2-11

Waste rock storage and disposal

Waste rock from the open pit will either be used for construction activities, be temporarily stockpiled for

backfilling and rehabilitation of the open pits or deposited on waste rock dumps. Further discussion on

the waste rock dumps is provided in Section 2.8.2.10 below.

Ore removal

Drilling and blasting of ore

Again, drilling will be undertaken utilising large diameter blast-hole drills. The holes will then be loaded

with emulsion explosives and blasted.

ROM ore hauling and dumping

The run-of-mine (ROM) ore will be loaded into haul trucks utilising hydraulic excavators and taken to

ROM stockpile for crushing at the concentrator plant.

Dewatering

During the process of mining it would be necessary to install pumps for the purpose of dewatering of the

open pit. This water will be pumped to the processing plant dirty water storage facility.

2.2.2 UNDERGROUND MINING – CENTRAL BLOCK

The Central Block is located below the open pit and therefore a 25m wide crown pillar is planned to

protect the underground workings.

Underground Mining Access

Primary access to the reef horizons will be achieved via a cluster of three declines:

• a chair lift decline for transport of personnel;

• a conveyor decline for transport of ore and waste to surface. The conveyor decline will handle

UG2 and Pseudo reef; and

• a material (or service) decline for vehicles to transport equipment and material underground.

The Central Block decline cluster is located adjacent to the open pit. The decline cluster will be

developed from surface to the reef intersection parallel to the open pit high-wall. After intersecting the

reef, the cluster will change direction and be developed in the footwall parallel to the reef plane.

Depending on the ultimate depth of the open pit, the UG2 will be intersected 115m below the surface.

The mining flow chart for the mining of UG2 ore from the Central Block is illustrated in Figure 21.



Page 2-12

Mining Methodology

The Central Block structure indicates a rolling reef where the dip of the reef increases from approximately

12° to 20° over short distances. Strike distances vary from 200m, near the reef sub-outcrop, to

approximately 3 200m at the deepest level of 650 metres below surface (mbs).

The frequent changes in dip and strike distance make the central block unsuitable for extensive trackless

equipment and the mining method will therefore be conventional drill and blast with scraper cleaning on

panel faces and down dip in the reef raises into boxholes. The ore will then gravitate to the footwall drive

where it will be loaded into haulage trucks. Stopes will be accessed from the footwall drives developed

out of the central decline cluster and then reef raises.

The UG2 back length (dip) available for mining is approximately 2 200m on either side of the decline.

The Pseudo reef areas will be accessed from the UG2 footwall drives either from short crosscuts of

traveling ways. In both the UG2 and Pseudo reefs, conventional mining will be practiced.

The UG2 half levels will consist of an equipping stope, two production stopes and a vamping stope. The

infrastructure will support 13 500tpm from a half level and to achieve 135 000tpm (UG2 reef), ten half

levels will be in production. Allowance has been made to ventilate five levels.

In the Pseudo Reef, ore will be delivered via ore passes to the UG2 reef footwall drive. At steady state

40 000tpm will be mined from a number of half levels. Due to the scattered nature of the Pseudo reef, it

is assumed that the half levels will only produce from five levels.

Ventilation

The mine will be ventilated through raise bored ventilation holes both for upcast and downcast air. The

service and chairlift declines also serve as intake airways. During the mine’s life, further down cast raise

bore holes will be drilled at regular intervals.

Dewatering

Water from underground fissure water, will be pumped to the processing plant dirty water storage facility.



Page 2-13

FIGURE 21: UG2 MINING FLOW CHARTS FOR THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN BLOCKS



Page 2-14

2.2.3 UNDERGROUND MINING - EASTERN BLOCK

Access to the ore in the Eastern Block will be via a second decline shaft proposed as part of this project.

The UG2 reef will be intersected at 125m below surface and the deepest working level will be 650mbs.

The reef dip is less than 12° and thus the total back lengths (dip) available for mining is approximately

2 000m on either side of the decline.

Underground Mining Access

All accesses to the UG2 reef will be developed using trackless equipment. Primary access to the reef

horizons will be achieved via the second decline cluster consisting of:

• a chairlift decline to transport personnel;

• a conveyor decline to transport ore and waste to surface. The conveyor decline will handle UG2

and Pseudo reef; and

• a material (or service) decline for vehicles to transport equipment and material underground.

The decline cluster will be located in the footwall of the UG2. The UG2 Footwall drives will be accessed

from the decline cluster by short crosscuts. The Pseudo Reef will be accessed from the UG2 footwall

drives by traveling ways and box-holes. The mining flow chart for UG2 ore from the Central Block is

illustrated in Figure 21.

Mining Methodology

In the UG2, the mining method is a combination of conventional narrow reef stoping, with LHD mucking

from the strike gullies to tracks conveying ore and waste to the decline conveyor belts, a hybrid method.

The Pseudo reef will be mined conventionally, with no additional diesel equipment. In the UG2, the width

varies between 1.2m and 2.4m with a dip of less than 12°. This can support either a conventional or

hybrid mining method.

The UG2 will be stoped using longwall faces on both sides of the decline cluster. The optimum back

length will be approximately 240m but not more than 250m. There will therefore be sixteen sections

which will be mined from eight levels. To achieve a production rate of 135 000tpm UG2 ore, ten sections

will be mined from five levels. Provision has been made to ventilate 12 stopes on six levels.

Due to the complexities of the Pseudo reef structure, the mining method will be conventional two-sided

breast mining with scraper cleaner. Broken rock will be delivered via ore passes to the UG2 footwall

drive. A maximum of 55 000tpm will be mine from the Pseudo reef production units which will comprise

of a maximum of four ventilated raises. The UG2 and Pseudo reef will be mined consecutively.



Page 2-15

Ventilation

The mine will be ventilated through raise bored ventilation holes both for upcast and downcast air. The

service and chairlift declines also serve as intake airways. During the mine’s life, further down cast raise

bore holes will be drilled at regular intervals.

Dewatering

Water from underground fissure water, will be pumped to the processing plant dirty water storage facility.

2.2.4 ORE DELIVERY

The ROM transportation infrastructure as approved in the original EIA, will be used with the addition of a

conveyor system for the second decline shaft. ROM ore will be transported from the open pit and shafts

to the concentrator plant by a combination of trucks and conveyors where it will be tipped into a bin. If

tipping directly into the bin is not possible, the ore will be placed on an emergency/ROM stockpile

adjacent to the bin and then loaded into the bin by a front end loader.

2.3 LIST OF MAIN ACTIONS/ACTIVITIES/PROCESSES ON SITE

Key activities that will take place on site during each phase (construction, operational, decommissioning,

closure) of the mine development are listed in Table 66 below. This table provides a collective

description of all activities associated with the mine development, including already approved activities.

For the purposes of this report, in broad terms the following applies to this project:

• construction is the phase in which the mine infrastructure is established;

• operational covers the production phase of the mine and plant - the commencement of mining

operations (open pit development) will overlap with the construction phase;

• decommissioning is when production has ceased, infrastructure is being removed and the site

rehabilitated in line with a closure plan; and

• closure phase refers to the period of time when maintenance and aftercare of rehabilitated areas

and facilities is required to ensure closure objectives are met.

The mine is currently in the construction phase. Since the approval of the original EIA/EMP, the following

has been established on site:

• security fencing in areas where activity is taking place;

• on-site raw water reservoir;

• Eskom substation, and

• temporary powerlines.

In addition to the establishment of the above -listed infrastructure, general site clearance and debushing

activities has also commenced in line with the approved EIA/EMP.



Page 2-16

TABLE 66: LIST OF PROJECT ACTIONS / ACTIVITIES / PROCESSES MAIN ACTIVITY/PROCESS SUB-ACTIVITIES CONSTRUCTION OPERATION DECOMMISSIONING CLOSURE

Site preparation Selective bush clearing in line with biodiversity management plan

On-going Occasionally, if required

Removal of existing structures such as fencing (if present).

At start of phase

Establishing the construction contractor’s area At start of phase

Geotechnical investigations

Geotechnical drilling for the site preparations and shaft sinking and geochemical characterisation of material

On-going

Earthworks Earthworks on site relate mainly to the moving of soil and rock.

Stripping and stockpiling of soil resources in line with soil management programme.

On-going Occasionally, if required

Bulldozing activities On-going Occasionally, if required

Establishing gravel roads On-going Occasionally, if required

Digging trenches On-going For maintenance Foundation excavations and compaction On-going Establishing stormwater controls (channels, berms) as per stormwater management plan

At start of phase Occasionally, if required

Topsoil stockpiling On-going On-going On-going Continuous resource estimation

Surface diamond or percussion drilling On-going On-going

Civil works Civil works on site relate mainly to any steel and concrete work.

General building activities and erection of structures On-going For maintenance Use of scaffolding and cranes On-going For maintenance Concrete work including silos, culverts and plinths On-going For maintenance Steel work (including grinding and welding) On-going For maintenance Installation of cables/lines and pipelines On-going For maintenance

Open pit mining Topsoil stripping and stockpiling On-going Drilling and blasting On-going On-going Removal of waste rock/overburden by dozing and load and haul

On-going On-going

Stockpiling of waste rock/overburden On-going Occasionally, if required

Removal of ROM by dump trucks and transported to crusher operations located at the concentrator plant

On-going

Con-current backfilling of open pit On-going On-going

Water management facilities include: On-going On-going



Page 2-17

MAIN ACTIVITY/PROCESS SUB-ACTIVITIES CONSTRUCTION OPERATION DECOMMISSIONING CLOSURE

• clean run-off and drainage sheet flow will be diverted around dirty areas

• stormwater control dam Construction and utilisation of site supporting services: • access control and security • portable toilets at digging sites and open cast pits • diesel bowsers (re-fuelling equipment)

On-going On-going On-going

Dewatering of the open pit On-going On-going On-going If required Rehabilitation of pit On-going For maintenance

Underground mining Initial establishment and sinking of shafts On-going Drilling and blasting On-going On-going Loading and hauling/conveying of waste and run of mine ore

On-going On-going

Ventilation On-going On-going Dewatering of the shafts and underground mine sections On-going As required As required Water management facilities include: • clean run-off and drainage sheet flow will be diverted

around dirty areas • stormwater control dams (will continue until infrastructure can be removed)


Construction and utilisation of site supporting services: • access control and security workshops and stores (will continue until infrastructure can be removed)


Mineral processing Ore receiving and storage, crushing, screening, dense media separation, milling, and flotation within the concentrator metallurgical circuit

On-going

Chrome recovery plant After commissioning of processing facility

On-going, depending on

feasibility

Tails scavenging plant After commissioning of processing facility

On-going, depending on

feasibility

Water management facilities include: • clean run-off and drainage sheet flow will be diverted

around dirty areas; • stormwater control dams; • process water storage and reticulation

On-going On-going



Page 2-18


(will continue until infrastructure can be removed) Construction and utilisation of site supporting services: • access control and security • workshops and stores (will continue until infrastructure can be removed)


Tailings storage Delivery of tailings via pipeline On-going Disposal onto dedicated facility On-going Water management facilities include: • run-off on tailings intercepted by step ins • run-off on side slopes captured in toe paddocks and

evaporated • trenches and / or berms divert clean run-off • penstock sumps and storm water control dam for the

collection of dirty water

On-going On-going

Construction and utilisation of site support services include: • pumping stations • service roads • access and control • monitoring equipment • side slope vegetation

On-going On-going

Rehabilitation of tailings storage facility On-going For maintenance Waste rock management

Waste rock stored on dumps (on-site, on surface, including TSF construction and starter wall)

On-going On-going

Backfilling of open pit with waste rock On-going On-going Final disposal / rehabilitation of waste dumps (on-site, on surface)

On-going For maintenance

Disposal of dense media separation waste on waste rock dumps

On-going

Water management facilities include: • clean run-off and drainage sheet flow will be diverted

around dirty areas; • stormwater control dams;

On-going On-going On-going For maintenance

Grouting plant and mobile crushing unit On-going On-going On-going Power supply and use

Delivery of power to site via Eskom power lines On-going On-going On-going*



Page 2-19


Back-up generators will be used for emergencies and life threatening situations (i.e. ventilation etc.)

On-going On-going

Water supply and use *continue until infrastructure can be removed

Delivery, storage (reservoir) and reticulation of clean water

On-going On-going On-going*

Stormwater management *continue until infrastructure can be removed or successfully rehabilitated

Diversion of clean water On-going On-going On-going* Collection of dirty water using channels, berms On-going On-going On-going* Storage of dirty water in dams for re-use On-going On-going On-going*

Transport systems *continue until infrastructure can be removed or alternative end use identified

Construction, use and maintenance of access, service and gravel roads


Construction and use of temporary diversion road during the upgrade of D511.

Transport of staff to and from site (using buses, taxis and private cars) via surfaced and gravel roads

On-going On-going On-going Limited

Transport of supplies, services and waste removal (using trucks and vans) via surfaced and gravel roads


Vehicles/machinery movement within the site boundary (via gravel roads)


Pumping of materials (i.e. water) via pipelines On-going On-going* Taxi and bus on- and off- loading areas for employees On-going On-going On-going* Transport of ROM, soil and waste rock within site boundary via a combination of truck and conveyor.

On-going On-going

Non-mineralised (general and industrial hazardous) waste management

Collection of general and hazardous waste on site On-going On-going On-going Storage general and hazardous of waste on site On-going On-going On-going Recycling, re-use and/or final disposal at permitted waste disposal facilities


Disposal and/or treatment of contaminated soils On-going On-going On-going



Page 2-20


Use of portable sanitation and change houses On-going On-going On-going Use of septic tanks at selected sites On-going On-going On-going Pumping and transport (honey sucker) of sewage to sewage treatment facility

On-going On-going

Treatment of sewage at an on-site sewage treatment plant

On-going

Use of treated sewage effluent in water reticulation system

On-going

Site support services *continue until infrastructure can be removed or alternative end use identified

Operating office(s) On-going On-going On-going* Parking of vehicles, bus and taxi ranks On-going On-going On-going* Change houses On-going On-going On-going Medical facility On-going On-going On-going Security check points at all entrances On-going On-going On-going Fencing and lighting for security On-going On-going On-going

Storage and maintenance services/ facilities *continue until infrastructure can be removed or alternative end use identified

Washing of machinery and vehicles (wash bays) On-going On-going On-going* Service machinery and vehicles (workshops) On-going On-going On-going* Storage (stores, tanks) and handling of non-process materials, consumables and hazardous substances including chemical additives for cement and explosives emulsion, paints, oil/lubricants, hydraulic fluid, diesel

On-going On-going

Accommodation Accommodation camp on site On-going On-going On-going Site management Appointment of contractors and workers At start of phase

and on-going At start of phase

and on-going At start of phase

Site management (monitoring, inspections, maintenance of facilities, security, access control)

On-going On-going On-going On-going

Environmental awareness training and emergency response


On-going rehabilitation of facilities/disturbed areas (where possible) and monitoring thereof


Implementing and maintaining management plans On-going On-going On-going Demolition Removing mining contractor’s camp area At end of phase

Dismantling and demolition of infrastructure and equipment.

For maintenance On-going

Removal of foundations and access roads (no longer needed)

On-going



Page 2-21


Rehabilitation Replacing soil resources As required On-going Slope stabilisation, erosion control and landscaping On-going On-going On-going On-going Sealing of shafts with engineered plugs End of phase Re-vegetation of disturbed areas and where infrastructure was removed

Where possible Where possible On-going For maintenance

Removal of alien invasive species from rehabilitated sites On-going On-going On-going For maintenance Restoration of natural drainage patterns as far as practically possible

On-going

Rehabilitation of all mineralised waste facilities and other stockpiles (waste rock)

On-going On-going

Initiation of aftercare and maintenance At end of phase Maintenance and aftercare

Monitoring, maintenance and repair of facilities and rehabilitated areas

On-going until rehabilitation measures are

successful and a closure certificate

is obtained



Page 2-22

2.4 PLAN SHOWING LOCATION AND EXTENT OF OPERATIONS

The location of the changed surface infrastructure is illustrated in Figure 20. Plans showing the

conceptual shaft and mineral processing complexes are provided in Figure 22 and Figure 23 respectively.

It should be noted that the site layout plan in Figure 20 shows only the main infrastructure components.

2.4.1 SITE FACILITIES DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE

Although the approved EIA/EMP report did not specifically list infrastructure to be established during the

construction phase, the following facilities are generally expected to be established during the

construction phase of a mine:

• two accommodation camps (capacity for 3500 people);

• lay-down areas;

• workshop/maintenance area for servicing and maintaining equipment and vehicles;

• wash bay for washing equipment and vehicles;

• storage area for fuel, lubricants, solvents, paints and construction substances;

• temporary waste collection and storage area;

• parking area for cars and equipment;

• mobile site offices;

• portable ablution facilities;

• clean water reservoir;

• water management infrastructure;

• change houses;

• canteen;

• temporary power generating infrastructure;

• soil and overburden/spoil stockpiles;

• portable air compressors for the sinking operations;

• settling ponds for the sinking operations;

• security and access control;

• access and internal roads; and

• first aid clinic.

These facilities will be used for any additional infrastructure associated with the project.

Facilities established during the construction phase would either be removed at the end of the

construction phase or incorporated into the layout of the operational mine. Given that open pit mining

activities will overlap with the construction phase of the mine, some associated infrastructure such as

haul roads, an explosives magazine and explosives waste destruction bay will be established during

construction.



Page 2-23

2.4.2 SITE FACILITIES DURING THE OPERATIONAL PHASE

Some of the facilities which will be constructed were approved as part of the original approved EIA/EMP

(KP, 2007). The following facilities are expected to be established during the operational phase.

(Infrastructure which was included and approved EIA/EMP report is indicated as such).

• open pit (170ha footprint) and associated haul roads; an open pit with a footprint of 103ha was

approved,

• two decline clusters, one of which was approved, intended for personnel, material and rock

hoisting to an initial depth of 600m. Each cluster comprises the following:

o conveyor decline 4m high and 5m wide;

o material or main access decline at 4m high and 6m wide; and

o chairlift 3.5m high and 4m wide;

• up cast raise-bore-holes (RBH) with a diameter of 3.2m and an initial depth of 650m and

equipped with surface fans for each shaft complex;

• downcast (fresh air) RBH, with a diameter of 3.2m and an initial depth of 650m for each shaft

complex;

• three open pit waste rock dumps, one of which was approved

• two shaft waste rock dumps, one of which was associated with the approved decline;

• various topsoil stockpiles, some of which was approved;

• approved processing plant;

• chrome recovery plant and tailings scavenging plant;

• approved tailings storage facility, although the footprint and design will change to accommodate

the changes in infrastructure;

• control rooms (included in approved infrastructure) ;

• mobile crushing and grouting plant; (included in approved infrastructure)

• workshop/maintenance area for servicing and maintaining equipment and vehicles (included in

approved infrastructure, although activities associated with the second decline shaft were not

included);

• lay-down area (included in approved infrastructure);

• air compressors (included in approved infrastructure, although activities associated with the

second decline shaft were not included);

• fuel, chemical, material and explosive storage facilities (included in approved infrastructure,

although activities associated with the second decline shaft were not included);

• ROM ore stockpile/s, some of which has been approved but additional infrastructure associated

with the second decline will be included;

• change houses, some of which has been approved but additional infrastructure associated with

the second decline will be included;

• administration buildings and training centre some of which has been approved but additional

infrastructure associated with the second decline will be included;



Page 2-24

• lamp rooms some of which has been approved but additional infrastructure associated with the

second decline will be included;

• approved medical first aid facility;

• approved access control and security infrastructure ;

• approved parking areas;

• helipad;

• bus and taxi rank;

• fire detection and fighting facilities;

• water storage facilities and surface water control measures: in compliance with R704, some of

which have been approved; additional facilities will be constructed for the second decline and

waste rock dumps;

• approved raw water reservoir;

• approved sewage treatment facility, although the capacity will be increased by approximately

200m3/day;

• lighting and communication infrastructure;

• approved explosive magazine;

• approved waste management complex;

• explosives waste destruction bay;

• approved accommodation camp; and

• complete reticulation system for all services which was approved, although some changes will be

made to link new infrastructure. These include:

o incoming water supply from water board mains; o compressed air connection into a main compressed air circuit o sewage pipelines

o overhead 11kV electrical power lines; and

o access and internal roads



Page 2-25

FIGURE 22: CONCEPTUAL SHAFT LAYOUT PLAN



Page 2-26

FIGURE 23: CONCEPTUAL PROCESSING FACILITY LAYOUT



Page 2-27

2.5 LISTED ACTIVITIES IN TERMS OF NEMA EIA REGULATIONS

The NEMA activities included in the approved EIA/EMP report (KP, 2007) are outlined in the table below.

TABLE 67: APPROVED NEMA ACTIVITIES ACTIVITY NUMBER

DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITY

Notice 387, 2006 1c Above ground storage of petrol, diesel, liquid petroleum gas or paraffin, in containers with

combined capacity of 1 000 m3 1e Any process or activity which requires a permit or licence in terms of legislation governing the

generation or release of emissions, pollution, effluent or waste 1f The recycling, reuse, handling, temporary storage or treatment of general waste with a

throughput capacity of 50 tons or more daily average 1g The use, recycling, handling, treatment, temporary storage or final disposal of hazardous waste 1j The bulk transport of dangerous goods using pipelines, funiculars or conveyors with a throughput

capacity of 50 tonnes or 50m3 per day 1p Treatment of effluent/ wastewater/ sewerage > 15 000m3 2 Any development activity where the total area of the development is 20ha or more 5 Construction of new roads and new routes 6 The construction of a dam where the highest part of the dam wall, measured from the outside toe

of the wall to the highest part of the wall is 5 metres or higher, or where the high water mark of the dam covers an area of 10 hectares or more

8 Undertaking mining related activity Notice 386, 2006

13 The abstraction of groundwater at a volume where any general authorisation issued in terms of the National Water Act, No 36 of 1998, will be exceeded

The relevant listed activities (in terms of the NEMA EIA Regulations) which are relevant and currently

being applied for and are relevant to the proposed project are listed in the Table 68 below.

TABLE 68: RELEVANT ACTIVITIES CURRENTLY BEING APPLIED FOR IN TERMS OF NEMA ACTIVITY NUMBER

LISTED ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITY

Notice 544, 18 June 2010 9 The construction of facilities or infrastructure exceeding 1 000 metres in length

for the bulk transportation of water, sewage or storm water – (i) with an internal diameter of 0,36 metres or more; or (ii) with a peak throughput of 120 litres per second or more,

excluding where: a. such facilities or infrastructure are for bulk transportation of

water, sewage or storm water or storm water drainage inside a road reserve; or

b. where such construction will occur within urban areas but further than 32 metres from a watercourse, measured from the edge of the watercourse.

Pipelines longer than 1 000 metres will be established on-site for the bulk transportation of water, storm water and sewage. The approved pipeline infrastructure for the bulk transportation of water as well as stormwater control facilities will be expanded by more than 1 000 metres and 10% capacity respectively.

11 The construction of: (i) canals (ii) channels; (iii) bridges; (iv) dams; (v) weirs; (vi) bulk storm water outlet structures;

Bridges will be constructed over watercourses within the project area.



Page 2-28

ACTIVITY NUMBER


(vii) marinas; (viii) jetties exceeding 50 square metres in size; (ix) slipways exceeding 50 square metres in size; or (x) buildings exceeding 50 square metres in size; or (xi) infrastructure or structures covering 50 square metres or more;

where such construction occurs within a watercourse or within 32 metres of a watercourse, measured from the edge of a watercourse, excluding where such construction will occur behind the development setback line.

12 The construction of facilities or infrastructure for the off-stream storage of water, including dams and reservoirs, with a combined capacity of 50000 cubic metres or more, unless such storage falls within the ambit of activity 19 of Notice 545 of 2010.

Stormwater dams will be established on-site that will exceed 50 000 cubic metres.

22 The construction of a road, outside urban areas, (i) with a reserve wider than 13,5 metres or, (ii) where no reserve exists where the road is wider than 8 metres, or

for which an environmental authorisation was obtained for the route determination in terms of activity 5 in Government Notice 387 of 2006 or activity 18 in Notice 545 of 2010.

Private roads will be established for mining vehicles.

23 The transformation of undeveloped, vacant or derelict land to – (i) residential, retail, commercial, recreational, industrial or institutional use, inside an urban area, and where the total area to be transformed is 5 hectares or more, but less than 20 hectares, or (ii) residential, retail, commercial, recreational, industrial or institutional use, outside an urban area and where the total area to be transformed is bigger than 1 hectare but less than 20 hectares; - except where such transformation takes place – (i) for linear activities; or (ii) for purposes of agriculture or afforestation, in which case Activity 16 of Notice No. R. 545 applies.

Additional infrastructure will require the transformation of more than 20 hectares

37 The expansion of facilities or infrastructure for the bulk transportation of water, sewage or storm water where: (a) the facility or infrastructure is expanded by more than 1 000 metres in

length; or (b) where the throughput capacity of the facility or infrastructure will be

increased by 10 % or more- excluding where such expansion:

(i) relates to transportation or water, sewage or storm water within a road reserve; or

(ii) where such expansion will occur within urban areas but further than 32 metres from a watercourse, measured from the edge of the watercourse

The approved pipeline infrastructure for the bulk transportation of water as well as stormwater control facilities will be expanded by more than 1 000 metres and 10% capacity respectively.

Notice 545, 18 June 2010 5 The construction of facilities or infrastructure for any process or activity which

requires a permit or license in terms of national or provincial legislation governing the generation or release of emissions, pollution or effluent and which is not identified in Notice No. 544 of 2010 or included in the list of waste management activities published in terms of section 19 of the National Environmental Management: Waste Act, 2008 (Act No. 59 of 2008) in which case that Act will apply.

The following will require an amendment to the Water Use License Application that has been submitted to the Department of Water Affairs in terms of the National Water Act, 36 of 1998: redesigned tailings storage facility and WRDs; additional WRDs; additional sewage treatment capacity; changes to the footprint of the open pit; and stormwater management facilities.

19 The construction of a dam, where the highest part of the dam wall, as measured from the outside toe of the wall to the highest part of the wall, is 5 metres or higher or where the high-water mark of the dam covers an area of

Stormwater dams will be established where the highest part of the



Page 2-29

ACTIVITY NUMBER


10 hectares or more. dam wall exceeds 5 metres.

Notice 546, 18 June 2010 2 The construction of reservoirs for bulk water supply with a capacity of more

than 250 cubic metres. i. A protected area identified in terms of NEMPAA, excluding conservancies; ii. Outside urban areas, in: (aa) National Protected Area Expansion Strategy Focus areas; (bb) Sensitive areas as identified in an environmental management framework as contemplated in chapter 5 of the Act and as adopted by the competent authority; (cc) Sites or areas identified in terms of an International Convention; (dd) Critical biodiversity areas (Type 1 only) as identified in systematic biodiversity plans adopted by the competent authority or in bioregional plans; (ee) Core areas in biosphere reserves; (ff) Areas within 10 kilometres from national parks or world heritage sites or 5 kilometres from any other protected area identified in terms of NEMPAA or from the core area of a biosphere reserve; iii. In urban areas: (aa) Areas zoned for use as public open space; (bb) Areas designated for conservation use in Spatial Development Frameworks adopted by the competent authority, or zoned for a conservation purpose.

Reservoirs with a capacity of 2 000 cubic metres will be established on site

3 The construction of masts or towers of any material or type used for telecommunication broadcasting or radio transmission purposes where the mast: (a) is to be placed on a site not previously used for this purpose, and (b) will exceed 15 metres in height, but excluding attachments to existing buildings and masts on rooftops. i. Outside urban areas, in: (aa) A protected area identified in terms of NEMPAA, excluding conservancies; (bb) National Protected Area Expansion Strategy Focus areas; (cc) Sensitive areas as identified in an environmental management framework as contemplated in chapter 5 of the Act and as adopted by the competent authority; (dd) Sites or areas identified in terms of an International Convention; (ee) Critical biodiversity areas (Type 1 only) as identified in systematic biodiversity plans adopted by the competent authority or in bioregional plans; (ff) Core areas in biosphere reserves; (gg) Areas within 10 kilometres from national parks or world heritage sites or 5 kilometres from any other protected area identified in terms of NEMPAA or biosphere reserve. ii. In urban areas, the following: (aa) Areas designated for conservation use in adopted Spatial Development Frameworks, or zoned for a conservation purpose.

A telecommunications mast will be established on site.

4 The construction of a road wider than 4 metres with a reserve less than 13,5 metres. i. Outside urban areas, in: (aa) A protected area identified in terms of NEMPAA, excluding conservancies; (bb) National Protected Area Expansion Strategy Focus areas; (cc) Sensitive areas as identified in an environmental management framework as contemplated in chapter 5 of the Act and as adopted by the competent authority; (dd) Sites or areas identified in terms of an International Convention; (ee) Critical biodiversity areas (Terrestrial Type 1 and 2 and Aquatic Type 1) as identified in systematic biodiversity plans adopted by the competent authority or in bioregional plans; (ff) Core areas in biosphere reserves;

Roads will be established on the project site for mine related traffic.



Page 2-30

ACTIVITY NUMBER


(gg) Areas within 10 kilometres from national parks or world heritage sites or 5 kilometres from any other protected area identified in terms of NEMPAA or from a biosphere reserve. ii. In urban areas: (aa) Areas zoned for use as public open space; (bb) Areas designated for conservation use in Spatial Development Frameworks adopted by the competent authority or zoned for a conservation purpose; (cc) Natural heritage sites.

14 The clearance of an area of 5 hectares or more of vegetation where 75 % or more of the vegetative cover constitutes indigenous vegetation, except where such removal of vegetation is required for: (1) purposes of agriculture or afforestation inside areas identified in spatial instruments adopted by the Competent authority for agriculture or afforestation purposes; (2) the undertaking of a process or activity included in the list of waste management activities published in terms of section 19 of the National Environmental Management: Waste Act, 2008 (Act No. 59 of 2008) in which case the activity is regarded to be excluded from this list; (3) the undertaking of a linear activity falling below the thresholds in Notice 544 of 2010.

The proposed development will require the clearance of an area larger than 5 hectares of indigenous vegetation.

2.6 LISTED ACTIVITIES IN TERMS OF THE NEM:WA REGULATIONS

Subsequent to the submission of the Scoping Report, Sedibelo Platinum Mine commissioned a waste

study to evaluate potential waste storage and disposal alternatives for non-mineralised waste. In view of

this waste study, the scope of the waste activities have changed and a decision was taken to exclude

waste activities requiring permitting from the project scope as originally included in the Scoping Report.

The environmental authorisation process for the listed activities in terms of the National Environmental

Management: Waste Act, 59 of 2008 (NEM:WA) will therefore be excluded from the current EIA and EMP

amendment process and will be dealt with in a new and completely separate authorisation process in

support of a waste licence application which will be submitted at a later stage as required. This was

confirmed with the North West Department of Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development

(DREAD).

2.7 INDICATION OF PHASES AND TIMEFRAMES ASSOCIATED WITH THE MAIN ACTIONS / ACTIVITIES / PROCESSES

An indication of the phases and estimated timeframes in relation to the main actions, activities or

processes and infrastructure is provided in Table 66 above.

2.8 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This section provides supporting information not already presented in the sections above. Where

information, as presented in the approved EIA/EMP report, will remain unchanged, this has been



Page 2-31

included below for completeness. Where the project makes provision for changes to approved

facilities/activities, this has been highlighted in the relevant section. Apart from optimising the location, no

changes to these facilities are required for the project.

2.8.1 CONSTRUCTION PHASE

An overview of facilities which will be required during the construction phase is provided in Section 2.4.1.

Further detail where required is provided in the sections below. These facilities will be established during

the construction phase for use during the construction phase and/or operational phases

2.8.1.1 Housing

Two separate accommodation facilities adjacent to one another and approved in the 2007 EIA, will be

constructed at the mine. These facilities will house up to a maximum of 3,500 people on site during the

construction and operational phases. These facilities will have all required amenities to cater for the

needs of the occupants. The remainder of the construction workforce will be sourced from nearby

villages. These facilities will be made available to employees from Sedibelo, PPM and the proposed

Magazynskraal Mine (if approved) for the duration of the mining phase.

Where a housing allowance is provided to employees, Sedibelo is considering means to ensure that the

allowance is spent on accommodation that meets acceptable standards. A formal employment and

housing policy will be developed for this issue.

2.8.1.2 Power supply

The mine currently uses a temporary Eskom supply rated at 11kV, 500kVA. This power is used for a

temporary camp on site.

The temporary supply line is located close to the southern boundary of Wilgespruit farm. In accordance

with the overall project reticulation design criteria, this power will be reticulated via a backbone at 11kV in

the form of an overhead line infrastructure.

This infrastructure will be designed and erected in such a way that it will form the basis of the permanent

electrical infrastructure with minimum modifications and maximum re-usage with the changeover from the

temporary point of supply to the permanent bulk power supply.

2.8.1.3 Transport systems

Changes to the road network required to support the mine are detailed below. Expected traffic volumes

as a result of the mine development are detailed in Table 64.



Page 2-32

The existing road network as outlined in Section 1.3.2 will be used to transport staff and materials to and

form site.

The main access to and from the mine site will be the existing provincial gravel road (Road D511) along

the eastern boundary of the site. This road starts at the Saulspoort Road (P50-1) intersection to the

south of the mine site. This 7,5-km road will be upgraded to a 7,4m-wide double-seal surface with 1,0m

gravel shoulders and will extend to the intersection at the mine entrance. A detour road adjacent to the

existing provincial road is to be provided prior to the upgrade of the provincial road.

As part of PPM’s proposed pit extension project, for which an EIA is currently underway, it is proposed

that the P50-1 road either be diverted or closed. In this regard, a number of options are currently being

considered. At the time that this report was compiled a final decision had not yet been made with regards

to the options available for the road network in the area. In addition, the PPM project could also

potentially result in the closure of a section of Road Z536.

Internal roads and transport mechanisms

In addition to the existing gravel roads, a network of internal service roads will be constructed to, from

and along relevant facilities. The service roads will be constructed of suitably sized and compacted

waste rock.

From the pit ramp access road, the haul road will extend to the waste rock dump. This section of the haul

road will be 30m-wide. Flood protection of the embankment in the form of stone pitching will be provided

where the haul road runs adjacent to the 1:100-year flood-line, for a distance of approximately 1,5km.

The mine access and road network will be used during the operational phase. Where required, during

the operational phase, additional internal service roads will be established. Expected traffic volumes as a

result of the mine operation are detailed in Table 64.

River Crossings

River crossings as approved in the 2007 EIA/EMP include the following:

• haul road from open pit to the ROM stockpile areas which will be a low level bridge across the

Bofule river;

• road across the Moswafole dam road embankment (Bofule river) connecting the waste rock

dump WRD 2 and plant area; and

• haul road from the open pit to the WRD 2 which will be a low level bridge across Wilgespruit.

Additional river crossing as a result of the proposed changes in the surface infrastructure include the

following:



Page 2-33

• service road from the open pit to downcast ventilation fans in the form of a low level bridge

across Bofule river.

2.8.1.4 Non-mineralised waste management

Non-mineralised waste management during construction

During the construction phase a major source of non-mineralised waste generation will be the

accommodation camp and various construction working areas. In addition, general construction and

demolition type waste will be generated. The waste generated during this phase is likely to comprise a

high fraction of recyclable or reusable materials for example:

• steel and other metals;

• plastics

• glass;

• packaging material including cardboard, polystyrene, etc.;

• wood/timber;

• hydrocarbon wastes such as waste oils and grease;

• stone, sand and gravel;

• construction and demolition waste (also referred to as ‘rubble’); and

• other general recoverable waste.

Waste generated during the construction phase will be managed in line with a waste management

procedure to be developed for the site. Waste will be separated at source, stored in a manner that there

can be no discharge of contamination to the environment, and either recycled or reused where possible

or disposed of at a permitted waste disposal facility. Refer to Section 2.8.2.7 for more detailed

information.

Sewage

Temporary sanitation will be provided to site personnel until the permanent sanitation facilities have been

constructed and commissioned. Initially, portable toilets with associated septic tanks will be used. The

septic tanks will be emptied on a regular basis by an appointed contractor for disposal at the PPM

sewage treatment facility, which will have capacity to absorb this waste.

2.8.1.5 Fuel and lubricant storage facilities

Fuel and lubricant storage facilities will be established during the construction phase. The 32m x 22m

tank farm comprises 3 bunded areas: 2 x diesel and 1 x lube with 3 receiving/refuelling facilities, including

spillage slabs and a hydrocarbon separation system. The storage capacity will be in excess of 1000m3.



Page 2-34

2.8.1.6 Explosives use and storage

Explosive storage areas will be constructed and utilised in the construction and operational phases.

Blasting in the open pit will be conducted utilising sensitised bulk emulsion explosives, pentolite boosters

and initiators. The underground development will be done by the burn cut method using underground

sensitized bulk emulsion explosives, smooth wall blasting and initiators. Stoping will be carried out using

cartridged emulsion explosives with shock tube detonators and cartridge explosives. In terms of Section

9 of the Explosives Act 26 of 1956, the mine will not be allowed to use any blasting material unless being

authorised thereto in a permit issued by an inspector appointed under the act. The person using the

blasting material must be under the immediate and constant supervision of the person to whom the

permit had been issue.

Explosives will be stored in an explosives magazine which is especially designed for this purpose. The

explosives magazine will be constructed in a remote area on the Sedibelo site and no other infrastructure

will be constructed within a 500m radius of the magazine (Refer to Figure 2 for the surface layout plan).

The design and construction of the explosives and accessories magazine will be in accordance with the

relevant explosives regulations. The accessories magazine will have a floor area of 79,66m² and will be

a brick structure with reinforced concrete flooring and roof. This structure will be equipped with

ventilators, lightning conductors and double security doors. The explosives magazine will comprise a

floor area of 32,40m² and will be a double layer brick structure with earth between the inner and outer

layers. Flooring and roof will be constructed from reinforced concrete. The magazine will also be fitted

with ventilators, lightning conductors and double security doors.

The explosives magazine will be positioned within an earth embankment. The accessories magazine will

be positioned 80m from the explosives magazine. The area will be fenced with 2,4m high welded mesh

security fencing and barbed wire. The access gate will make provision for a single direction road. All

explosives will be handled and managed according to the Explosives Act, (2003) Act 15 of 2003, and the

applicable Regulations promulgated under this Act.

2.8.1.7 Explosive waste destruction area

Explosives packaging waste is regulated under the Explosives Act 26 of 1956 and will be destroyed on-

site in a dedicated destruction bay. An atmospheric emission licence is no longer required for this

practice (Category 8 of Government Notice 248 to the National Environmental Management: Air Quality

Act of 2004, dealing with incineration of general and hazardous waste, does not require an emission

licence for open air burning). Other control measures may, however, follow in future when the provisions

relating to controlled emitters and priority pollutants commence.



Page 2-35

2.8.1.8 Laydown areas

The open pit contractor’s lay-down area is located to the north-east of the open pit and is accessible via

the 6m gravel open pit access road and the 30m wide haul road. A contractor laydown area is also

provided at the accommodation facilities.

2.8.1.9 Con-current mining operations

As the commencement of mining operations (open pit development) will coincide with the construction

phase, permanent offices, workshops, laydown areas will be in place during the construction phase and

into the operational phase.

2.8.1.10 First aid station

A first aid station will be established during the construction phase. The approved EIA/EMP made

provision for an on-site first aid station to address day to day medical issues. More serious medical

emergencies will be referred to medical facilities at Union Section or whereever deemed necessary to

handle the emergency.

The approved EIA/EMP made provision for a number of site support facilities. A description of these

taken from the approved EIA/EMP is provided below for completeness.

2.8.1.11 Mobile crushing and grouting plant

A mobile crushing and grouting unit will be established during the construction phase. This facility may

be relocated to any of the other Sedibelo waste rock dumps for the duration of the construction,

operational and decommissioning phase.

2.8.1.12 Telecommunications

Mobile radios on site will include dispatch consoles located in the security control room, the

administration buildings and the operational complexes. Hand held radios, vehicle radios and a mast and

antennae will be part of the mobile radio equipment. A telephone system is proposed for

communications.

2.8.1.13 Fire control system

The fire-water reticulation comprises 160mm-diameter HDPE pipelines with fire hydrants appropriately

located (maximum 60m radius coverage). Fire water will be supplied off the 100m3 elevated potable

water tank on a separate reticulation system



Page 2-36

2.8.1.14 Security and access control

The entire operational area will be fenced and there will be an access control point on the access road.

2.8.1.15 Weighbridge, parking and bus/taxi rank

A weighbridge will be positioned just off the main access road at the processing plant. The weighbridge

will monitor the incoming delivery of fuels and other consumables, and the outgoing shipment of wastes

and concentrate. The weighbridge will be a load cell type, single truck length unit installed above ground.

A waiting area as well as onsite parking will be provided.

2.8.1.16 Helipad

The helipad has been provided at the one of the shafts and comprises a concrete slab constructed on an

engineered terrace.

2.8.1.17 Lighting

In all cases, lighting has the purpose of facilitating safety and security. Without compromising safety and

security, yellow lighting will be used and high pole lighting will be avoided. Where pole lights are used

they will be focussed downwards.

The mine will operate 24 hours per day, and will utilise a combination of high pressure sodium, pole

mounted lights and building/structure-mounted lights. These are envisaged to be lit between dusk and

dawn. Lighting has been designated for internal, walkway and plant occupational areas. Yellow down-

lights will be used where possible.

2.8.1.18 Internal pipelines

Various on-site pipelines have been described in the discussion above. The pipelines will be placed in

the following manner:

• pipelines within the plant will all be located on the surface of the ground;

• all water pipelines will be on the surface of the ground, except the fire water which will be distributed

all over the site via underground pipes; and

• sewage pipelines will all be below ground.

2.8.1.19 On-going contractor work

The contractor administration and lay-down areas will remain in use as and when required for the life of

the operations. This is particularly relevant to any alterations, maintenance or refurbishment that may be

required from time to time and that may require the services of contractors.



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2.8.1.20 Ongoing exploration

Exploration drilling will continue during the construction and operational phase. It will be used to upgrade

the mineral resource on a yearly basis as well as to assist with detailed mine planning going forward.

2.8.2 OPERATIONAL PHASE

2.8.2.1 Water supply and management

Sedibelo Platinum Mine has been granted 15.2 Mℓ/day of potable water from the Magalies Water Board

(MWB). This allocation has subsequently been transferred to Newshelf 1101 Pty Ltd who will manage

the distribution of water to Sedibelo. A 35-Mℓ reservoir was constructed by the MWB at a high point

approximately 2,5km from the north-east corner of the mine property on the Farm Tuschenkomst. All

water supplied will be of a potable standard. No increase in water demand is expected as a result of the

proposed changes to the mine.

Sedibelo plans to operate with no point source discharge and re-use contaminated water as far as

possible. Emphasis will therefore be placed on the prevention of pollution, re-use of process water and

the treatment of recycling of water. The site will comply with the National Water Act 36 of 1998 and

Regulations 704 in terms of clean and dirty water separation and management.

The Sedibelo mine make-up water requirement for all operations is based on an average of

0.94m3/tonne milled. At maximum production, the operation will require a maximum water intake of

9.4Mℓ/day.

2.8.2.2 Power supply

The mine currently uses an Eskom supply rated at 11kV, 500kVA. This power is used for

accommodation facilities. Permanent power of 11kV, 66MVA will be supplied by Eskom from the

Spitskop substation, located approximately 40km north of the Sedibelo site. This will be supplied to

Newshelf 1101 Pty Ltd who will manage distribution of power to Sedibelo via the existing Sedibelo

substation. Power will be supplied from the Sedibelo substation throughout the operations via 11kV

powerlines.

A 1.7MVA diesel generator will be installed at the Sedibelo substation to serve as emergency backup for

selected loads. Emergency services for equipment requiring uninterrupted power such as IT,

communications, security, and administrative services will be serviced by a combination of diesel

generator and/or un-interruptible power supplies.



Page 2-38

2.8.2.3 Mineral Processing

A concentrator with a capacity of 350 000 tonnes per month was approved in the 2007 EIA. An overview

and description of the mineral processing operation taken from the approved EIA and EMP is provided

below for completeness. The current project scope makes provision for the inclusion of a tailings

scavenging plant as well as a chrome recovery plant. These are described as part of the process below.

The two ore types, namely a silicate or Pseudo Reef (Merensky/Upper Pseudo Reef) and UG2, will be

handled separately to produce a PGE concentrate. The philosophy behind the Sedibelo plant has been

one of adopting a batch processing strategy. This strategy is based on processing each ore type on its

own thereby enabling a greater degree of operational control resulting in improved recoveries. This

process will therefore be undertaken in order to maximise the economic return from both ore types which

require similar, but significantly different concentrator conditions.

Both ore types will undergo crushing and screening, dense media separation, milling, and flotation within

the same metallurgical circuit to produce a PGE concentrate. This concentrate will then be sent off site

for toll smelting and refining by one of the smelters/refineries in the North West or Limpopo Provinces. In

addition, chrome will be recovered from the tailings stream resulting from the processing of the UG2 ore.

Further detail is provided in the sections below. Figure 24 provides schematic representations of the

concentrator process.

The concentrator plant will be designed to operate 24 hours per day, seven days per week, with an

appropriate allowance to stop for essential maintenance and statutory public holidays.

The initial mining schedule reflects a combined (i.e. all ore types) steady state production level of

approximately 150 000tpm from the open pit operations. The first phase of the concentrator processing

facility is therefore designed to cater for either 180 000tpm UG2 ore or 130 000tpm silicate ore. The

second phase of the concentrator makes provision to increase the concentrator capacity to 350 000tpm

to cater for the steady state production volumes from the underground mining operations.

Ore delivery

ROM ore will be transported from the open pit and shafts to the concentrator plant by a combination of

trucking and conveyor systems where it will be tipped into a bin. If tipping directly into the bin is not

possible, the ore will be placed on an emergency/ROM stockpile with a capacity of approximately 2

million tonnes adjacent to the bin and then loaded into the bin by a front end loader. From the bin, ore

will be fed to the crushers for primary crushing and screening.



Page 2-39

FIGURE 24: CONCEPTUAL PROCESS FLOW DIAGRAM FOR THE MINERAL PROCESING FACILITY



Page 2-40

Crushing and Screening

The purpose of crushing the mined ore is to reduce the size of the material being fed to the subsequent

metallurgical process, to reduce the volume of the material to be treated and thus optimising the overall

capital and operating costs of the operation.

The optimal size of feed to the milling process is dependent, in part, on the hardness of the ore. The

silicate ore will therefore be crushed finer than the UG2 ore since it is considerably harder at coarse

sizes. The silicate ore will therefore undergo a secondary crushing stage.

Primary crushing

Ore is fed from the ROM bin to a vibrating grizzly, which scalps out the fines from the feed. The vibrating

grizzly oversize passes to a primary jaw crusher. The crushed ore is conveyed to the secondary crushing

section for the silicate ore and the primary mill feed silo or DMS silo for UG2 ore, depending on the

processing requirements. The jaw crusher circuit incorporates dust extraction and a dust scrubber unit.

The dust slurry will be pumped to a DMS thickener.

Secondary crushing

The combined vibrating grizzly undersize and jaw crusher product are fed to an inclined double deck

secondary screen. The top deck is fitted with 50 mm aperture panels and the bottom deck is fitted with

20 mm aperture panels. The screen undersize is conveyed to the mill feed silo or DMS silo. The

oversize is conveyed to the secondary crusher feed bin.

Ore is withdrawn from the secondary crusher feed bin via vibrating pan feeders and fed to a cone

crusher. The cone crusher product re-joins the secondary screen undersize material on the mill feed silo

feed conveyor or DMS silo. The secondary cone crusher circuit incorporates dust extraction and a dust

scrubber unit. The dust slurry will be pumped to a DMS thickener.

DMS plant

UG2 or silicate ore can be processed through the Dense Media Separation (DMS) plant, depending on

the mine’s requirements. Material from the DMS silo will be screened using pulping and spray water.

The fine material will pass through to the DMS thickener while the coarser material will be pumped to the

DMS section.

The coarser material will pass to a DMS mixing box, where ferrosilicon (mixed with water), will be added.

The resulting slurry will pass into DMS cyclones where it will be separated into material that floats

(“floats”) and material that sinks (“sinks”). Both the DMS floats and DMS sinks (through two separate

circuits) will first pass over drainage panels and rinse screens where the ferrosilicon will be drained back

to a circulating medium tank. The floats and sinks will then be washed with a magnetic separator effluent



Page 2-41

followed by clean water. The resulting water will drain to a second dilution medium tank. From the tanks,

the medium will be pumped back to the medium box.

Fine material, together with slurried dust from the silicate crushing circuit if applicable, will pass to the

DMS thickener. The thickener underflow (slimes) will be pumped to the mill discharge sump in the

primary milling section while the overflow (water) will be pumped to the process water section.

The DMS crushed sinks and fine sinks will be discharged into the mill feed bin. The DMS floats will be

temporarily stockpiled close to the ROM stockpile area and then trucked to the waste rock dumps.

Primary milling

In order for the froth flotation to be efficient, the crushed ore must be further reduced to fine particles to

liberate and expose the relevant minerals.

The ore is fed from the mill feed silo or DMS section to the primary mill. The plant incorporates a single

primary ball mill with grate discharge and variable speed drive. Water and grinding media is added to the

crushed ore to produce a slurry of the correct density. The mill discharges over a vibrating screen which

removes the scats (worn grinding media). These scats pass through a chute into a waste skip for

collection and disposal.

Milling of UG2 ore (particle classification by means of a screen)

The mill discharge screen underflow collects in the mill discharge sump. Dilution water is added and this

slurry is then pumped to the woodchip removal cyclones. The light material in the ore (woodchips, fuses,

plastic etc.) reports to the cyclone overflow, which collects in a launder, before gravitating to a linear

screen, which removes this “trash” material. The dewatered woodchips are collected in a waste skip for

disposal. The woodchip removal linear screen will be installed once the underground mining operation

commences as the woodchips originates from the wooden support sticks.

The linear screen underflow and the woodchip removal cyclone underflow are recombined and fed to a

mill circuit classifying screen. This screen is fitted with slotted polyurethane screen panels, with 0.6 mm

apertures. The screen oversize is returned via a chute to the primary mill feed hopper. The screen

undersize flows, via a two stage automatic slurry sampler, to the primary rougher flotation feed surge

tank. This flat bottomed tank is equipped with a mechanical agitator to avoid the settling of particles.

From this tank, the slurry is pumped to the primary rougher flotation circuit.

Milling of silicate ore (particle classification by means of a cluster cyclone)

The mill discharge screen underflow collects in the mill discharge sump. Dilution water is added and this

slurry is then pumped to the classification cyclones. The light material in the ore (woodchips, fuses,

plastic etc.) reports to the cyclone overflow, which collects in a launder, before gravitating to a linear



Page 2-42

screen, which removes this “trash” material. The dewatered woodchips are collected in a waste skip for

disposal. The woodchip removal linear screen will be installed once the underground mining operation

commences as the woodchips originates from the wooden support sticks.

The woodchip removal screen underflow gravitates, via a two stage automatic slurry sampler, to the

primary rougher flotation feed surge tank. From this tank, the slurry is pumped to the primary rougher

flotation circuit.

Primary Flotation

The ores, silicate and UG2, will be milled separately in two stages, with a stage of flotation in between, to

maximise the metallurgical performance of the ores. The valuable metal components in the ore are

recovered more quickly and at a higher grade if they can be recovered when they are still quite coarse.

Therefore, the principle of the plant will be to mill a little, and then recover what valuable components can

be recovered, then mill again and recover the remainder.

The primary mill product is pumped from the flotation feed surge tank to the primary rougher flotation

section. This section consists of seven 70m3 tank type flotation cells operating in series, with flow from

one cell to the next by gravity.

Two separate rougher flotation concentrate sump and pump arrangements are allowed for in order to

provide flexibility in terms of the routing of the concentrates. The first, fast floating concentrate is pumped

to the first primary re-cleaner flotation cell and the second slower floating concentrate is pumped to either

the first primary cleaner cell or the first secondary re-cleaner cell.

Primary rougher tailings gravitate from the final primary rougher flotation cell, through a two-stage,

automatic sampling system, into the primary rougher tailings sump, from where they are pumped to the

secondary milling circuit.

Reagents and chemicals will be added at various stages of the milling and flotation process to enhance

the efficiency of the flotation process.

Secondary milling

The primary rougher tailings slurry, combined with the primary and secondary cleaner tails streams, is

pumped from the primary rougher tails sump to a cluster of dewatering cyclones. Dewatering cyclone

underflow gravitates to a secondary overflow ball mill, operating in open circuit. The cyclone overflow

gravitates to the secondary desliming cyclone feed sump. From this sump, the slurry is pumped to the

secondary desliming cyclone cluster. The desliming cyclone underflow returns to the secondary mill,

whilst the overflow gravitates to the secondary mill discharge sump.



Page 2-43

The mill discharges over a vibrating screen which removes the scats (worn grinding media). These scats

pass through a chute into a waste skip for collection and disposal. The mill discharge screen underflow

collects in the mill discharge sump.

Secondary flotation

From the mill discharge sump, the slurry is pumped to the secondary rougher flotation feed surge tank.

From this tank the slurry is pumped to the secondary rougher flotation section. This section consists of

six 70m3 and three 50m3 tank type flotation cells operating in series, with flow from one cell to the next by

gravity.

Secondary rougher tailings gravitate from the final secondary rougher flotation cell into the secondary

rougher tailings sump, from where they are pumped to the final tailings sump.

Flotation concentrate

Primary and secondary flotation final concentrates are pumped over a linear screen to the concentrate

thickener. The concentrate thickener underflow is pumped into a final concentrate surge tank. This flat-

bottomed tank is mechanically agitated to ensure homogeneity. From the tank, the slurry is pumped to

the concentrate filter. The filter is a fully automatic, continuous belt, vertical filter press.

The filtrate is pumped back to the final concentrate thickener. The filter cake discharges onto a slow

moving reversible conveyor, which discharges the filter cake into the storage bunkers. The filter cake is

periodically loaded into concentrate trucks, by a front end loader, (by others), for transportation to the

smelter.

Tailings scavenging plant

In order to improve PGM recovery efficiencies, a tailings treatment or scavenging plant comprising a

series of flotation cells will be constructed, if feasible, to treat the tailings streams prior to disposal onto

the TSF. This plant, which will be located within the footprint of the concentrator area, will treat tailings

material prior to disposal onto the tailings storage facility.

Chrome recovery plant

A series of spirals will be used as the chrome recovery plant to recover chrome from the UG2 flotation

tailings before final disposal, if proven feasible. This product will be sold to third parties for smelting off-

site. The plant will be located within the concentrator footprint area.

Tailings

The tailings slurry collects in the final tailings sump and is pumped to the tailings dam by a train of

centrifugal slurry pumps. A single tailings pipeline is provided, which is connected into a “spigot” line on



Page 2-44

the inside bench of the dam wall. Further discussion on the tailings storage facility is provided in Section

2.8.2.8 below.

2.8.2.4 Surface Conveyors

The surface installation comprises of a stockpile feed conveyor situated at the open pit and an overland

conveyor feeding the secondary crusher inside the plant boundary. The overland conveyors will be used

to transport material from the primary crushers situated at the open pit to secondary crushers within the

processing plant.

2.8.2.5 Laboratory

The laboratory, located at the processing plant, will provide an analytical service to the mining operation

and processing plant to assist with efficient operation and control. It will also analyse mining and

exploration samples and undertake in house environmental monitoring. Accreditation of the laboratory is

not envisaged at this stage and therefore a comprehensive inter laboratory program will be implemented.

The facilities in the laboratory will include:

• Sample receipt area

• Pressure filter area

• Wet chemistry laboratory

• Solvent laboratory (The laboratory will be equipped with a fume extraction hood fitted with filters and

a scrubber)

• XRF (x-ray fluorescence)/ICP (inductive coupled plasma mass spectroscopy) room

• XRF preparation room

• Sample storage area

• Offices and record room.

2.8.2.6 Storage of raw materials / chemicals

A raw material off-loading area will be located within the processing plant area. The following reagents

will be stored during the operational phase: depressant, activator, collector, frother and flocculent. Other

raw materials needed in the process include: medium, magnetic separator effluent.

The chemical off-loading, storage and process facilities will cater for containment in the form of bunding

to 110% of the largest possible volume spill in the area with adequate sump and pump systems.

In addition materials will be stored on concrete floors in closed vessels or bags as follows:

• depressant powder – bulk bags;

• activator powder - bulk bags

• collector concentrate solution – storage tanks;



Page 2-45

• liquid promoter – storage tank;

• liquid frother – storage tank;

• flocculent – storage tank;

• medium powder ferosilicon – bunded area; and

• magnetic separator liquid, DMS slurries – storage tanks.

The reagents will be prepared or mixed in the central reagent plant form where it will be pumped to the

relevant dosing points.

2.8.2.7 Non-mineralised waste management

General and hazardous non-mineralised waste

Broadly speaking, waste from the Sedibelo operations will be separated at source, stored in a manner

that there can be no discharge of contamination to the environment, either recycled or reused where

possible or disposed of at permitted waste disposal facilities. On site facilities will be provided for sorting

and temporary storage prior to removal and disposal to appropriate recycling or disposal facilities off-site.

Domestic waste will be disposed of at a permitted general landfill site. Industrial waste will be sorted on

site and sent to approved waste service providers. Hazardous waste will be disposed of at the

hazardous landfill site in Holfontein. Alternatively, hazardous waste will be sent to approved hazardous

waste service providers.

The approved EIA/EMP made provision for the establishment of a waste management complex. The

following components will be established on site:

• general waste skips and transfer areas for non-hazardous waste;

• covered and bunded hazardous waste handling and storage areas;

• bio-remediation site for the treatment of hydrocarbon contaminated soils (less than 500kg per

day) and

• recycling centre or salvage yard.

It is intended that all general (domestic and industrial) and hazardous waste will be separated into

streams at source for transfer to the relevant area within the waste management complex. The recycling

centre will comprise a 15,5m x 15,5m concrete slabbed area with drains feeding into a hydrocarbon

separation system. The hazardous waste temporary storage area will comprise a 6m x 6m concrete

bunded area covered with structural steel roof with diamond mesh fencing and gates. The bio-

remediation centre will comprise a 24m x 8m concrete slabbed area covered with structural steel roof and

draining into the hydrocarbon separation system adjacent to the recycling centre.



Page 2-46

Sewage treatment plant

Apart from an increase in capacity (see Table 64), the approved sewage treatment plant will operate in

the same manner as outlined in the approved 2007 EIA. The Bio-Filter Rotating Biological Contactor

(RBC) sewage treatment plant will comprise of the following components:

• primary treatment, usually by means of a septic tank or primary settlement tank;

• biological treatment of primary effluent by means of the bio-filter rotating disc units;

• humus removal by means of a secondary settlement tank;

• disinfection of final effluent by means of a chlorine contact tank; and

• phosphate removal where required.

The plant has been positioned adjacent to the concentrator plant and will collect sewage from the

concentrator plant and project/mine offices. The treatment plant will also have capacity to accept sewage

from the neighbouring Magazynskraal Platinum Mine (if approved). Sewage waste from the

accommodation camp, waste management facility, security building, mobile crusher site, mining

contractor’s lay-down area and run of mine (ROM) tip will be collected by means of a honey-sucker. This

sewage will be fed into the STP via a man-hole upstream of the processing plant.

Treated effluent from the sewage treatment plant will be fed back into the process water circuit during the

operational phase via a 75mm-diameter HDPE pipeline. An effluent dam has been provided at the

sewage treatment plant.

Every effort will be made to reuse this effluent during the operational phase, however, some of this

effluent may need to be treated and used for irrigation or dust suppression. Details regarding effluent use

will be provided to DWS by means of the Water Use Licence amendment process. Sewage sludge will

be disposed by an approved service provider at the PPM sewage treatment facility.

2.8.2.8 Mineralised waste - Tailings storage facility

The approved EIA/EMP made provision for a tailings storage facility on site. The project scope makes

provision for optimising the dimensions and configuration of the facility. The location of the TSF is in the

same position as provided for in the approved EIA/EMP.

The TSF was designed by Epoch Resources Pty (Ltd) (Epoch) in accordance with the requirements of

the MPRDA as described in Government Notice 527 (23 April 2004) (Epoch, 2011). The report has been

included in Appendix P. The safety classification system utilised to classify the TSF (and open pit WRDs)

is summarised in Table 69 below. Details on the design features of the facility are provided in Table 70.



Page 2-47

TABLE 69: SAFETY CLASSIFICATION CRITERIA FOR THE MINERALISED WASTE STORAGE FACILITIES – TSF AND OPEN PIT WRDS(EPOCH, 2011)

CRITERIA NO.

CRITERIA COMMENT SAFETY CLASSIFICATION

1 No. of Residents in Zone of Influence

0 (Low hazard) No residents were noted within the zone of influence.

Low Hazard

1 -10 (Medium hazard >10 (High hazard)

2 No. of Workers in Zone of Influence

<10 (Low hazard) There are unlikely to be any workers in the vicinity of the facilities other than those directly involved in the construction and operation of these facilities

Low Hazard 11 – 100 (Medium hazard) >100 (High hazard)

3 Value of third party property in zone of influence

0 – R2million (Low hazard)

The only third party infrastructure immediately adjacent to the residue disposal facilities is the road to the north of the TSF and the power line south of the Waste Rock Dump

Low Hazard

R2 – R20million (Medium hazard) >R20 million (High hazard)

4 Depth to underground mine workings

>200 m (Low hazard) No underground mining is planned in the vicinity of the areas likely to be affected by the residue deposits.

Low Hazard 50 m – 200 m (Medium hazard) <50 m (High hazard)

TABLE 70: TAILINGS STORAGE FACILITY DESIGN FEATURES

DESIGN FEATURES TAILINGS STORAGE FACILITY

Waste Materials – source and tonnages

Monthly deposition rate: Initially, tailings will comprise a mix of both silicate (50 000dry tpm) and UG2 (100 000 dry tpm) tailings products delivered through a single slurry delivery pipeline. This will increase to silicate (40 000 dry tpm) and UG2 (260 000 dry tpm) tailings products with the increase in concentrator capacity in 2018. It should be noted that the TSF starter wall will be constructed utilising waste rock material from the Sedibelo as well as the PPM operations.

Typical physical characteristics

Particle size distribution: The tailings are expected to be very fine with 75 to 85% by mass passing the 75 micron screen. It is expected however that the tailings produced may have as much as 90% by mass passing the 75 micron screen. Strength: Effective cohesion is 0 KPA and friction angle is an average of 32 degrees. Specific gravity: Silicate and UG2 tailings have particle specific gravities of 3.2 and 3.6 t/m3 respectively, yielding a weighted average particle SG of 3.47t/m3 Water content and slurry density: The slurry will be pumped at a 50 : 50 solids to water ratio, yielding a slurry density of 1.55t/m3 In-situ void ratio for the consolidated tailings material is assumed to be 1.0, yielding an average in-situ dry density for the placed tailings of 1.73t/m3

Chemical characteristics Based on the acid and neutralising potentials of tailings rock samples sourced from PPM,, the net NP and the NP/AP ratio, the tailings samples were classified as Type III materials (non acid forming) with a total sulphur percentage of less than 0.25%. The results of the leach testing indicate that Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe and Mn are the only chemical parameters that leach in noticeable quantities with Al, Cr, Zn and Ni also leaching but in smaller quantities. Na, Ca and K are the most significant leachates which are expected given their high concentrations in the geological and soil formations in the area. An added issue that is observed with operational tailings facilities in the greater region is the potential for salt emissions (eg. sulphates and chlorides).



Page 2-48


Physical dimensions Storage capacity - Approximately 60.5million tonnes over 30 years Footprint area - Approximately 150ha (tailings storage facility only) Final height - Approximately 40m Side slope gradient - The construction of the slopes of the facility with slopes of 1 in 3 or flatter to facilitate their covering and the re-establishment of vegetation

Elevation Datum Level – 1060mamsl TSF Crest Elevation -1097mamsl

Basic design It is proposed that the Sedibelo TSF be developed as a full containment facility using waste rock from either the Sedibelo and/or Tuschenkomst open pits to construct a series of downstream wall raises from which tailings would be deposited into the basin.

Sequence of development The proposed development of the Sedibelo TSF by means of downstream containment wall construction using waste rock requires that the development of the wall raises be planned and incorporated into the mining operations. The containment walls will be developed in 3 lifts of 10m each and a final lift of 5m, staged according to the tailings storage requirements. The proposed schedule of waste rock placement is based on the assumption that each downstream wall lift will be completed while the storage capacity behind the previous lift is being depleted. It is assumed also that the deposition of waste will be spread out over the entire time available. It is possible given the scale of the mining and waste disposal operations that the construction of the embankments may be condensed into shorter time periods. The summary schedule illustrates that the rate of waste rock placement should commence at 130 000m3 per month, declining to 48 000m3 per month. As the schedule stands it allows for the completion of the final wall lift approximately 7 years before tailings deposition is terminated. This would enable the rehabilitation of the outer slopes of the facility to be completed during the operational life of the mine.

Slurry delivery The slurry delivery system is expected to comprise a HDPE slurry delivery pipe to the perimeter of the containment walls with off take at 200m centres.

Method of deposition Deposition should take place by either open ending or using movable lengths of HDPE pipe with holes drilled at intervals to spread the deposition over a wider area as necessary.

Rate of rise Maximum rate of rise of 2.5m/year. Soil stripping Utilisable soil within the footprint areas will be stripped in line with the soil

management procedure (see Table 79). Stripping and stockpiling of topsoil will be done as part of the initial construction works. Stockpiled topsoil will be used for concurrent landscaping and rehabilitation.

Lining After removal of the topsoil the remaining black turf in the basin of the tailings dam will be compacted to establish the in situ clay liner.

Embankments The construction of the waste rock embankments to outer slopes of no steeper than 1V:3H is expected to contribute to the overall stability of the TSF.

Decant system It is proposed that excess slurry water and storm water runoff be removed from the Sedibelo TSF directly back to the plant water supply dam by means of a barge mounted pump and return water pipeline. This is intended to eliminate the need for a lined return water dam and associated silt traps normally associated with a penstock decant. The decant pumping barge will be accessed by a floating walkway which would also support the return water pipeline. Provision has been made for the excavation of a trench in the basin of the TSF to enable the early recovery of supernatant water by the return water pumps



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Seepage control The control of seepage from the facility will be effected by means of: • a blanket drain and seepage cut-off located around the inside perimeter of

the TSF starter embankment in such a way as to prevent a build-up in the phreatic surface against the starter embankment. This drain will serve also to assist in the consolidation of tailings placed in the vicinity of the starter embankment;

• seepage cut-off drain located at the outside toe of the first lift of the containment wall in order to intercept seepage through the wall arising from the placement of tailings against the inside face of the wall; and

• seepage and excess runoff are intended to flow via the manholes and pipe to the storm water control dam located to the east of the site.

Flood protection The site is located outside of the expected flood line and will also be protected by the construction of the perimeter access roadway and toe paddock wall which would serve also as a flood protection berm.

Stormwater diversion An elevated perimeter access road constructed of selected waste material. The roadway together with shallow diversion trenches to the western boundary of the TSF will ensure that runoff from the surrounding environment is diverted into the surrounding drainage system. This roadway will also form the outer wall of a series of toe paddocks which will be constructed around the perimeter of the facility in order to capture and contain runoff from the outer slopes of the waste rock containment walls.

Stormwater control dam A combined stormwater control facility will be established for the Tailing Storage Facility and Waste Rock Dump 2 (Stormwater Dam 2).

Paddock walls The outer toe paddock walls will be supplemented by a series of toe paddock cross walls arranged so as to retard the flow of runoff along the toe of the TSF and prevent accumulations of water which may result in erosion damage or overtopping of the system. A series of drain inlets will also be located in the toe paddocks into which accumulations of water in the toe paddocks will decant and flow via a buried pipe to the stormwater control dam.

Silt traps It is proposed that excess slurry water and storm water runoff be removed from the Sedibelo TSF directly back to the plant water supply dam by means of a barge mounted pump and return water pipeline. This is intended to eliminate the need for a lined return water dam and associated silt traps normally associated with a penstock decant.

Water recovery It is expected that approximately 6% of the slurry water pumped to the TSF would be released on deposition and should be available for return to the plant. This translates to 94Ml/month which would have to be pumped to the plant at a rate of 3.125Ml/d (36l/s), assuming pumping takes place continuously. Additional decant and pumping capacity will be installed to enable the removal of storm water runoff from the facility over a period of between 3 and 7 days.

Return water dams No return water dam will be established and water decanted from the TSF will be returned directly to the mineral processing facility.

Access and access control The access road will comprise a 2,2km-long, 4m-wide gravel road. Measures in order to control access to the site and to ensure the safety of those that may inadvertently enter the area of the facility include:

• a six strand barbed wire fence to the perimeter of the TSF; • a six strand barbed wire fence to the perimeter of the storm water control

dam; and • warning signage to the perimeter of the facility as a whole and also to the

return water infrastructure located such that a warning sign is visible from anywhere along the fences.



Page 2-50


Access to the decant barge and pumps will be via a waste rock access wall and pre-fabricated floating galvanised steel walkway and pump platform.

Dust Control

Most of the dust is expected to be generated from the side slopes and perimeter crest of the tailings dam. Dust emissions from the basin of the tailings dam will be suppressed due to the relatively large area comprising either wet tailings (recently deposited) or the supernatant water pool. Vehicle traffic on and around the tailings dam during operation phase is minimal, however, on-going wetting of the roads will be carried out (especially during the dry season) to reduce dust emissions and speed limits should be less than 30 km/hr. Further to this, where possible roads onto the tailings dam will be surfaced through dust suppressing chemicals or rock capping.

Monitoring Monitoring of the tailings dam will be undertaken as detailed in Section 21.

Rehabilitation and closure Rehabilitation of the tailings dam will take place concurrently with the operation of the dam. The focus of the rehabilitation and closure will be to establish sustainable landscape functionality.

2.8.2.9 Mineralised waste - DMS waste

DMS waste, generated by the mineral processing plants, will be temporary stored on a DMS stockpile

adjacent to the DMS plant before being disposed onto the waste rock dumps discussed in Section

2.8.2.10 below. It is estimated that approximately 40 000 tonnes of DMS waste will be produced per

month.

2.8.2.10 Mineralised Waste - Waste Rock Dumps

Open pit waste rock dumps

The approved EIA/EMP made provision for a single waste rock/overburden dump. Due to the changes in

the mining plan and additional waste from the PPM open pit mining operations which will be co-disposed

with waste rock from the Sedibelo open pit , two additional waste rock dumps (3 in total) are required.

The project scope also makes provision for optimising the dimensions and configuration of the approved

facility.

The three waste rock dumps (WRDs) were designed by Epoch Resources Pty (Ltd) (Epoch) in

accordance with the requirements of the MPRDA as described in Government Notice 527 (23 April 2004)

(Epoch, 2011). The report has been included in Appendix P. More recently a more detailed design was

undertaken for WRD1 (Epoch, 2014) in support of the PPM pit extension project as waste rock from the

PPM will be disposed onto this facility.

The available waste rock storage capacity is outlined in Table 71 below. In terms of an agreement

between PPM and the IBMR, waste rock from both the Tuschenkomst and Sedibelo open pits will be

accommodated on the either the Sedibelo or PPM waste rock dumps. Some of the waste from the waste

rock storage facilities will be utilised for backfilling of the Sedibelo open pit, with waste rock to be returned



Page 2-51

to the pit in order to complete the approve rehabilitation. The combined residual storage capacity is

therefore expected to be in the region of 100 million m3.

Provision is made for a TSF embankment on the western boundary, which will be constructed utilising

PPM waste rock material. The embankment will comprise of 48.4 million m3 (90 million tonnes) waste

rock within a footprint area of 144.5 ha.

TABLE 71: AVAILABLE WASTE ROCK DISPOSAL CAPACITY (EXCLUDING SHAFT WRDS) (EPOCH, 2011)

WASTE ROCK DEPOSIT STORAGE VOLUME

[million m3]

STORAGE

CAPACITY [million tonnes]

BASE AREA [ha]

Waste Rock Dump 1 (PPM portion) 22.9 140 140

Waste Rock Dump 1. (Sedibelo portion) 47.1 Waste Rock Dump 2 38.1 69 113 Waste Rock Dump 3 50.4 91 145 TSF embankment PPM waste rock 48.4 90 144.5 Total Storage Capacity 206.9 390 542.5 Total storage capacity available to Sedibelo waste rock 135.6 - -

Details on the design features of the facilities are provided in Table 72.

TABLE 72: OPEN PIT WASTE ROCK DUMPS (EPOCH, 2011) FEATURE DETAILS

WRD 1 WRD 2 WRD 3

Safety classification

Low hazard facilities as outlined in Table 69.

Physical dimensions

180ha in extent, 2,190m long, 1,514m wide with maximum height of 60m.

113ha in extent, 1,650m long, 872m wide with maximum height of 60m

145ha in extent, 1,950m long, 1,250m wide with maximum height of 60m.

Waste Materials – source and tonnages

These WRDs (excluding the TSF embankment) are planned to have a combined storage capacity of approximately 158.5 million m3 of waste rock. Waste will be delivered to the dump by the 100 – 200 ton trucks from the mining fleet and will be spread and shaped as necessary by large tracked dozers.

Typical characteristics

In-situ dry density of the waste material deposited to the dumps would be approximately 1.81t/m3 Specific gravity : 2.9 Void ratio: 0.6 for the waste. Size distribution of the waste material is expected to vary between gravel sized particles and boulders of up to 2m3 in size.



Page 2-52

FEATURE DETAILS

WRD 1 WRD 2 WRD 3

Safety classification

Low hazard facilities as outlined in Table 69.

Chemical characteristics

The results of the ABA testing on waste rock samples sourced from PPM indicated that the materials have a low to medium Acid Potential (AP) and medium Neutralising Potential (NP). Based on the review of sulphur species concentrations, carbonate values, the acid and neutralising potentials, the net NP and the NP/AP ratio, the samples were classified as having a medium neutralising potential. It is considered unlikely that acid generation will occur at sulphide concentrations lower than 0.3%. The results of the ARLP test showed that Cu (all samples) and Mn were the only contaminants generated at levels above the DWAF ARL limits. Elevated nitrate levels are also commonly associated with runoff from waste rock dumps due to the use of explosives in the mining operations.

Access and access control

Access to the perimeter of the waste dumped will be via a roadway constructed to the crest of the toe paddock wall.

Configuration and basic design

The waste dumps have been configured to enable their on-going rehabilitation and the control of surface water runoff. The proposed configuration of the waste dumps may be summarised as follows:

• The dumps are expected to be constructed in 15m high lifts to a maximum elevation of 60m above datum

• The side slopes of the dumps will be constructed to slopes of 1V:3H to enable the placement of topsoil and establishment of vegetation

• At each lift the crest of the dumps will be stepped in to allow for the creation of an 18m wide storm water control bench graded to drain towards the body of the waste dump

• A 1m high levelled wall will be constructed to the edge of the storm water control bench to collect surface water runoff from the slope above. The wall is expected to comprise a 1m high berm with an inside slope of 1V:5H placed, levelled and compacted during the placement of waste rock to serve also as a safety berm for traffic on the dump

• On commencement of the next lift of the dump the storm water control bench will be subdivided into paddocks by secondary storm water control berms to prevent the concentration of runoff at low points on the bench.

• Benches will be top soiled and vegetated to enhance evapotranspiration. Infiltration of runoff into the dump will be encouraged by loosening the surface of the waste on the bench prior to the placement of soil

Delineation A toe wall is expected to be constructed to the specified position of the outer toe of the waste dumps to ensure that the deposition of rock does not encroach on the areas surrounding the dumps, thereby impacting on the surface water management systems and potentially the proposed method of closure.

Soil stripping Utilisable soil within the footprint areas will be stripped in line with the soil management procedure (see Table 79 ). Stripping and stockpiling of topsoil will be done as part of the initial construction works. Topsoil stripped from the waste dump footprint will be stockpiled immediately to the outside of the toe paddock and access roadway.

Liner In-situ black turf liner Seepage control The control of seepage from the toe of the waste dump as well as runoff from the slopes of

the first lift will be achieved by the construction of a series of toe paddocks and secondary toe paddock cross walls to the perimeter of the waste dump footprint

Storm water control dams

Storm water control dams have been placed at the low points on the perimeter of the waste rock dumps to collect excess water decanting from the toe paddock collection system.

Shaft waste rock dumps

The final capacity of the waste rock dump (WRD) associated with the central decline will be 3.5 million

tonnes and 5.5 million tonnes for the WRD located at the eastern shaft. Some of the waste rock material

will be used to feed a crushing plant that will supply an unknown quantity of aggregate to various

operations during the life of the mine. The underground WRD will be fed by a conveyor and stacker, so



Page 2-53

side slopes will be at the angle of repose of the waste rock (38º) in a single lift. Drainage will be

incorporated into the overall site water management system. The final height of the underground WRD is

expected to be of the order of 30m. On closure the slopes of the WRD will be dozed down to a slope of

1:3 and the dump will then be capped with topsoil and vegetated.

2.8.2.11 Stormwater water management and control

The approved EIA/EMP made provision for the construction of the following stormwater management

infrastructure:

• clean stormwater diversion channels;

• TSF return water dam;

• stormwater control dam at the WRD;

• stormwater control dam at the decline shaft area;

• dirty water control dam for the plant and shaft area and

• pit settling dam at the open pit.

Due to the changes in the mine layout and the addition of infrastructure, the stormwater management

plan (SWMP) has been updated for the project. This updated SWMP and the associated conceptual

designs were developed by SLR.

The aim of this SWMP is to fulfil the requirements of Regulation 704, 4 June 1998 (hereafter referred to

as R704), promulgated in terms of the National Water Act, 36 of 1998 (NWA) which deals with the

separation of clean and dirty water.

Clean and dirty areas have been delineated and will be separated by the construction of clean and dirty

water diversion infrastructure, as well as dirty water containment facilities. Information on the conceptual

design is summarised below. The specific hydraulic design standards, methodologies, assumptions and

input parameters for each measure proposed are outlined in more detail in the Stormwater Management

Plan Report in Appendix G. These designs will however be revised during the detailed design phase as

required.

Clean water diversion

The stormwater diversion channels and catchment areas are presented in Figure 25. Clean water

diversion channels / berms have been designed to divert clean water around dirty water generating areas

(i.e. intercepting clean water runoff and diverting this water around mining activities). These diversions

are required to be sized so as to not spill more than once in 50 years in terms of R704. Near a

watercourse (perennial or non-perennial), flow diversion berms and channels have been designed to

convey the 1:100 year flow event.



Page 2-54

FIGURE 25: CONCEPTUAL STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE PROPOSED PROJECT



Page 2-55

Dirty water containment

Dirty water containment systems have been designed to ensure dirty water generated on the site is

contained. These systems will also contain a channel component. These systems are required to be

sized so as not to spill more than once in 50 years in terms of R704.

Dirty areas will be reduced to a minimum to reduce the quantity of dirty water that has to be collected and

handled in the process water circuit. In this regard, in all areas where there is storage/handling of

hazardous substances (fuel, lubricants, chemicals), there will be containment of spillages on

impermeable floors, bund walls, and collection sumps with traps that can contain 110% of the volume of

the hazardous substances.

The conceptual dirty water containment system is presented in Figure 25 and the key features include:

• stormwater from dirty water catchments will be conveyed to one of six suitably sized containment

dams at the site;

• dirty stormwater from the containment dams will pumped out of the dams and re-used by

operations at the site; and

• stormwater from the topsoil stockpiles will be passed through a settlement dam to allow removal

of suspended solids thereafter stormwater will be treated as clean and discharged to the natural

environment.

The dirty water containment dams (refer to Figure 25) and recommended preliminary volume

requirements as calculated by SLR (2013) are outlined in the table below.

TABLE 73: CONTAINMENT DAMS - VOLUME REQUIREMENTS (SLR, 2013)

STORMWATER DAM

STORM CONTAINMENT

REQUIRED

(m3) EVENT

RAINFALL

(mm) RUNOFF

(m3)

SWCD 1 – WRD 1 (west) 1:50yr 24hr 151 79 110 150 539

SWCD 2 – TSF and WRD 2 1:50yr 24hr 151 442 095 868 540

SWCD 3 – WRD 1 (east) and WRD 3 1:50yr 24hr 151 273 508 536 493

SWCD 4 – Sedibelo pit 1:50yr 24hr 151 137 620 261 204

SWCD 5 – Central Shaft complex 1:50yr 24hr 151 72 962 137 971

SWCD 6 – Processing plant and Eastern Shaft complex 1:50yr 24hr 151 114 191 213 674

Topsoil Settlement Dam (east) 1:10yr 24hr 111 5 221 5 221

Topsoil Settlement Dam (north) 1:10yr 24hr 111 2 081 2 081

Topsoil Settlement Dam (south) 1:10yr 24hr 111 4 947 4 947



Page 2-56

2.8.2.12 Water balance

In the approved EIA/EMP the demand for water from the Magalies Water Board ranged from

8 800 m3/day during dry conditions to 3 400 m3/day during wet conditions, with an average demand of

6 000 m3/day.

Due to the changes in the mining plan and the addition of infrastructure, the water balance for the mine

has been updated by AGES as part of an individual and integrated water balances study undertaken for

PPM (AGES, 2012) to produce average daily water balances. Relevant sections of this report are

included in Appendix R. The Sedibelo mine make up water requirements were calculated (AGES, 2012)

for the duration of the open pit operations as well as for the maximum underground production

requirements. Both these scenarios are detailed individually below.

Open pit water balance

The conceptual water balance for the maximum open pit production rate is outlined in Table 74 below.

TABLE 74: OPEN PIT CONCEPTUAL WATER BALANCE (AGES, 2013) DESCRIPTION COMPONENT QUANTITY

SUM

MA

RY

Mine make up water requirement (m3/ton milled) 0.74 Mine make up water requirement (m3/d) 3,720 Mine make up water requirement in megalitre per day 3.72 Water consumed in mining process (m3/d) 100 Water in product (m3/d) 17 Water consumption in process plant and tailings dam circuit (m3/d) 3,396 Waste rock from mining (% of production) 95% Water balance error factor (%) 10%

MIN

ING

Mine production - Run of Mine (t/month) 3,000,000 Mine production - ore (t/month) 150,000 Mine production - waste (t/month) 2,850,000 Mine make-up water use (m3/ton waste + ore) 0.001 Mine make-up water use (m3/d) 100 Water in ore and waste rock 15% Water in ore (m3/d) 750 Water in waste rock (m3/d) 14,250 Storm and rainwater into mine shaft - 1:50 year storm event (not for water supply) (m3/d)

0

Fissure Water – assumed no flow into mine workings (m3/d) 0

PLA

NT

Process plant feed rate (t/month) 150,000 Component of ore in plant feed (%) 5% Process water consumption (m3/ton) 0.1 Process water consumption (m3/d) 500 Water from ore mined as plant feed (m3/d) 750 Product feed (ton/d) 250 Waste tailings feed (ton/d) 4,750 Water in product out (%) 15% Water in product out (m3/d) 17

TAIL

ING

S D

ISPO

SAL

FAC

ILIT

Y Tailings post crush density (ton/m3) 2.27 Slurry density (ton/m3) 1.57 Slurry water use (total water m3/ton) 0.69



Page 2-57

DESCRIPTION COMPONENT QUANTITY

Water loss in tailings circuit % 60% Evaporation 35% Interstitial water lock up 15% Seepage 10% Water in slurry from plant to tailings dam (m3/d) 4,827 Return water to plant (m3/d) 1,931 Tailings circuit water consumption (m3/d) 2,896 Tailings circuit water consumption (m3/ton) 0.58 Storm water on tailings (m3/d) 413

WASTE ROCK Water in waste rock (m3/d) 14,250 Rainwater on waste rock from rain events (m3/d) 1,868

CHANGE HOUSES AND OFFICES

No of people 500 Water use L/person/day 150 Mine potable/drinking water requirement (L/person/day) 3 Change house potable water component L/person/day 150 Total potable water use (m3/d) 76 Total drinking water use (m3/d) 1.3 Sewage water discharge - re-used in process circuit (m3/d) 69

OTHER Water used for dust suppression (m3/d) 200 Underground operations water balance – maximum requirements

The conceptual water balance for the maximum underground production rate is outlined in Table 75

below. The maximum mine make-up water requirement is based on an average of 0.94m3/tonne milled

for an average production rate of 300 000 tonnes/month. The total mine make-up water requirement

volume is 9 381 m3/day of which 2 105 m3/day will be consumed in the mining process.

The potable water requirement was based on a work force of 5 000 people, which equated to

763 m3/day at 150 ℓ/person/day with 686 m3/day flowing to the STP which can be reused in the

processing circuit. No fissure water was included in the calculations.

TABLE 75: CONCEPTUAL WATER BALANCE FOR UNDERGROUND OPERATIONS (MAXIMUM PRODUCTION) (AGES, 2013)


SUM

MA

RY

Mine make up water requirement (m3/ton milled) 0.94 Mine make up water requirement (m3/d) 9,381 Mine make up water requirement in megalitre per day 9.381 Water consumed in mining process (m3/d) 2,105 Water in product (m3/d) 0 Water consumption in process plant and tailings dam circuit (m3/d) 7,000 Waste rock from mining (% of production) 5% Water balance error factor (%) 10%

MIN

ING

Mine production - Run of Mine (t/month) 315,789 Mine production - ore (t/month) 300,000 Mine production - waste (t/month) 15,789 Mine make-up water use (m3/ton waste + ore) 0.20 Mine make-up water use (m3/d) 2,105 Water in ore and waste rock 15% Water in ore (m3/d) 1,500 Water in waste rock (m3/d) 79



Page 2-58


Storm and rainwater into mine shaft - 1:50 year storm event (not for water supply) (m3/d)

0

Fissure Water into mine workings (m3/d) (assumption used in water balance)

0

PLA

NT

Process plant feed rate (t/month) 300,000 Component of ore in plant feed (%) 0% Process water consumption (m3/ton) 0.1 Process water consumption (m3/d) 1,000 Water from ore mined as plant feed (m3/d) 1,500 Product feed (ton/d) 0 Waste tailings feed (ton/d) 10,000 Water in product out (%) 0% Water in product out (m3/d) 0

TAIL

ING

S D

ISPO

SAL

FAC

ILIT

Y

Tailings post crush density (ton/m3) 1.6 Slurry density (ton/m3) 1.2 Slurry water use (total water m3/ton) 0.75 Water loss in tailings circuit % 60% Evaporation 35% Interstitial water lock up 15% Seepage 10% Water in slurry from plant to tailings dam (m3/d) 10,000 Return water to plant (m3/d) 4,000 Tailings circuit water consumption (m3/d) 6,000 Tailings circuit water consumption (m3/ton) 0.60 Storm water on tailings (m3/d) 413

WASTE ROCK Water in waste rock (m3/d) 79 Rainwater on waste rock from rain events (m3/d) 1,868

CHANGE HOUSES AND OFFICES

No of people 5,000 Water use litre/person/day 150 Mine potable/drinking water requirement (L/person/day) 3 Change house potable water component L/person/day 150 Total potable water use (m3/d) 763 Total drinking water use (m3/d) 12.5 Sewage water discharge - re-used in process circuit (m3/d) 686

OTHER Water used for dust suppression (m3/d) 200

2.8.3 DECOMMISSIONING AND CLOSURE

Generally speaking, the decommissioning phase will include the removal of infrastructure from site and

the final rehabilitation of areas where it is required. The broad closure objective is to re-establish the pre-

mining land capability to all areas except the TSF and some of the waste rock dumps which will remain in

perpetuity. No final voids are anticipated as the open pit will be backfilled concurrently with waste rock

and the shafts will be sealed with specifically engineered plugs.

On the basis of current information, two possible end land uses have been identified:

• the most likely scenario is that the land will be returned, where possible, to pre-mining land use

(i.e. agricultural and residential use); and

• an alternative scenario is that the land may form part of the proposed future Heritage Park

Corridor (HPC) concept.



Page 2-59

In the approved EIA/EMP report (KP, 2007), Sedibelo committed to a post-mining land use suitable for

wilderness which will form part of the HPC alignment proposed by the NWPTB, linking Pilanesberg to

Madikwa National Park, which required the that the site be restored to its pre-mining state as far as

practicably possible. This may however not be an achievable objective based on the fact that with the

HPC alignment proposed by the NWPTB (Figure 2), the corridor which will allow the movement of

dangerous game will be obstructed by the TSF and WRD approved in the 2007 EIA/EMP.

Due to its mining activities, PPM, the neighbouring mining operation, approached the NWPTB in 2007 to

propose an alternative route (Figure 2) for the dangerous game or “Big Five” corridor. The alternative

alignment redirects the “Big Five” corridor along the western boundary of the farm Witkleifontein 136 JQ,

after which it joins up with the original alignment north of the Sedibelo mining area. With this alignment

proposed by PPM, none of the Sedibelo properties will be incorporated into the dangerous game corridor

and all of the mine infrastructure will be located within an isolated non-dangerous game area.

Therefore, taking the PPM proposed HPC alignment into consideration, the most likely scenario is that

the land for the Sedibelo operations will be returned, where possible, to pre-mining land use (i.e.

agricultural and residential use).

During the operational phase, Sedibelo will undertake:

• concurrent rehabilitation of areas no longer required for mining activities, including the open pit,

with a particular focus on establishing indigenous vegetation cover;

• to develop the rehabilitation and closure plan in close partnership with relevant specialists,

NWPTB, MKLM, BBKTA and surrounding communities to ensure that impacts on the end land

use and the proposed future land use are minimised as far as possible; and

• engage with the NWPTB regarding the HPC concept and the proposed alternative alignment.

As is required by the relevant mining legislation (Act, 28 of 2002 and Regulation 527), a detailed closure

plan will be submitted to the DMR prior to decommissioning and closure. This process will also involve

other regulatory authorities and IAPs in a similar fashion to the involvement of people during the EIA

process. The detailed closure plan will determine specific closure strategies and action plans taking

regulatory, environmental, social, economic and sustainable development principles into account. A

critical commitment in this regard is that within the first three years of operation, the mine must establish

numerical key performance indicators to measure achievement of the closure land use objectives. These

indicators will drive ongoing rehabilitation and end closure initiatives.



Page 2-60

2.9 PROJECT ALTERNATIVES

2.9.1 INFRASTRUCTURE LAYOUT ALTERNATIVES

During the 2007 EIA process, alternative site locations were considered for key project infrastructure

including the tailings storage facility, waste rock dump and processing plant. With the proposed changes

to surface infrastructure catered for in this report, the identified preferred location for each of these

facilities was retained with the addition of two waste rock dumps. The layout and/or configuration of

these facilities within the mine boundary have been optimised for the mine. As a result no further

alternative site locations were considered for this project.

The location of the increased footprint of the open pit and the additional shaft is fixed due to geological

constraints and as such no alternative sites have been considered.

2.9.2 FUTURE GENERAL WASTE DISPOSAL OPTION

The most feasible option at this stage is for general waste and hazardous waste to be transported by an

authorised contractor for off-site disposal at licenced waste facilities. Sedibelo is however in the process

of evaluating the feasibility of establishing a general and hazardous waste facility on site which could

potentially accommodate waste from the following sources:

• PPM operation;

• Sedibelo operations;

• Magazynskraal operation;

• accommodation camp at Sedibelo, and

• housing development on site.

Should this option be deemed feasible in the future, the necessary environmental authorisations will be

applied for.

2.9.3 THE “NO PROJECT” OPTION

The assessment of this option requires a comparison between the options of proceeding with the project

with that of not proceeding with the project. It should be noted that this is an approved mining operation,

which is in its initial stages of development. Should this proposed project changes not go ahead, the

project will be able to realised in line with the approved EIA/EMP (KP, 2007), which will result in positive

socio-economic benefits. However, minerals will not be extracted in line the most economically feasible

alternative.



Page 3-1

3. POTENTIAL IMPACTS

3.1 LIST OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS

This section provides a list of potential impacts on environmental aspects (excluding social and

cultural aspects – see Section 6) separately in respect of each of the main project actions / activities

and processes. The potential impacts are presented for each of the project phases in tabular format

(Table 76).

TABLE 76: LIST OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS AS THEY RELATE TO PROJECT ACTIONS / ACTIVITIES / PROCESSES (EXCLUDING SOCIAL AND CULTURAL)

ACTIVITY PHASE IMPACTS (UNMITIGATED)

Site preparation Bush clearing, removal of infrastructure, establishing construction area

Construction Operation Decommissioning

Loss and sterilisation of mineral resources Physical destruction of biodiversity General disturbance of biodiversity Loss of water resources as ecological driver Air pollution Disturbing noise Visual impacts

Earthworks (for all infrastructure)


Loss and sterilisation of mineral resources Hazardous structures/excavations/surface subsidence Loss of soil resources and land capability through pollution Loss of soil resources and land capability through physical disturbance Physical destruction of biodiversity General disturbance of biodiversity Loss of water resources as ecological driver Pollution of surface water resources Alteration of natural drainage patterns Contamination of groundwater Air pollution Disturbing noise Blasting damage Visual impacts

Civil works Building activities, erection of structures, concrete work, steel work, electrical installation, establishing pipelines


Loss and sterilisation of mineral reserves Hazardous structures/excavations/surface subsidence Loss of soil resources and land capability through pollution Loss of soil resources and land capability through physical Physical destruction of biodiversity General disturbance of biodiversity Loss of water resources as ecological driver Pollution of surface water resources Alteration of natural drainage patterns Contamination of groundwater Air pollution Disturbing noise Visual impacts Blasting damage

Open pit mining Construction Operation Decommissioning

Loss and sterilisation of mineral resources Hazardous structures/excavations/surface subsidence Loss of soil resources and land capability through pollution Loss of soil resources and land capability through physical disturbance Physical destruction of biodiversity General disturbance of biodiversity



Page 3-2


Loss of water resources as ecological driver Pollution of surface water resources Alteration of natural drainage patterns Contamination of groundwater Decrease in water availability/levels Air pollution Disturbing noise Blasting damage Visual impacts

Underground mining Drilling, blasting, load, hauling, dewatering, ventilation


Loss and sterilisation of mineral resources Hazardous structures/excavations/surface subsidence Loss of soil resources and land capability Pollution of surface water resources Contamination of groundwater Decrease in water availability/levels Air pollution Dewatering impacts Blasting damage

Mineral processing Mineral processing plant


Loss and sterilisation of mineral resources Hazardous structures/excavations/surface subsidence Loss of soil resources and land capability through pollution Physical destruction of biodiversity General disturbance of biodiversity Loss of water resources as ecological driver Pollution of surface water resources Alteration of natural drainage patterns Contamination of groundwater Air pollution Disturbing noise Visual impacts

Tailings storage facility and waste rock dumps

Operation Decommissioning Closure

Loss and sterilisation of mineral resources Hazardous structures/excavations/surface subsidence Loss of soil resources and land capability through pollution Loss of soil resources and land capability through physical disturbance Physical destruction of biodiversity General disturbance of biodiversity Loss of water resources as ecological driver Pollution of surface water resources Alteration of natural drainage patterns Contamination of groundwater Air pollution Visual impacts

Power supply and use Distribution on site


Hazardous structures/excavations/surface subsidence Loss of soil resources and land capability through pollution Physical destruction of biodiversity General disturbance of biodiversity Pollution of surface water resources Alteration of natural drainage patterns Contamination of groundwater Visual impacts

Water supply and use Construction Operation Decommissioning

Hazardous structures/excavations/surface subsidence Loss of soil resources and land capability through pollution Physical destruction of biodiversity General disturbance of biodiversity Loss of water resources as ecological driver Pollution of surface water resources Alteration of natural drainage patterns Contamination of groundwater



Page 3-3


Air pollution Visual impacts

Transport systems Construction Operation Decommissioning

Hazardous structures/excavations/surface subsidence Loss of soil resources and land capability through pollution Loss of soil resources and land capability through physical disturbance Physical destruction of biodiversity General disturbance of biodiversity Loss of water resources as ecological driver Pollution of surface water resources Alteration of natural drainage patterns Contamination of groundwater Disturbing noise Traffic impacts Visual impacts

Non-mineralised waste management (general and industrial hazardous)

Construction Operation Decommissioning Closure (limited)

Loss of soil resources and land capability through pollution Loss of soil resources and land capability through physical disturbance Physical destruction of biodiversity General disturbance of biodiversity Loss of water resources as ecological driver Pollution of surface water resources Alteration of natural drainage patterns Contamination of groundwater Air pollution Visual impacts

General site management

Construction Operation Decommissioning Closure

Loss of soil resources and land capability through pollution Loss of soil resources and land capability through physical disturbance Physical destruction of biodiversity General disturbance of biodiversity Loss of water resources as ecological driver Pollution of surface water resources Alteration of natural drainage patterns Contamination of groundwater Visual impacts

Other support services and amenities


Loss of soil resources and land capability through pollution Loss of soil resources and land capability through physical disturbance Physical destruction of biodiversity General disturbance of biodiversity Loss of water resources as ecological driver Pollution of surface water resources Alteration of natural drainage patterns Contamination of groundwater Air pollution Visual impacts



Page 3-4


Demolition Construction Decommissioning

Hazardous structures/excavations/surface subsidence Loss of soil resources and land capability through pollution Loss of soil resources and land capability through physical disturbance Physical destruction of biodiversity General disturbance of biodiversity Pollution of surface water resources Loss of water resources as ecological driver Alteration of natural drainage patterns Air pollution Disturbing noise Blasting damage Visual impacts

Rehabilitation Construction Operation Decommissioning

Hazardous structures/excavations/surface subsidence Loss of soil resources and land capability through pollution Loss of soil resources and land capability through physical disturbance Physical destruction of biodiversity General disturbance of biodiversity Loss of water resources as ecological driver Pollution of surface water resources Alteration of natural drainage patterns Contamination of groundwater Air pollution Disturbing noise Visual impacts

Maintenance and aftercare

Closure Loss and sterilisation of mineral resources Hazardous structures/excavations/surface subsidence Loss of soil resources and land capability through pollution Loss of soil resources and land capability through physical disturbance Physical destruction of biodiversity General disturbance of biodiversity Loss of water resources as ecological driver Pollution of surface water resources Alteration of natural drainage patterns Contamination of groundwater Air pollution Visual impacts

3.2 LIST OF POTENTIAL CUMULATIVE IMPACTS

As outlined in the introduction to this report, the IBMR, Richtrau, PPM are planning to establish three

separate projects which could operate as one mine in the future. In addition, there are a number of

other proposed mining operations in close proximity to the Sedibelo Mine, the details of which are

either unknown or conceptual at this time. Further discussion on the potential cumulative impacts is

provided in Section 7.6. A summary list of potential cumulative environmental impacts is provided

below:

• Loss and sterilisation of mineral resources;

• hazardous structures/excavations/surface subsidence;

• loss of soil resources and land capability through physical disturbance;

• loss of soil resources and land capability through pollution;



Page 3-5

• physical destruction of biodiversity;

• loss of water resources as an ecological driver;

• general disturbance of biodiversity;

• pollution of surface water resources;

• alteration of natural drainage patterns;

• reduction in groundwater levels;

• contamination of groundwater;

• air pollution;

• disturbing ambient noise;

• negative landscape and visual impacts;

• disturbance of heritage (including cultural) resources;

• blasting damage;

• impacts on road capacity and accessibility;

• road safety;

• economic impacts;

• inward migration;

• displacement of people; and

• land-use impacts.

3.3 POTENTIAL FOR ACID MINE DRAINAGE OR GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION

Detailed information on these issues is provided in Section 1.1.1. In summary, geochemical tests and

analysis indicate that the tailings storage facility and waste rock/overburden stockpiles are non-acid

generating, but that there is potential for elevated parameters to leach/seep from the tailings and

waste rock facilities. This presents a pollution risk for both surface and groundwater in both the short

and long term.



Page 4-1

4. ALTERNATIVE LAND USE OR DEVELOPMENT

4.1 DESCRIPTION OF ALTERNATIVE LAND USE OF THE AREA







mining land uses.

4.2 MAIN FEATURES AND INFRASTRUCTURE RELATED TO ALTERNATIVE LAND USE / DEVELOPMENT

Again, it should be highlighted that the proposed development was approved in 2008. Therefore, the

potential features and infrastructure that could have been associated with alternative land

use/development should the mine not have been approved, are listed below.

FEATURE / INFRASTRUCTURE

DESCRIPTION

Livestock/game farming

Introducing additional/new livestock/game to the farms Establishing watering holes

Roads and game fences

Gravel roads providing access to cultivated lands Gravel/tarred roads (and game fences) providing tourist access within the HPC

Agriculture Preparing and working agricultural fields Abstraction of groundwater from boreholes and surface water from farm dams

Tourism Establishing tourism facilities i.e. accommodation Establishing support infrastructure to service tourist facilities such as power lines and telecommunication structures as well as pipelines for the bulk transportation of water, sewage etc.

4.3 PLAN SHOWING LOCATION AND EXTENT OF ALTERNATIVE LAND USE / DEVELOPMENT

Alternative land use or development in the area is indicated in Figure 17. These land uses should be

viewed in context of Sedibelo being an approved and developing mine. Note that it is not possible to

include the location and extent of all future alternative land use / developments at this stage as this would

depend on the individual landowner’s preferences and financial situation.



Page 5-1

5. POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF ALTERNATIVE LAND USE OR DEVELOPMENT -

5.1 LIST OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS

Even though the project site was approved for mining and related activities in 2008 and are in the initial

stages of development, potential impacts, expected to occur as a result of the alternative land

use / development should the mine not have been approved and described in Section 8 above, are listed

below:

FEATURE / INFRASTRUCTURE POTENTIAL IMPACTS Livestock/game farming Increased pressure on veld resources

Loss of soils through incorrect management Increased income and associated socio-economic benefits Increased pressure on water resources

Roads Dust generation Water supply Increased pressure on water resources Agriculture Alteration of natural drainage patterns

Surface and/or groundwater pollution through the use of fertilisers Dust generation from exposed areas Increased income and associated socio-economic benefits

Tourism (proposed Heritage Park Corridor, including potential camps and lodges)

Increased pressure on water resources Increased pressure on services such as sewage Increased income and associated socio-economic benefits

5.2 LIST OF POTENTIAL CUMULATIVE IMPACTS

Potential cumulative impacts associated with the alternative land use, when compared to land use on site

should the mine not have been approved and land use in the surrounding area, are expected to include:

• increased pressure on water resources and related sewage service provision;

• increased pressure on veld resources for grazing purposes; and

• increased income and positive socio-economic benefits.



Page 6-1

6. POTENTIAL SOCIAL AND CULTURAL IMPACTS

6.1 LIST OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS OF THIRD PARTY LAND USE ACTIVITIES

Potential impacts on the socio-economic conditions of other parties land use activities both on site and in

the surrounding area are discussed in detail in Section 7 and listed below.

• loss of current land uses (including a loss of revenue and loss of jobs) through impacts on the

bio-physical environment;

• dust;

• blasting hazards;

• noise;

• visual;

• project-related road use and traffic impacts;

• economic impacts (positive and negative); and

• social impacts (positive and negative).

6.2 CULTURAL ASPECTS AND POTENTIAL IMPACTS THEREON

Cultural aspects are discussed as part of heritage discussion below.

6.3 HERITAGE FEATURES AND POTENTIAL IMPACTS THEREON

6.3.1 HERITAGE (AND CULTURAL) FEATURES

With reference to Section 1.3.4, limited heritage or cultural resources were identified within the study

areas. Scatters of stone tools and potsherds as well as the foundations of an early pioneer (colonial)

dwelling all with low archaeological significance were identified on site. In addition, remains dating from

the recent past have also been identified although these have no historical or cultural significance.

The impact on heritage resources is restricted to the loss of resources classified as having a low

archaeological significance.

6.3.2 PALEONTOLOGICAL FEATURES

Given the geology, being the Bushveld igneous complex (see Section 1.3.4) there is no potential for

paleontological resources to occur, therefore no impacts are expected to occur.



Page 6-2

6.4 QUANTIFICATION OF IMPACT ON SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS

Refer to Section 7.3.21 for the impact associated with the loss of land per hectare as well as the

expected contribution to the provincial and national economy by the mine (including project changes).

Refer to Appendix O for the relevant specialist study undertaken.



Page 7-1

7. ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS

This EIA and EMP report has been compiled with the primary purpose of incorporating the changes to

the Sedibelo Platinum Mine operations. It should however be noted that the potential impacts, as

listed in Section 7.2, were not investigated and assessed as incremental impacts for only the

proposed changes. The anticipated impacts have been assessed from a cumulative on-site

perspective, even though some of the activities which are being assessed have been approved as

part of the original approved EIA/EMP (KP, 2007). A summary of the potential impacts identified and

assessed as part of the approved EIA/EMP is briefly discussed in Section 7.1 below for background

and completeness. The assessment as provided by SLR in this report replaces the assessment

previously conducted.

7.1 SUMMARY OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS IDENTIFIED IN APPROVED EIA/EMP REPORT

The following section is a short summary of the environmental impact assessment section included in

the approved EIA/EMP report (KP, 2007) for the infrastructure as indicated in Figure 3.

7.1.1 ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY

In the approved EIA/EMP report, the significance of an environmental impact was determined by the

product of consequence and probability, where the consequence of an impact was derived from the

following factors:

• severity / magnitude;

• reversibility;

• duration of impact ; and

• spatial extent.

The severity of an impact related to the magnitude of the impact. The reversibility of the impact

referred to the ability of the site to recover after an impact has occurred or after conditions causing the

impact has ceased. Duration was defined by how long the impact may be prevalent and spatial

extent was the physical area that could be affected by an impact. The severity, duration and spatial

extent were ranked using the specified criteria and the overall consequence was determined by

adding the individual scores. The overall probability of the impact was then determined and related to

the likelihood of such an impact occurring.

7.1.2 SUMMARY OF IDENTIFIED IMPACTS WITH A HIGH SIGNIFICANCE

Table 77 summarises the key findings of the impact assessment and highlights the most significant

positive and negative impacts (HIGH significance) identified and assessed in the approved EIA/EMP

which was in accordance with the requirements of Section 32 of the EIA Regulations promulgated in

April 2006.



Page 7-2

TABLE 77: SUMMARY OF IMPACT RATED AS HAVING “HIGH” OVERALL POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE SIGNIFICANCE (KP, 2007)

PHASE HIGH SIGNIFICANCE BEFORE MITIGATION

HIGH SIGNIFICANCE RESIDUAL IMPACTS (AFTER MITIGATION)

Pre-construction Phase (site establishment)

• Fragmentation and destruction of fauna and flora habitat

• Loss of agricultural land (Removal of farmers on the farm Wilgespruit).

None.

Construction Phase: • Disturbance of geology • Soil compaction and erosion for the TSF

area • Loss of natural and sensitive vegetation

types/habitats and native fauna • Loss of fauna and flora species of

conservation importance • Potential for bribery and corruption • Increase in informal settlements • Increase in social tensions due to influx

of people seeking employment

• Disturbance of geology • Soil compaction and erosion for

the TSF area

Operational Phase: • Disturbance of geology • Loss of fauna and flora species of

conservation importance • Economic impacts of skills transfer

(positive) • Water provision to local communities by

Water Services Provider, facilitated by the mine (positive)

• Increase in HIV/AIDS • Potential for bribery and corruption • Increased pressure on health

services/facilities • Increase in social tensions due to influx

of people • Increase in tensions within the traditional

authority • Increased pressure on transport

infrastructure • Increase in informal settlements

• Disturbance of geology • Economic impacts of skills transfer

(positive) • Economic impacts of skills transfer

(positive) • Water provision to local

communities by Water Services Provider, facilitated by the mine (positive)

• Economic development (positive) • Economic impact of job creation

(positive) • Social impact of increase in

employment (positive) • Increase in supplier opportunities

to the mine (positive) • Social impacts of increase

(positive) in skills in the local area • Increase in school enrolment

(positive) • Strengthening of social institutions

in the local communities (positive) • Strengthening of the influence of

BBK (positive) Closure Phase:

• Disturbance of geology • Soil compaction • Change in land use to wilderness after

rehabilitation as part of the planned heritage corridor which will link the Pilanesberg to Madikwa National Park (positive impact)

• Economic impact of retrenchment • Reduction in institutional capacity to

manage social infrastructure

• Disturbance of geology • Change in land use to wilderness

after rehabilitation as part of the planned heritage corridor which will link the Pilanesberg to Madikwa National Park (positive impact)

• Economic impact of retrenchment

Based on the assessment undertaken by Knight Piesold (2007), the negative residual HIGH impacts

listed above in Table 77 could not be mitigated to a lower level of significance. At the time it was

argued that the loss of agricultural land would be permanent as the site would be incorporated into the

conceptual Heritage Park Corridor upon closure. It was furthermore stated that soil and geology will

be permanently impacted upon by mining activities both underground and on surface and that the

impact of job losses upon closure cannot be avoided.



Page 7-3

According to the assessment by Knight Piesold, the loss of agricultural land by removing farmers from

the farm Wilgespruit 2JQ would have been reduced from a high significant impact to a low

significance with the relocation of the framers. The approved EIA/EMP committed the mine to design

and implement a Relocation Action Plan (RAP) according to international best practices, in order to

relocate the farmers from the Wilgespruit farm.

7.2 LIST OF EACH POTENTIAL IMPACT

Potential environmental impacts associated with the proposed changed Sedibelo infrastructure were

identified by SLR in consultation with IAPs, regulatory authorities, specialist consultants and the

IBMR. The impacts are discussed under issue headings in Section 7.3. All identified impacts are

considered in a cumulative manner such that the current baseline conditions on site and in the

surrounding area and those potentially associated with the project, including the infrastructure which

was approved are discussed and assessed together.

Potential impacts that have been identified include:

• loss and sterilization of mineral resources (Section 7.3.1);

• hazardous excavations/structures and surface subsidence (Section 7.3.2);

• loss of soil resources through pollution (Section 7.3.3);

• loss of soil resources and land capability through physical disturbance (Section 7.3.4;

• physical destruction of natural vegetation and animal life (Section 7.3.5);

• loss of water resources as ecological driver (Section 7.3.6);

• general disturbance of biodiversity (Section 7.3.7);

• pollution of surface water (Section 7.3.8);

• alteration of surface drainage patterns (Section 7.3.9);

• reduction of water availability/levels (Section 7.3.10);

• contamination of groundwater (Section 7.3.11);

• air pollution (Section 7.3.12);

• noise pollution (Section 7.3.13);

• visual impacts (Section 7.3.14);

• loss or disturbance of heritage, cultural and paleontological resources (Section 7.3.15);

• land use impact (Section 7.3.16);

• blasting impacts (Section 7.3.17);

• traffic impacts on road infrastructure and capacity (Section 7.3.18);

• traffic impacts on road safety (Section 7.3.19);

• employment opportunities (Section 7.3.20);

• economic impacts (Section 7.3.21);

• inward migration (Section 7.3.22); and

• relocation/displacement of people (Section 7.3.23).



Page 7-4

7.3 IMPACT RATING FOR EACH POTENTIAL IMPACT

The impact rating for each potential impact is provided in the section below. The criteria used to rate

each impact in this EIA and EMP report is outlined in Section 7.4. The potential impacts are rated

with the assumption that no mitigation measures are applied and then again with mitigation. The

mitigation presented in this section has been taken from the approved EIA/EMP and updated where

required to cater for the project changes.

An indication of the phases in which the impact could occur is provided below and summarised in

Section 7.5 together with the estimated timeframes for each rated impact.

The cumulative off-site impacts have been assessed on a qualitative basis in Section 7.6.



Page 7-5

GEOLOGY

7.3.1 ISSUE: LOSS AND STERILIZATION OF MINERAL RESOURCE

Introduction

Mineral resources can be sterilised and/or lost through the placement of infrastructure and activities in

close proximity to mineral resources, by preventing access to potential mining areas, and through the

disposal of mineral resources onto mineralised waste facilities.

Due to the narrow width of the Merensky Reef, it was decided by the project team that it is not

practical to mine this reef selectively as part of the open pit operation. This means that the Merensky

reef will be removed as bulk waste and will not form part of the mineable reserve. The open pit could

further be associated with sterilisation because of the safety requirement of leaving a barrier between

the pit and any potential underground mine.

It is unlikely that the position of the infrastructure will sterilise underlying resources as the known ore

body is located between 120 and 650m below the surface. Minerals may however be deposited on

the TSF as part of the tailings stream, although a chrome recovery plant will extract chrome resources

from the UG2 tailings stream during favourable market conditions.

Activities and infrastructure - link to mine phases

CONSTRUCTION OPERATIONAL DECOMMISSIONING CLOSURE √ √ √ √

Civil works Earth works Mineralised waste management and disposal Non-mineralised waste management

Open pit mining Underground mining Mineralised waste management and disposal Civil works

Mineralised waste management Rehabilitation Civil works

Maintenance and aftercare of final land forms and rehabilitated areas

Severity / nature

The severity of sterilising mineral resources is considered to be high because of the associated

potential economic value that is lost when sterilisation occurs.

In the unmitigated scenario, minerals can be deposited onto the tailings dam and minerals can be

sterilised through the requirement of leaving a safety barrier between open pit workings and potential

underground workings as well as for underground support and stability purposes As indicated

previously, the Merensky reef will be mined with the bulk waste during the open pit mining operations,

which will result in the sterilisation of this resource. This is however required to ensure the most

optimal and economical recovery of other available resources.



Page 7-6

In the mitigated scenario, planning and co-ordination between the mining, infrastructure and

processing decision makers can help to prevent the unacceptable and uneconomical sterilisation of

resources, without compromising safety requirements. The mitigated severity reduces to medium,

because although there will still be a loss of resource, the quantum will be reduced to that which is

necessary for an economically feasible mine. The extraction of minerals can be further optimised with

the installation of a tailings scavenging plant and a chrome recovery plant during favourable market

conditions.

Duration

If sterilisation of resources occurs it is likely that the related impact will extend beyond the life of mine

and the duration is therefore regarded as long term in the mitigated and unmitigated scenarios.

Spatial scale / extent

In the first place, the spatial extent of the physical impact is linked to the spatial extent of the mine.

This is a localised spatial extent. If one considers the economic nature of the impact, it will extend

beyond the site into the broader economy.

Consequence

The unmitigated and mitigated consequence is high.

Probability

Without mitigation the probability is high that there could be unnecessary sterilisation. With mitigation

it will be possible to maximise the economical extraction of ore from the open pit as well as the

underground mining operations. In addition, with mitigation, metallurgical processes can be optimised

to maximise the recovery of mineral resources. The recovery of chrome will also be realised from the

installation of a chrome recovery plant at the tails end of the UG2 concentrating process. With

mitigation, care will be taken to leave only those barriers that are specifically required which is a

safety reality that would face any future mining operation. The probability in the mitigated scenario is

therefore reduced to low.

Significance

The unmitigated significance is high. In the mitigated scenario the significance is medium.

Unmitigated – summary of the rated loss and sterilisation of mineral resources impact per phase of

the project

MANAGEMENT SEVERITY / NATURE

DURATION SPATIAL SCALE / EXTENT

CONSEQUENCE PROBABILITY OF OCCURRENCE

SIGNIFICANCE

Operation, decommissioning and closure Unmitigated H H M H H H



Page 7-7

Mitigated – summary of the rated loss and sterilisation of mineral resources impact per phase of the

project




SIGNIFICANCE

Operation, decommissioning and closure Mitigated M H M H L M

The unmitigated and mitigated significance ratings for the construction, operational and closure

phases as presented in the approved EIA/EMP were rated as high due to the permanence of the

impact.. No mitigation measures were considered.

Conceptual description of mitigation measures

Conceptual mitigation measures are provided below and tabulated in the EMP (Section 19).

Objective

To prevent unacceptable sterilisation of mineral resources.

Actions

Sedibelo will incorporate cross discipline planning structures associated with the development mining

and processing infrastructure to minimise mineral sterilisation and optimise mineral extraction without

compromising safety standards. This will include the recovery of chrome resources from the UG2

tailings stream before deposition onto the tailings storage facility, during favourable market conditions.

Where inefficient processing or lack of technological processes has caused minerals to be disposed

onto the mineralised waste facilities, the option of reprocessing the mineralised waste streams and

facilities will be considered and implemented where feasible and technologically possible.

Emergency situations

None identified.

TOPOGRAPHY

7.3.2 ISSUE: HAZARDOUS EXCAVATIONS AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Introduction

The mine has the potential to alter the topography through excavations and the introduction of new

infrastructure which may present safety risks to people and animals. Hazardous excavations and

infrastructure include all structures into or off which third parties and animals can fall and be harmed.

Included in this category are facilities that can fail, such as the tailings storage facility (TSF), although

the TSF is designed with waste rock outer layers to ensure that the risk of failure is kept to an

absolute minimum. Hazardous excavations and infrastructure occur in all mine phases from

construction through operation to decommissioning and closure.



Page 7-8

In the construction and decommissioning phases these hazardous excavations and infrastructure are

temporary in nature, usually existing for a few weeks to a few months. During the operational phase

hazardous excavation and structures will include the mineralised waste facilities, open pit, shafts and

processing facility. Specific structures could include scaffolding and shaft headgear, the TSF, WRDs

and water storage dams. The closure phase will present final land forms that are considered

hazardous such as the TSF and WRDs. The open pit will be backfilled and will therefore not present

a hazardous landform after closure.

Surface subsidence can occur if insufficient support and/or backfill is left behind in shallow

underground and open pit mining areas respectively.

Changes to the topography as a result of infrastructure remaining after closure may impact on post

closure land-use and is assessed in Section 7.3.16.



Earthworks Civil works Mineralised waste management and disposal Non-mineralised waste management

Open pit Shafts Mineral processing facilities Mineralised waste management and disposal Water supply and storage infrastructure Power supply infrastructure Transport infrastructure Rehabilitation

Demolition Mineralised waste management Water supply and storage infrastructure Power supply infrastructure Rehabilitation

Maintenance and aftercare of final land forms and rehabilitated areas.

Rating of impact

Severity/ nature

In the unmitigated scenario, in all project phases, most of the identified hazardous excavations and

infrastructure present a potential risk of injury and/or death to both people and animals. This is a

potential high severity.

In the mitigated scenario the severity reduces to medium as security and access control will be

implemented at all operational sites, and the design and monitoring of the operational infrastructure

will be implemented to prevent and/or mitigate impacts.

Duration

In the context of this assessment, death or permanent injury is considered a long term, permanent

impact.

Spatial scale/ extent



Page 7-9

Direct impacts associated with hazardous infrastructure and excavations for the mine will be located

within the site boundary in all project phases, with or without mitigation. Direct impacts associated

with the failure of the tailings storage facility may extend beyond the site boundary because even

though the facility has rock embankments which reduce this risk, the situation of the facility is on the

property boundary . The potential indirect impacts for the mine will extend beyond the site boundary to

the communities to which the injured people and/or animals belong.

Consequence

The consequence is high in both the unmitigated and mitigated scenarios.

Probability

In the unmitigated scenario, without design and management interventions the impact probability is

expected to be medium. The mitigation measures will focus on infrastructure safety design and

implementation as well as on limiting access to third parties and animals which reduces the probability

of the impact occurring.

Significance

In the unmitigated scenario, the significance of this potential impact is high. In the mitigated scenario,

the significance of this potential impact is medium because there will be a reduction in probability that

the impact occurs.

Unmitigated – summary of the rated hazardous excavations and infrastructure impact per phase of

the project




SIGNIFICANCE

All phases Unmitigated H H M H M H

Mitigated – summary of the rated hazardous excavations and infrastructure impact per phase of the

project




SIGNIFICANCE

ALL PHASES Mitigated M H M H L M

The potential impact of hazardous excavations and infrastructure was not assessed in the approved

EIA/EMP.


Discussion of the mitigation measures is provided below and tabulated in the EMP (Section 19).

Objectives

The objective is to prevent physical harm to third parties and animals from potentially hazardous

excavations and infrastructure as well as subsidence.



Page 7-10

Actions

The tailings storage facility (TSF), waste rock dumps (WRDs) and associated water storage facilities

will be designed, constructed, operated and closed in a manner to ensure that stability and related

safety risks to third parties and animals are addressed. These issues will be monitored according to a

schedule that is deemed relevant to the type of facility by a professional engineer. A detailed

geotechnical survey will be undertaken prior to the establishment of any infrastructure, particularly the

TSF and WRDs, to ensure the foundations of the proposed site are suitable. If any infrastructure

needs to be moved following the geotechnical survey a new site will need to be investigated and the

EIA and EMP report (if approved) will need to be revised.

Sedibelo will survey the area to be disturbed by the project footprint and update its surface use area

map on a routine basis to ensure that the position and extent of all potential hazardous excavations,

hazardous infrastructure and subsidence is known. It will furthermore ensure that appropriate

management measures are taken to address the related safety risks to third parties and animals as

part of its safety management programme.

During the construction and operational phases, the safety risks associated with identified hazardous

excavations, subsidence and infrastructure will be addressed through one or more of the following:

• fencing, berms, barriers and/or security personnel to prevent unauthorised access;

• warning signs in the appropriate language(s). Warning pictures can be used as an alternative;

• underground support to be designed by a suitably qualified and experienced professional in order

to prevent falls of ground potentially associated surface subsidence; and

• underground mining conditions will be continually monitored by a qualified mining engineer and

geologist.

Information will be provided at regular stakeholder information meetings to educate third parties about

the dangers associated with hazardous excavations and infrastructure related to the operations.

Where the operation has caused injury to third parties and/or animals, the incident will be investigated

and appropriate compensation will be agreed to and provided.

Dams with a safety risk (this includes all dams that hold 50 000 m3 of water and that have a wall of

5 m or more) will be registered (where required by legislation) and monitored by a professional civil

engineer in accordance with Section 21.1.6.

During decommissioning planning of any part of all the mine, provision will be made to address long

term safety risks in the decommissioning and rehabilitation phases.



Page 7-11

At closure, the hazardous infrastructure will either have been removed or decommissioned and

rehabilitated in a manner that it does not present a long term safety and/or stability risk. In this regard,

the hazardous structures and excavations and risk of subsidence will be dealt with as follows:

• the open pit will be backfilled and rehabilitated;

• the potential for surface subsidence will be addressed by applying a bulking factor to the

backfilling of the pit;

• any remaining land forms such as the TSF and WRDs, will be decommissioned and

rehabilitated in a manner that they do not present long-term safety and/or stability risk;

• the remaining WRD side slopes will be flattened to 1V:4H general slope, and will be re-

vegetated using indigenous species to mimic the vegetation cover of natural topographical

features in the area;

• shaft openings will be properly sealed with an engineered plug and rehabilitated;

• the potential for surface subsidence will be addressed by providing sufficient underground

support in mined out areas; and

• monitoring and maintenance will take place to observe whether the relevant long-term safety

objectives have been achieved and to identify the need for additional intervention where the

objectives have not been met.


If people or animals are injured as a result of hazardous excavations and structures, or if any

mineralised waste or water storage facility fails causing injury to people or animals, the emergency

procedures in Section 20 must be followed.

SOILS AND LAND CAPABILITY

Introduction


which most vegetation grows and a range of vertebrates and invertebrates exist. In the context of the

mine, soil is even more significant if one considers that the mine is a temporary land use where-after


closure land use objectives.

7.3.3 ISSUE: LOSS OF SOIL RESOURCES AND LAND CAPABILITY THROUGH POLLUTION

Introduction

The development of the mine has the potential to damage soil resources through contamination.

Contamination of soils also has the potential to impact both surface and groundwater resources (see

Sections 7.3.8 and 7.3.11 for water related impacts). The loss of soil resources has a direct impact on



Page 7-12

the potential loss of the natural capability of the land. Any potential direct impacts on soil will

potentially have secondary impacts on the ecological systems that make use of the soil for survival.

This section therefore focuses directly on the potential for contamination of the soil resources and the

effect this has on land capability.

There are a number of sources in all phases that have the potential to pollute soil resources. In the

construction and decommissioning phases these potential pollution sources are temporary in nature,

usually existing from a few weeks to a few months. Although the sources are temporary in nature, the

potential related pollution can have long term effects. The operational phase will present more long

term sources and the closure phase will present final land forms that may have the potential to

contaminate soils through long term seepage and/or run-off.



Earthworks Civil works Transport systems Site management Site management Mineralised waste management and disposal Non-mineralised waste management

Transport systems Open pit mining Mineral processing facilities Mineralised waste management and disposal Non-mineralised waste management Water supply infrastructure Power supply infrastructure Site management

Demolition Transport systems Mineralised waste management Non-mineralised waste management Water supply infrastructure Power supply infrastructure Rehabilitation Site management

Maintenance and aftercare of final land forms and rehabilitated areas Site management

Rating of impacts

Severity/nature

In the unmitigated scenario, pollution of soils from numerous incidents can result in a loss of land

capability as an ecological driver because it can create a toxic environment for vegetation and

ecosystems that rely on the soil. It could also negatively impact on the chemistry of the soils such that

current growth conditions are impaired. This is a high severity in the unmitigated scenario.

In the mitigated scenario infrastructure will be designed in such a manner to prevent or minimise the

number of pollution events therefore the potential severity is reduced to medium.

Duration

In the unmitigated scenario, most pollution impacts and associated loss in land capability will remain

long after closure. In the mitigated scenario, systems and controls can be implemented to either avoid

incidents or to implement effective corrective actions to remedy the impact within the life of the mine,

which reduces the duration to medium.

Spatial scale/extent

In the unmitigated scenario for all phases, the potential loss of soil resources and associated land

capabilities may extend beyond the site boundary as a result of specifically the tailings storage facility



Page 7-13

and waste rock dumps. This will be a moderate spatial scale. In the mitigated scenario it will be

possible to restrict the potential impact to within the site boundary, which is a low spatial scale.

Consequence

In the unmitigated scenario the consequence is high. In the mitigated scenario the consequence is

reduced to medium as the severity and duration of the impact is reduced.

Probability

Without any mitigation the probability of impacting on soils and land capability through pollution

events is high. With mitigation, the probability will be significantly reduced to low as emphasis will be

placed on implementing controls to the prevent pollution of soil resources and to ensure quick and

effective remediation of pollution events.

Significance


the significance reduces to low because with mitigation the severity, duration and probability

associated with the potential the impact are reduced.

Unmitigated – summary of the rated loss of soil resources and land capability through pollution

MANAGEMENT SEVERITY / NATURE DURATION SPATIAL SCALE / EXTENT


SIGNIFICANCE

All phases Unmitigated H H L H H H

Mitigated – summary of the rated loss of soil resources and land capability through pollution



CONSEQUENCE PROBABILITY OF

OCCURRENCE

SIGNIFICANCE

All phases Mitigated M M L M L L

The unmitigated and mitigated significance ratings as presented in the approved EIA/EMP ranged

from low (pre-construction and construction) to moderate (operation). No rating was given for the

decommissioning/closure phase.

Conceptual description mitigation measures

Conceptual discussion of the mitigation measures is provided below and detailed in the EMP (Section

19).

Objectives

The objective is to prevent soil pollution.



Page 7-14

Actions applicable to all phases

In the construction, operation and decommissioning phases Sedibelo will ensure that all hazardous

and non-hazardous materials, including mineralised waste and dirty water are handled in a manner

such that they do not pollute soils. This will be implemented through a procedure(s) covering the

following:

• pollution prevention through basic infrastructure design, including the implementation of

stormwater management plan and dirty water containment as outlined in Section 7.3.8;

• implementation of engineering controls to ensure proper and routine inspection and maintenance

of equipment;

• correct off-loading, storage and handling procedures for the hazardous substances;

• utilising water of acceptable water quality for dust suppression of roads;

• pollution prevention through education and training of permanent and temporary workers;

• steps to enable fast reaction to contain and remediate pollution incidents. In this regard the

remediation options include in situ treatment or disposal of contaminated soils as hazardous

waste. The former is generally considered to be the preferred option because with successful in

situ remediation the soil resource will be retained in the correct place. The in situ options include

bioremediation at the point of pollution, or removal of soils for washing and/or bio remediation at a

designated area after which the soils are replaced;

• pollution prevention through appropriate management of hazardous materials and wastes (refer to

Table 78); and

• specifications for post rehabilitation audit criteria will be developed as part of detailed closure

planning to ascertain whether the remediation has been successful.

The designs of any permanent and potentially polluting structures (such as the TSF and WRDs) will

take account of the requirements for long term soil pollution prevention, land function and

confirmatory monitoring.

TABLE 78: WASTE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR GENERAL AND HAZARDOUS WASTE ITEMS TO BE CONSIDERED INTENTIONS

GENERAL SPECIFIC

Classification and record keeping

General Waste management procedure should be developed for the project will cover the storage, handling and transportation of waste from the project. The mine will ensure that the contractor’s responsible are made aware of these procedures.

Waste opportunity analysis

In line with DEA’s strategy to eliminate waste streams in the longer term, the mine will assess each waste type to see whether there are alternative uses for the material. The principals of the waste management hierarchy will be implemented as a priority before the disposal option.



Page 7-15

ITEMS TO BE CONSIDERED INTENTIONS

GENERAL SPECIFIC

Classification Wastes (except those listed in Annexure 1 of the Waste Management and Classification Regulations) will be classified in accordance with SANS 10234 within one hundred and eighty (180) days of generation. Waste will be re-classified every five (5) years, or within 30 days of modification to the process or activity that generated the waste, changes in raw materials or other inputs, or any other variation of relevant factors.

Safety data sheets

The mine will maintain, where required in terms of the Regulations, the safety data sheets for hazardous waste (prepared in accordance with SANS 10234).

Waste manifest system

The mine will ensure that all hazardous waste is documented in a waste manifest system with details as specified in the Waste Management and Classification Regulations.

Inventory of wastes produced

The mine will keep an accurate and up to date record of the management of the waste they generate, which records must reflect:

• the source of the waste; • the classification of the wastes; • the quantity of each waste generated, expressed in tons or

cubic metres per month; • the quantities of each waste that has either been re-used,

recycled, recovered, treated or disposed of; and • by whom the waste was managed.

Labelling waste produced

Any container or storage impoundment holding waste must be labelled, or where labelling is not possible, records must be kept, reflecting:

• The date on which waste was first placed in the container • The date on which waste was placed in the container for the

last time when the container was filled, closed, sealed or covered

• The dates when, and quantities of, waste added and waste removed from containers or storage impoundments, if relevant

• The specific category or categories of waste in the container or storage impoundment as identified in terms of the National Waste Information Regulations, 2012

• The classification of the waste in terms of Regulation 4 once it has been completed (if required).

Disposal record Written evidence of safe disposal of waste will be kept. Record keeping

Records will be retained for a period of at least 5 years.

Waste management

Collection points

Designated waste collection points will be established on site. Care will be taken to ensure that there will be sufficient collection points with adequate capacity and that these are serviced frequently.

Laydown areas During decommissioning and closure, lay down areas for re-usable non-hazardous materials will be established.

General waste Will be stored in designated skips and removed by an approved contractor for disposal at a licensed facility.

Separation of waste

Recyclable or re-useable materials will be separated from the general waste stream. These will be removed by an approved contractor for recycling.

Scrap metal and building rubble

Care will be taken to ensure that scrap metal and building rubble does not become polluted or mixed with any other waste. The scrap metal and building rubble will be collected in designated areas. It will be sold to scrap dealers and building rubble will be removed off-site.

Hazardous wastes

Will be placed in designated, labelled containers located in bunded areas underlain by impervious materials. Each consignment of hazardous wastes will be accompanied by a waste manifest document.



Page 7-16

ITEMS TO BE CONSIDERED INTENTIONS

GENERAL SPECIFIC

HCRW Medical waste will be temporarily stored in fit-for-purpose containers in a bunded store before removal by an approved waste contractor and disposal in a licenced facility.

Oil and grease Oil and grease will be collected in suitable containers at designated collection points. The collection points will be bunded and underlain by impervious materials to ensure that any spills are contained. Notices will be erected at each waste oil point giving instructions on the procedure for waste oil discharge and collection. An approved subcontractor will remove oil from site.

Any soil polluted by a spill

If remediation of the soil in situ is not possible, the soils will be classified as a waste in terms of the Waste Regulations and will be disposed of at an appropriate permitted waste facility.

Mixing of wastes

Waste will not be mixed or treated where this would reduce the potential for re-use, recycling or recovery; or result in treatment that is not controlled and not permanent.

Disposal Off-site waste disposal facilities

Waste will be disposed of at appropriate licensed disposal facilities... Unless collected by the municipality, the mine must ensure that their waste is assessed in accordance with the Norms and Standards for Assessment of Waste for Landfill Disposal set in terms of section 7(1) of the Waste Act prior to the disposal of the waste to landfill. Unless collected by the municipality, the mine must ensure that the disposal of their waste to landfill is done in accordance with the Norms and Standards for Disposal of Waste to Landfill set in terms of section 7(1) of the Waste Act.

Waste transport

Contractor A qualified waste management subcontractor will undertake the waste transport. The contractor will provide an inventory of each load collected and of proof of disposal at a licensed facility.

Banned practices

Long-term stockpiling of waste

Stockpiling of waste is a temporary measure. Waste stockpiling sites must have an impervious floor, be bunded and have a drainage system for collection and containment of water on the site.

Burying of waste

Waste may only be burned in legally approved incinerators.


Major spillage incidents will be handled in accordance with the Sedibelo emergency response

procedure as outlined in Section 20.

7.3.4 ISSUE: LOSS OF SOIL RESOURCES AND LAND CAPABILITY THROUGH PHYSICAL DISTURBANCE

Introduction

Soil is a key component of successfully re-establishing post closure land capability. There are a

number of activities/infrastructure in all phases that have the potential to disturb soils and related land

capability through removal, compaction and/or erosion. During the construction and decommissioning

phases some of these activities could be temporary in nature, usually existing for a few weeks to a

few months. The operational phase will present more long term activities and the closure phase will

present final land forms that may be susceptible to erosion. The surface infrastructure associated

with the mine will disturb an area of approximately 660ha predominantly as result of the TSF, WRD’s

and open pit. The total mining rights area is approximately 4410ha.



Page 7-17

For the purposes of assessing the potential impact associated with the loss of soil resources and land

capability through physical disturbance, it was assumed that PPM will maintain the natural flow

patterns downstream of the diversion to the Wilgespruit. The potentially sensitive wet soils along the

Wilgespruit, downstream of this diversion, will not be lost as a result of PPM’s diversion of the

Wilgespruit.



Earthworks Civil works Site management Transport systems Mineralised waste management and disposal Non-mineralised waste management

Site management Transport systems Open pit mining Mineralised waste management and disposal Non-mineralised waste management Water supply infrastructure Power supply infrastructure

Demolition Site management Transport systems Mineralised waste management Non-mineralised waste management Water supply infrastructure Power supply infrastructure Rehabilitation

Maintenance and aftercare of final land forms and rehabilitated areas Site management

Rating of impact

Severity/nature

The majority of the study area investigated, is considered to be of a rating/status based on the depth

of the materials and their structure, while consideration is given to the possibility and utilization

potential of the grazing potential, albeit that the grazing is of a very low intensity grazing land

potential.

The ‘wet-based’ soils which occur along the banks of the Wilgespruit, Bofule and Lesele rivers and its

tributaries influence the biogeochemical functions of these systems; such as playing a role in the salt

and nutrient balance along the watercourse during these periodic flooding episodes and where

possible these soils should be preserved in situ.

The loss of soil through erosion and/or compaction could occur during all mine phases. Pre-mining

land capabilities included wilderness and low intensity grazing land potential, which will be reduced to

that of mining for the duration of the construction and operational life of the mine. In the unmitigated

scenario, physical soil disturbance can result in a loss of soil functionality as an ecological driver as

some of the infrastructure, in particular the open pit, processing facility and WRD 1 and 3, will be

located in areas where wet soils occur. In the case of erosion, the soils will be lost to the area of

disturbance. In the case of compaction, the soil functionality will firstly be compromised through a

lack of rooting ability and aeration. Moreover, the compacted soils are likely to erode because with

less inherent functionality there will be little chance for the establishment of vegetation and other

matter that naturally protects the soils from erosion. In addition to erosion and de-oxygenation, there

is the potential of losing the original nutrient store and organic carbon of soils by the leaching of the

soils while in storage. Although most of the utilisable soils will be removed from beneath the



Page 7-18

permanent landforms (mineralised waste facilities) some soils may still remain for lining purposes.

These soils will be compacted and will be a lost resource. This amounts to a high severity for all

phases.

In the mitigated scenario, the soils can be conserved and reused to establish land capabilities. This

does not apply to the soils that will remain under the TSF and WRDs and the associated land

capability of these footprints. Some of the soils will also be utilised for the rehabilitation of the TSF

and WRDs. The severity reduces to medium with the implementation of mitigation measures,

although the severity for the TSF and WRD areas remain high, especially in the context of the

anticipated Heritage Park Corridor. The overall severity with mitigation is therefore rated as medium

to high.

Duration

In the unmitigated scenario the loss of soil and related land capability is long term and will continue

after the life of the mine. In the mitigated scenario, the soil is conserved and replaced in all areas

except the TSF and WRDs. The TSF and WRDs, will be rehabilitated to restore as much of the pre-

mining land capabilities. These will reduce the duration of the impact to the life of the operations.


In both the unmitigated and mitigated scenarios for all phases, the potential loss of soil and land

capability through physical disturbance will be restricted to within the site boundary.

Consequence

In the unmitigated scenario the consequence is high. In the mitigated scenario the consequence for

all activities is medium as the severity and duration of the impact is reduced with the implementation

of adequate soil management and conservation procedures and a rehabilitation programme.

Probability

Without any mitigation the probability of losing soil and related land capability is definite. With

mitigation, the probability will be reduced to medium with the implementation of adequate soil

conservation and re-establishment programmes. In the case of the TSF and WRDs, the utilisable

soils will be conserved and used for dam rehabilitation and a small portion of the soils will remain

beneath the footprints for lining purposes. With mitigation, the probability will be medium.

Significance

In the unmitigated scenario the significance of the impact is high for all phases due to the severity and

duration of the potential impact. In the mitigated scenario this significance is reduced to medium with

the implementation of adequate soil management and conservation procedures and a rehabilitation

programme.



Page 7-19

Unmitigated – summary of the rated loss of soil resources and land capability through physical

disturbance




SIGNIFICANCE

All Phases Unmitigated H H L H H H

Mitigated – summary of the rated loss of soil resources and land capability through physical

disturbance




SIGNIFICANCE

All phases Mitigated M-H M L M M M

The unmitigated and mitigated significance ratings as presented in the approved EIA/EMP ranged

from low (pre-construction and construction) to moderate (operation). At closure the rating was given

as high unmitigated and moderate mitigated.


Discussion of the mitigation measures is provided below and tabulated in the EMP (Section 19).

Objective

The objective is to minimise the loss of soil resources and related land capability through physical

disturbance, erosion and compaction.

Actions

In the construction, operation and decommissioning phases a soil management plan will be

implemented. The key components are:

• limit the disturbance of soils to what is absolutely necessary both in terms of site clearing and

in terms of on-going project development and use of vehicles;

• construct the facilities and associated infrastructure on the less sensitive soil groups;

• where soils have to be disturbed the soil will be stripped, stored, maintained and replaced in

accordance with the specifications of the soil management principles in Table 79 ;

• restriction of vehicle movement over unprotected or sensitive areas;

• erosion control;

• soil amelioration (rehabilitated and stockpiled) to enhance the growth capability of the soils and

sustain the soils ability to retain oxygen and nutrients, thus sustaining vegetative material

during the storage stage; and

• soil replacement and the preparation of a seed bed to facilitate and accelerate the re-

vegetation program and to limit potential erosion on all areas that become available for

rehabilitation; and

• implementation of a soil monitoring programme.



Page 7-20

TABLE 79: SOIL MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES STEPS FACTORS TO

CONSIDER DETAIL

Delineation of areas to be stripped Stripping will only occur where soils are to be disturbed by activities and infrastructure that are described in the EIA and EMP report, and where a clearly defined end rehabilitation use for the stripped soil has been identified.

Reference to biodiversity mitigation All requirements for moving and preserving fauna and flora according to the biodiversity mitigation measures will be adhered to.

Stripping , handling and storage

Handling Soils will be handled in dry weather to limit compaction. Topsoil Strip all usable soil (topsoil and upper portion of subsoil B1/2) as defined:

• (700mm) over areas of open pit and/or deep excavation • 500mm over areas of major access roads, offices, workshops;

and • 150mm over areas for general access roads, laydown areas

and conveyance infrastructure. Overburden Once the utilisable soil has been removed and stockpiled, the soft

overburden must be removed and stored as a separate unit. Protect from contamination and erosion by the propagation of a vegetative cover with adequate drainage to manage surface runoff, or if not possible, then rock cladding of the sandy materials will help to reduce erosion, retain water and help with the natural re-generation of vegetative growth over time.

Delineation of stockpiling areas

Location Stockpiling areas will be identified in close proximity to the source of the soil to limit handling and to promote reuse of soils in the correct areas.

Designation of the areas

Soil stockpiles will be clearly identifiable in terms of soil type and the intended areas of rehabilitation. Soil stockpiles will be indicated on surface layout plans, which will be updated on a regular basis.

Stockpile management

Vegetation establishment and erosion control

Rapid growth of vegetation on the topsoil stockpiles will be promoted (e.g. by means of watering or fertilisation). The purpose of this exercise will be to encourage vegetation growth on soil stockpiles and to combat erosion by water and wind.

Storm water controls

Stockpiles will be established with stormwater diversion berms to prevent run off erosion.

Height and slope The height of soil stockpiles will be controlled to avoid compaction where possible and damage to the underlying soils. The stockpile side slopes should be flat enough to promote vegetation growth and reduce run-off related erosion. As a general guideline, the following apply: Soil stockpile and berm heights will be restricted where possible to less than 1.5m to avoid compaction and damage to the soil seed pool. Where stockpiles higher than 1.5m cannot be avoided, these will be benched to a maximum height of 15m. Each bench should ideally be 1.5m high and 2m wide. For storage periods greater than 3 years, vegetative (vetiver hedges and native grass species) or rock cover will be essential, and should be encouraged using fertilisation and induced seeding with water and/or the placement of waste rock. The stockpile side slopes should be stabilised at a slope of 1 in 6. This will promote vegetation growth and reduce run-off related erosion.

Waste No waste material will be placed on the soil stockpiles. Vehicles Equipment movement on top of the soil stockpiles will be limited to avoid

topsoil compaction and subsequent damage to the soils and seed bank. Rehabilitation of disturbed land: restoration of land capability

Placement of soil Stockpiled soil will be used to rehabilitate disturbed sites either on going as disturbed areas become available for rehabilitation and/or at closure. The utilizable soil (500mm) removed during the construction phase or while opening up of open cast workings, shall be redistributed in a manner that achieves an approximate uniform stable thickness consistent with the approved post mining land use (Low intensity grazing), and will attain a free draining surface profile. A minimum layer of 300mm of soil will be replaced.



Page 7-21

STEPS FACTORS TO CONSIDER

DETAIL

Fertilisation Samples of stripped soils will be analysed to determine the nutrient status of the soil before rehabilitation commences. As a minimum, the following elements will be tested for EC, CEC, pH, Ca, Mg, K, Na, P, Zn, Clay% and Organic Carbon. These elements provide the basis for determining the fertility of soil. Based on the analysis, fertilisers will be applied if necessary.

Erosion control Erosion control measures will be implemented to ensure that the topsoil is not washed away and that erosion gulleys do not develop prior to vegetation establishment.

Restore land function and capability

Apply landscape function analysis and restoration interventions to areas where soil has been replaced as part of rehabilitation, but the land function and capability has not been effectively restored.

As part of closure planning, the designs of any permanent landforms (e.g. mineralised waste facilities)

will take into consideration the requirements for land function, long term erosion prevention and


As part of the agricultural initiative, no plant species that are classified as Category 1, 2 or 3 weeds in

terms of the Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act, 43 of 1983, will be cultivated.


None identified.

BIODIVERSITY

Introduction

By way of introduction to this section of the impact assessment, The International Council for Mining

and Metals (ICMM) has been instrumental in research and development of good environmental

practices in mining. The ICMM’s Good Practice Guidance for Mining and Biodiversity provides some

useful insights into issues around biodiversity. In the broadest sense, biodiversity provides value for

ecosystem functionality, aesthetic, spiritual, cultural, and recreational reasons. The known ecosystem

related value is listed as follows:









• maintenance of genetic resources (key for medicines, crop and livestock breeding).



Page 7-22

The mine is located in areas that have both habitat and species richness. In this context species

richness refers to both flora and fauna species. Some evidence of anthropogenic activities was

discernible in both the Wilgespruit and Lesele Rivers, although the Lesele River is less impacted

upon. These anthropogenic activities are discussed in more detail in Section 1.1.6.

The following areas of national (Figure 12) and local (Figure 13) conservation significance were

identified by the biodiversity specialist and have been outlined in detail in the baseline (Section 1.1.6):

• nationally protected areas, which may include wetlands and associated riparian areas and buffer


• Nationally Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Areas (NFEPAs). In terms of water resources, the

section of the Bofule (Category B-Largely Natural), emanating from the Pilanesberg as specifically

indicated in Figure 7, is ranked as a Level 1 NFEPA, and is therefore regarded as ecologically

important and generally sensitive to changes in water quality and quantity;

• classification of the Bofule River. The Bofule River was classified as a FEPA based on the river

ecosystem type - an Ephemeral upper and lower foothill system- and the fact that it was still in a

good condition (Category B) when the FEPA status was determined. This river condition was

determined by evaluating the present ecological state of rivers, river health data, reserve

determination data, expert knowledge and natural land cover data. The Bofule River system

contains no threatened fish species or wetland FEPAs. The river ecosystem types that are

represented in the Bofule River are endangered (upper foothill) and critically endangered (lower

foothill). An investigation by NSS (2014) supported the assessment of the Bofule River being a

FEPA, based on ecosystem type and current conditions;

• Mining and Biodiversity Guidelines (2013). With reference to Figure 12, areas along the

Wilgespruit and Bofule rivers are classified as being of Highest Biodiversity Importance and Risk

for Mining, whereas the southern half of the site is classified as an area of High Biodiversity

Importance and Risk for Mining. The remainder of the site is not classified; and

• national priority areas and recognised threatened systems. The study area does not fall in any

applicable national priority listings.

The Sedibelo mining operation was approved in 2007, before the publication of the FEPA or Mining

and Biodiversity Guidelines (DEA et al, 2013). The extent of the Mining and Biodiversity Guidelines

classification, illustrated in Figure 12, if applied, provides limited space for any mining development on

the farm Wilgespruit. According to the Mining and Biodiversity Guidelines the proposed, as well as

the approved, infrastructure is either located in an area assigned the highest or high biodiversity

importance level. Only the north-western portions of the approved as well as the proposed TSF

footprints are located in an unclassified area.

It should be noted that the Mining and Biodiversity Guidelines mapping (as depicted in Figure 12)

cannot be taken at face value and must be ground truthed to deal with mapping errors and/ or

anomalies. For example PPM’s existing Tuschenkomst open pit, located on the neighbouring farm to



Page 7-23

the west, has been in operation for five years, but more than half of this pit area has been assigned a

highest biodiversity classification. This confirms that the accuracy of mapping at a national level has

limitations. However, what the guidelines illustrate is that the Wilgespruit and Bofule river systems

require protection even if a portion has already been affected by mining operations. Therefore,

notwithstanding the mapping concerns, a precautionary approach has been applied in this EIA and

the mapping has been used in the establishment of the baseline and the assessment of the impacts,

in particular areas of local conservation significance.

This assessment covers the following broad issues: physical destruction of biodiversity and related

functions, the reduction of water resources as an ecological driver and general disturbances to

biodiversity such as pollution, noise and lighting. Each of these issues is individually assessed below.

For the purposes of assessing the potential impacts on biodiversity, it was assumed that PPM will

maintain the natural flow patterns downstream of the diversion to the Wilgespruit and that the water

resources and potentially sensitive wet soils will not be lost. It was furthermore assumed that the

downstream flow patterns will be maintained in the closure phase.

It must also be noted that the secondary impacts on biodiversity associated with soil erosion, soil

compaction, and physical disturbance and pollution of soils have been assessed in Sections 7.3.3 and

7.3.4 and will not be repeated below.

7.3.5 ISSUE: PHYSICAL DESTRUCTION OF NATURAL VEGETATION AND ANIMAL LIFE

Introduction

There are a number of activities and infrastructure in all phases that have the potential to destroy

biodiversity in the broadest sense. In this regard, the discussion relates to the physical destruction of

specific biodiversity areas, of linkages between biodiversity areas and related species which are

considered to be significant because of their status, and/or the role that they play in the ecosystem.



Site preparation Earthworks Civil works Site management Transport systems Mineralised waste management and disposal Non-mineralised waste management

Site management Transport systems Open pit mining Underground mining Mineral processing Mineralised waste management and disposal Non-mineralised waste management Water supply infrastructure Power supply infrastructure

Demolition Site management Transport systems Non-mineralised waste management Mineralised waste management Water supply infrastructure Power supply infrastructure Rehabilitation




Page 7-24

Rating of impact

Severity/nature

Impacts associated with the physical destruction of biodiversity as a result of the mine (including the

proposed changes) include the following which is discussed below:





Permanent destruction, alteration and degradation of habitats and vegetation

The establishment of mine infrastructure has the potential to result in the following impacts:

• destruction of biodiversity rich habitats. The majority of the infrastructure (TSF, processing

facility, shafts, topsoil stock piles and WRD2) will occur within the Black Turf Savanna.

Vegetation growth within the turf soils is quick in terms of recovery with relatively limited alien

species invasions. The open pit and other two waste rock dumps (WRD1 and WRD3) are

positioned within the red Pilanesberg Wash habitat, which is richer in biodiversity that the

black turf soil. Most of these habitats will be permanently lost.

• disturbance of the protective cover (vegetation and topsoil) during the construction phase may

result in increased sedimentation and degradation of river systems. The increase in

suspended sediment concentrations, may have the ability to impact on the water quality, river

size, volume of flow, bed material and sedimentation rate. The ephemeral nature of these

systems and erosive nature of the soils in the area will result in accumulative effects

downstream.

• potential deposition of the sediment can lead to further barriers and result in the loss of

connectivity within ecosystems which could potentially cause changes to in-stream conditions,

loss of available habitat types downstream and further fragmentation of the system; and

• direct removal of riparian vegetation and fragmentation of important linear corridors for faunal

species with the establishment of some of the infrastructure, in particular the WRD1 and

WRD3 which will be located within the Bofule watercourse and associated riparian buffer

zones. This will furthermore impact on the Near Threatened Giant Bullfrog habitat and

movement corridors. More detail regarding the movement and potential fragmentation of

habitats including that of the Near Threatened Giant Bullfrog is included in the habitat

fragmentation and corridor restriction discussion below.

These potential impacts on habitats are regarded as a high severity impact in the mitigated and

unmitigated scenarios.

Habitat fragmentation and corridor restriction

Riparian habitats provide important linear corridors for faunal and floral species, and are an important

route for flow of genetic material between different populations. Mining activities, the placement of



Page 7-25

infrastructure such as the waste rock dumps (WRD3) and other anthropogenic impacts such as roads,

will fragment existing habitats further and disrupt these linear corridors. No infrastructure will be

located in close proximity to the riparian habitat around the Lesele river. These activities have a

cumulative effect breaking habitats into ever smaller more isolated patches which in time leads to ever

smaller population sizes of less mobile species which makes them more prone to stochastic effects,

sudden population crashes and eventually localised extinctions.

A number of Threatened Giant Bullfrog breeding localities (refer to Figure 13) have been confirmed to

be present on the Sedibelo property. It should be noted that proposed infrastructure plan would not

allow for the full extent of a 1000m buffer zone, as recommended by the Bullfrog Working Group,

around all of the breeding sites. It should be noted that a large proportion of the watercourse buffer

zone as indicated in Figure 11 is overlapped by the new proposed infrastructure layout and some of

these corridors, located within the upper reaches of the Bofule will be permanently lost by the

placement of infrastructure such as the waste rock dump (WRD 3). The larger pit and two additional

waste rock dumps increase the amount of watercourse buffer occupied by infrastructure compared to

the previously approved layout. As it stands, the approved infrastructure layout is likely to negatively

impact local bullfrog populations due to habitat loss and fragmentation. This is because although adult

bullfrogs are philopatric and relatively restricted in spatial distribution (mainly up to 1km from breeding

sites) juveniles are considerably more agile and require more space to allow for adequate dispersion

and gene flow between populations. It is likely that most of the natural habitat between the proposed

and the approved infrastructure components on site is used for bullfrog foraging, overwintering and

dispersal. Using the watercourse buffer for the protection of local Giant Bullfrogs populations already

represents a significant migratory compromise for the Giant Bullfrog without having some of that area

compromised as is the case with the infrastructure site layout. This is therefore regarded as a high

severity impact in the mitigated and unmitigated scenarios.

Portions of the project area have been earmarked as part of the Heritage Park Corridor between

Pilanesberg National Park and Madikwe Game Reserve as discussed in more detail in Section 1.3.1.

The farm Wilgespruit is located within the corridor for small, non-dangerous game. In the current

corridor planning, a dangerous game corridor extends across the Sedibelo site (Figure 2). Approved

mining infrastructure is positioned within this corridor.

In developing the study area for a mining operation with surface infrastructure spanning from the

eastern to western sides of the property, this will ultimately fragment the greater habitats and will

place restrictions on corridor movement, in particular in the scenario where the dangerous game

corridor extends across the Sedibelo site. This is however not a possible scenario as the approved

mining infrastructure (TSF and WRD) is placed within this dangerous game corridor.

Without mitigation, the severity of habitat fragmentation is high for all phases of the mine. This will be

reduced to medium with mitigation measures. With regards to the restriction of the HPC dangerous

game corridor as put forward by the NWPTB and the potential impact it may have on the



Page 7-26

fragmentation of greater habitats, the severity is regarded high. This can however be mitigated by the

dangerous corridor arrangement put forward by PPM.

Direct mortality and displacement of fauna

Clearing and excavation for the construction of infrastructure and the Sedibelo pit itself will likely result

in the direct mortality of slow moving and fossorial (digging/burrowing) species. Additionally the

increased human presence during construction and operational phases will invariably result in

increased vehicle traffic and consequently increased road kill incidents. The study area is located

within an area that naturally contains a broad spectrum of wildlife and therefore collision risk is high.

Vegetation clearing to make way for infrastructure will result in a loss of foraging habitat for numerous

faunal species. Due to the extent of the infrastructure, displacement of fauna will be affected and

therefore movements on and through the property will lessen. Foraging habitat for the Giant Bullfrog

may also be greatly diminished. This is regarded a high severity impact which can be reduced to

medium with mitigation.

Destruction of species of conservation importance

The study area supports and has the potential to support a number of conservation important faunal

species, several of which are listed as threatened species at both global and national scales. Most of

these species are likely to be negatively affected to some degree by the loss of foraging habitat

associated with the Sedibelo Mine and associated infrastructure and subsequent habitat

fragmentation. Raptors and Giant Bullfrog populations is of specific concern. This is regarded a high

severity impact which can be reduced to medium with mitigation.

Conclusion

When collectively considering the above impacts, the severity is high in the unmitigated scenario for

all phases. In the mitigated scenario, although correct management and implementation of mitigation

measures can address some of the impacts to varying degrees, the severity will remain high for all

phases as some sensitive habitats such as the Red Pilanesberg Wash and riparian zones will be

permanently destroyed, impacting on several species of conservation importance, in particular the

Giant Bullfrog.

Duration

In the unmitigated scenario, the loss of biodiversity is long term and will continue after the life of the

mine. In the mitigated scenario, biodiversity may be restored during the operational,

decommissioning and closure phases, although certain habitats will be permanently lost. The

duration is therefore high in the unmitigated scenario, reducing to medium-high in the mitigated

scenario.


The physical destruction of biodiversity will predominantly be limited to the project area, although in

the unmitigated scenario the possibility exists to impact on biodiversity beyond the site boundary due



Page 7-27

to the potential impact on habitat and corridor restrictions and associated migration of species. The

spatial scale is therefore regarded as medium in the unmitigated as well as the mitigiated scenarios.

Consequence

In the unmitigated scenario, the consequence of this potential impact is high. With mitigation, the

consequence will be medium to high.

Probability

Without mitigation the probability is definite for all phases. It should be noted that even though the

emphasis of mitigation measures will be placed on conserving areas of high biodiversity (where

possible), conserving linkage areas (where possible) and restoring disturbed areas to pre-mining

capability during decommissioning and closure, some infrastructure such as the TSF and WRDs will

result in the permanent destruction of habitats for vegetation and animal life within these footprint

areas. The WRD 3 will furthermore result in the permanent fragmentation of riparian habitats. It

should further be noted that there is a certain degree of uncertainty associated with whether the HPC

as put forward by the NWPTB will in fact be established. With mitigation, the probability will therefore

be medium-high.

Significance

The significance of this impact is high in the unmitigated scenario. In the mitigated scenario the

significance is reduced to medium to high due to the permanent nature of the destruction of sensitive

habitats.

Unmitigated – summary of the rated physical destruction of biodiversity




SIGNIFICANCE

All phases Unmitigated H H M H H H

Mitigated – summary of the rated physical destruction of biodiversity




SIGNIFICANCE

All phases Mitigated H M-H M M-H M-H M-H

The unmitigated significance ratings as presented in the approved EIA/EMP ranged from high to

moderate in the pre-construction, construction and operational phases which were respectively

reduced to moderate and low with mitigation. It was argued that the establishment of the proposed

Heritage Park Corridor would have a low positive impact with closure which could be enhanced to a

positive moderate impact with mitigation as habitats will be preserved.





Page 7-28

Objective

The objective of the mitigation measures is to prevent the unacceptable loss of biodiversity and

related ecosystem functionality through physical disturbance.

Actions

In the construction, operation and decommissioning phases the following will be implemented:

• limit the disturbance of habitats to what is absolutely necessary both in terms of site clearing

and in terms of on-going project development and use of vehicles;

• surface layout plan to include and maintain an open space plan which protects small patches

of indigenous vegetation which will allow small faunal species, particularly birds to ‘island-hop’

from one patch to another;

• implement storm water control measures as outlined in Section 2.8.2;

• compile and implement an integrated Biodiversity Management and Action Plan (BMAP) for

Sedibelo in consultation with PPM and Richtrau, that provides direction for management of the

land, including existing impacts and the creation of an Alien Invasive Programme;

• a nursery will be established on-site to ensure successful rehabilitation in the long term;

• any faunal species identified during the plant collection/removal must also be moved with the

intention to relocate to a safe but similar habitat in the near vicinity. Emphasis should be

placed on all reptile, frog and small mammal species;

• establish a regional conservancy to ensure the protection of corridors during the life of the

mine, thus sustaining the viability of the Heritage Corridor concept;

• a senior staff member residing onsite must be trained in the capture, handling and release of

snakes;

• habitat and site specific faunal niches such as large hole-bearing trees, nests, dens and

hibenaria such as termataria or rock piles must be avoided where possible;

• grazing capacity of the natural vegetation within the mining rights area must be evaluated, and

livestock numbers kept within acceptable limits to reduce bush encroachment and effects on

floral and faunal communities;

• rehabilitation efforts must involve planting of locally sourced indigenous plant species;

• biodiversity education and awareness training for all staff (temporary and permanent)

employed by Sedibelo or on their behalf. Sightings or findings of fauna must be reported to

the environmental officer; and

• the management of the Giant Bullfrog will include:

o confirmation of breeding populations and monitoring of breeding populations by a

suitably qualified specialist;

o the protection of ephemeral and buffer zones;

o preventing adult bullfrogs from returning to breeding sites which may have been

impacted upon;



Page 7-29

o erecting temporary fences around areas where these frogs congregate at the start of

the rainy season, to prevent re-dispersal back into areas of the property where

construction or excavation is to take place;

o containing frogs within the wetland corridors; and

o releasing of unearthed buried Giant Bullfrogs on the site. This is most likely happen

during the winter months when the frogs are hibernating. When a Giant Bullfrog is

found on the mining or any construction site, it should be carefully captured, removed

and released within the buffer zone temporary fence. Hibernating specimens need to

be retained in captivity and only released after the summer rains have commenced;

If on-going monitoring indicates that irreplaceable species and/or associated ecosystem functionality

associated with core conservation or linkage areas will be permanently lost and restoration is not

possible, a biodiversity offset project will be investigated. Issues that will be considered in the

investigation are as follows:

• the size of the potentially affected area;

• the conservation/sensitivity status of the potentially affected area;

• the offset ratio (in terms of the required size of the offset site) to be applied;

• evaluation of alternative offset sites on the basis of: no net biodiversity loss, compensation for

the mine’s negative impact on biodiversity, long term functionality, long term viability,

contribution to biodiversity conservation including linkages to areas of conservation

importance, acceptability to key stakeholders, distances from other mines and development

activities in relation to cumulative impacts, and biodiversity condition scores as compared to

that at the mine site;

• land ownership now and in the future;

• status/security/sustainability of the offset site, i.e. will it receive conservation status;

• measures to guarantee the security, management, monitoring and auditing of the offset;

• capacity of the mine to implement and manage the offset;

• identification of unacceptable risks associated with the offset; and

• the start-up and on-going costs associated with the offset for the life of the project.

As part of closure planning, the designs of any permanent structures (mineralised waste facilities and

open pit) will take into consideration the requirements for the establishment of long term species

diversity, ecosystem functionality, aftercare and confirmatory monitoring.


In the event of the unearthing of Giant Bullfrogs, the emergency procedures as outlined in Section 20

will be followed.



Page 7-30

7.3.6 ISSUE: LOSS OF WATER RESOURCES AS AN ECOLOGICAL DRIVER

Introduction

Riparian zones fulfil an important ecological function and are typically sustained by surface or

subsurface water or a combination thereof as a key ecological driver, with the contribution of

groundwater being critical during dry periods. Even though riparian ecosystems occupy very small

portions of the landscape in semi-arid regions, they exert substantial influence on hydrologic,

geomorphic, and ecological processes and typically support a great majority of biodiversity in these

regions. Functional services of these riparian communities include:

• offer refuge and habitat to a variety of organisms not able to survive in adjacent terrestrial

and aquatic ecosystems;

• provide important linear corridors for faunal and floral species;

• provide an important route for flow of genetic material between different populations;

• create a buffer between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems;

• protect rivers from the effects of activities in adjacent terrestrial environments;

• moderate soil and air temperatures,

• stabilise channel banks and interfluves,

• transport and store seed banks,

• trap silt and fine sediment favourable to the establishment of diverse floral and faunal

species, and

• dissipate stream energy which aids in flood control.

All non-perennial systems are ecologically fragile and alterations to their hydrological systems may

have far reaching effects. The Sedibelo mine and the proposed amendments to the surface

infrastructure has the potential to impact these riparian zones as indicated in the table below.

Activities and infrastructure - link to mine phases CONSTRUCTION OPERATIONAL DECOMMISSIONING CLOSURE

√ √ √ √


Site management Transport systems Open pit mining Underground mining Mineral processing Mineralised waste management and disposal Non-mineralised waste management Water supply infrastructure Power supply infrastructure

Demolition Site management Transport systems Non-mineralised waste management Mineralised waste management Water supply infrastructure Power supply infrastructure Rehabilitation


Rating of impact

Severity / nature


key ecological drivers for the Wilgespruit, Bofule and Lesele Rivers (i.e. biogeochemical processes,

base flow, aquatic ecology and riparian vegetation). These rivers within the study area are semi-



Page 7-31

ephemeral in nature. Semi-ephemeral systems can be sustained by a combination of surface and

subsurface water. In this scenario, the contribution of groundwater becomes critical during dry

periods (NSS, 2014). One such system is a stretch of the Bofule river system which is rated as a

Level 1 Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Area (FEPA) before the confluence with the Wilgespruit on the

Sedibelo property. In addition, various wetlands have been identified by the ecological specialist.

These are detailed in Section 1.1.6. In a recent study undertaken by AGES (2014) and discussed in

Section 1.1.8, it was confirmed that the FEPA and wetlands are not hydraulically linked to the deeper

aquifer These wetlands and the Bofule River are formed by a local perched aquifer on top of an

impermeable clay layer which separates it from the deep aquifer, which are fed by surface water run-

off and precipitation.

Impacts associated with the loss of water resources as an ecological driver as a result of the mine

(including proposed project changes) relates to changes in hydrology (water inputs, retention patterns

and distribution), including the potential ecological impact on the groundwater supplying on site

sources/systems as well as the endorheic pans (springs and pannetjies) within the north western

boundary of the Pilanesberg National Park, 7km south west from the centre of the Sedibelo pit.

The mine has the potential to result in the following impacts relating to hydrology:

• de-watering activities from the deeper aquifer during the construction and operational phases

of the open pit and underground mines have the potential to impact the pannetjies that lie

within the north western boundary of the Pilanesberg National Park. At this stage it is

unknown whether these pannetjies may be hydraulically linked to the groundwater resources

found in the study area as the permeability of the dyke surrounding the Pilanesberg National

Park is unknown. For the purpose of this assessment it was assumed that the dyke is

permeable and that these pannetjies and the groundwater in the area are hydraulically linked.

In the unmitigated scenario this is a high severity, which can be reduced to low in the

mitigated scenario;

• the potential drying of boreholes in neighbouring areas and the negative impact it will have on

wildlife dependant on pumped water sources such as those in Pilanesberg National Park and

the Black Rhino Game reserve. In the unmitigated scenario this is a high severity, which can

be reduced to low in the mitigated scenario;

• destruction of ephemeral water courses indicated in Figure 11, as some of the proposed

infrastructure, in particular WRD1 and WRD3, will be located within the Bofule watercourse

and associated riparian buffer zone. This is a high severity impact without mitigation, which

can be mitigated to a medium to high severity.

• disturbance, alteration and erosion of river banks and associated riparian vegetation. In the

unmitigated scenario this is a high severity, which can be reduced to low with mitigation; and

• dewatering of local resources/systems such as the Level 1 Freshwater Ecosystem Priority

Area (FEPA) as well as the various identified wetlands. In a recent study undertaken by

AGES (2014), aquifer tests showed low hydraulic conductivities, which is indicative of slow

groundwater flow in the shallow perched aquifer as well as the deep fractured aquifer. This



Page 7-32

same study indicated a low and scarce occurrence of groundwater in the region of the

identified Bofule River FEPA and wetlands. It was furthermore concluded that the Bofule

River FEPA and wetlands are associated with the perched aquifer resulting from surface

water flow and slow recharge to the groundwater regime. The potential impact on surface

water resources and the associated ecological functioning as a result of dewatering of

groundwater resources is anticipated to be low in the mitigated and unmitigated scenario.

In conclusion, in the unmitigated scenario this is a high severity impact, which can be reduced to

medium-high with mitigation.

Duration

In the unmitigated scenario, the duration of the impacts is long term. In the mitigated scenario the

duration reduces to medium because the impacts can be addressed during the life of the mine.


In the unmitigated scenario the spatial scale of all relevant impacts will extend beyond the project site.

In the mitigated scenario, it will be possible to contain the impact within the project site.

Consequence

In the unmitigated scenario, the consequence is high, which can be reduced to medium with the

mitigation of the impact.

Probability

In the unmitigated scenario the probability of the impacts occurring is definite in all project phases. In

the mitigated scenario, the probability reduces to medium.

Significance

In the unmitigated scenario the significance of the impacts occurring is high in all project phases. In

the mitigated scenario, the significance is reduced to medium with reduction in the severity of the

impact as well as the duration.

Unmitigated – summary of the rated loss of water resources as an ecological driver MANAGEMENT SEVERITY /

NATURE DURATION SPATIAL SCALE

/ EXTENT CONSEQUENCE PROBABILITY OF

OCCURRENCE SIGNIFICANCE


Mitigated – summary of the rated loss of water resources as an ecological driver




SIGNIFICANCE

All phases Mitigated M-H M L M M M



Page 7-33

The specific impact of loss of water resources as an ecological driver was not rated in the approved

EIA/EMP.


Conceptual mitigation measures are provided below and tabulated in the EMP (Sections 19).

Objective

The objective of the management measures is to prevent significant reductions in water flows and

damage to the associated riparian zones required for biodiversity and ecosystem functionality.

Actions

In the construction, operation and decommissioning phases the following will be implemented:

• with the exclusion of WRD1 and WRD3, construct the facilities and associated infrastructure

outside riparian habitats (including buffer);

• stormwater control measures will be implemented as outlined in Section 7.3.9;

• erosion protection measures to be implemented along the Wilgespruit and Bofule systems, to

prevent erosion occurring, after the riparian vegetation is removed;

• adequate dust control strategies should be implemented to minimise dust deposition and at the

same time minimise associated water use;

• adequate sedimentation control measures at river crossings, when excavating in or disturbing

riverbanks, or the riverbed takes place to minimise sedimentation within the semi-ephemeral

systems;

• due to the sensitive nature of the hydromorphic soils, ensure that compaction is minimised, in

this regard, utilise only existing roads where possible, minimise the road network, minimise the

frequency of driving within the riparian zones and utilize only light equipment for access and

deliveries into areas of unstable soils, in areas where erosion is evident, and at stream and

river embankments; and

• monitor the aquatic environment of all potentially affected surface water resources and use the

results of the monitoring to implement any other surface water related interventions as deemed

appropriate to achieve the mitigation objectives.

Regarding the management of the impacts on the endorheic pans (‘pannetjies’) and springs:

• drill a monitoring borehole in the vicinity of the pans and springs. The function of this borehole

will be to monitor the level of ground water assumed to supply water the pans and springs

• in the event that the water levels in the borehole, the springs and pans are not affected by the

project, no action will be taken, this will also be the case in the scenarios where the borehole

water level does not drop but the spring water level drops and when the borehole level drops

but the spring water level is not affected

• in the instance where the water in the borehole and the springs drop the following action will

be taken:



Page 7-34

o additional water supply borehole/s will be drilled in the vicinity;

o water will be pumped from this borehole/s at the same rate it is currently supplied

from the springs and allowed to feed into the pans in a manner that simulates current

spring fed flows.

With regards to the management of the FEPA area, Sedibelo will in accordance with the relevant

FEPA guidelines:

• maintain the flow regime and hydrology of the Bofule FEPA River to ensure it is maintained in

a B ecological category. This means that:

o no change in flow regime that will lead to deterioration in the current condition (B

ecological category) of a river FEPA; and

o no change in the natural hydrology (baseflows and floods) from ephemeral to

seasonal.

• maintain the water quality of the Bofule FEPA River to ensure it is maintained in a B

ecological category. This means that:

o no changes in water quality which will lead to the deterioration of the current

condition of the Bofule; and

o no change in the seasonal variability in water quality; and


None identified

7.3.7 ISSUE: GENERAL DISTURBANCE OF BIODIVERSITY

Introduction

There are various activities/infrastructure that have the potential to directly disturb vegetation,

vertebrates and invertebrates in all project phases, particularly in the unmitigated scenario. In the

construction and decommissioning phases these activities are temporary in nature, usually existing for

a few weeks to a few months. The operational phase will present more long term occurrences and

the closure phase will present final land forms such as the TSF and WRDs that may have long term

pollution and disturbance potential.

Blasting activities associated with the construction phase as well as the operational phase of the open

pit will present short term impacts on biodiversity, in particular animals. Blasting related impacts on

biodiversity is however not assessed in this section and reference to Section 7.3.17 should be made

in this regard.

Ground and surface water pollution impacting on surface water quality of resources sustaining

ecological systems, including the FEPA located in the Bofule River is discussed in Section 7.3.6.



Page 7-35

Activities and infrastructure - link to mine phases CONSTRUCTION OPERATIONAL DECOMMISSIONING CLOSURE

√ √ √ √

Site preparation Earthworks Civil works Transport system Site management Mineralised waste management and disposal Non-mineralised waste management

Site management Transport system Open pit mining Underground mining Mineral processing Mineralised waste management and disposal Non-mineralised waste management Water supply infrastructure Power supply infrastructure Fencing

Demolition Site management Transport system Mineralised waste management Non-mineralised waste management Water supply infrastructure Power supply infrastructure


Rating of impact

Severity / nature

In the unmitigated scenario, biodiversity will be disturbed in the following ways:

• lighting can attract large numbers of invertebrates which become easy prey for predators.

This can upset the invertebrate population balances;

• power lines can lead to bird kills;

• people may kill various types of species for food, for sport, for fire wood etc.;

• people may illegally collect and remove vegetation, vertebrate and invertebrate species;

• excessive dust fallout from various dust sources may have adverse effects on the growth of

some vegetation, and it may cause varying stress on the teeth of vertebrates that have to

graze soiled vegetation;

• noise and vibration, may result in impacts on vertebrates and invertebrates. In some

instances the animals may be deterred from passing close to noisy activities which can

effectively block some of their migration paths. In other instances, vertebrates and

invertebrates that rely on vibration and noise senses to locate for, and hunt, prey may be

forced to leave the vicinity of noisy, vibrating activities;

• noise, lights and increased human activity may impact on the bat populations and in particular

gleaning bats;

• erecting fences may influence the movement of certain fauna species;

• the presence of vehicles in the area can cause road kills especially if drivers speed;

• the presence of mine water impoundments and pipelines may lead to drowning of fauna;

• contamination of soil and general litter may directly impact on the survival of individual plants,

vertebrates and invertebrates;

• peripheral disturbance from erosion, noise, vibration or vehicle movement may impact on the

Giant Bullfrog breeding, foraging and hibernation;

• the removal of vegetation will result in the increased habitat for invasive species, which

decreases the value of the habitat for many indigenous faunal species as well as loss or

disruption of ecological function;



Page 7-36

• increased presence of alien animal species such as dogs and cats could cause increased

predation on small fauna and genetic contamination of wild cat populations; and

• continued overutilisation of habitats (overgrazing, medicinal plant harvesting, wood collection,

trapping and hunting of vertebrate species etc.) by communal farmers and surrounding

communities.

These disturbances could have a high severity in the unmitigated scenario. In the mitigated scenario,

many of these disturbances can be prevented or mitigated to acceptable levels, which reduces the

severity to medium.

Duration

In unmitigated scenario, the impact duration will be long term, however, with mitigation the duration

reduces to medium because at closure all disturbances should have been eliminated.


In the unmitigated and mitigated scenario, the impacts could affect the ecosystem beyond the site

boundary due to the linkages between biodiversity components and adjacent areas.

Consequence

In the unmitigated scenario, the consequence of this potential impact is high. In the mitigated

scenario, this reduces to medium because the severity of the impact is reduced.

Probability

Without any mitigation the probability of negatively impacting on biodiversity through multiple

disturbance events is high. With mitigation, the probability will be reduced to medium to low because

most of the disturbances can be controlled through implementation and enforcement of practices,

policies and procedures.

Significance


the significance is reduced to medium-low because the associated severity and probability are

reduced.

Unmitigated – summary of the rated general disturbance of biodiversity MANAGEMENT SEVERITY /





Mitigated – summary of the rated general disturbance of biodiversity




SIGNIFICANCE

All phases



Page 7-37




SIGNIFICANCE

Mitigated M M M M M-L M-L

The unmitigated significance as presented in the approved EIA/EMP was rated as moderate in the

pre-construction, construction and operational phases. This was reduced to low with mitigation for the

construction and operational phases. The rating remained moderate for the pre-construction phase.

No rating was undertaken for the closure phase.



Objective

The objective of the management measures is to prevent unacceptable disturbance of biodiversity

and related ecosystem functionality.

Actions

In the construction, operation and decommissioning phases the mine will ensure that:

• the use of light is kept to a minimum, and where it is required, yellow lighting is used where

possible;

• vertebrates should be kept away from the illuminated areas with appropriate fencing where

feasible;

• internal power lines may be equipped with bird deterrent measures to prevent bird kills where

deemed necessary;

• there is training for workers on the value of biodiversity and the need to conserve the species and

systems that occur within the proposed project areas, in particular the Giant Bullfrog;

• there is zero tolerance of the killing or collecting of any biodiversity by anybody working for or on

behalf of the mine;

• traffic calming measures to be implemented in order to reduce the incidence of road kills;

• strict speed control measures are used for any vehicles driving within surface use areas;

• noisy and/or vibrating equipment will be well maintained to control noise and vibration emission

levels;

• all permanent water dams will be fenced off to prevent access by larger animals;

• dust control measures will be implemented (see section 7.3.12);

• soil management plan to be implemented as outlined in Section 7.3.3;

• soil contamination and litter prevention measures will be implemented (see sections 7.3.3 and

7.3.8) and

• alien plant species proliferation, which may affect floral and faunal diversity, will be controlled in

accordance with legislation and in a manner that no additional loss of indigenous plant species

occurs. Implementation of an alien/invasive/weed management programme to control the spread

of these plants onto and from disturbed areas through active eradication, establishment of natural



Page 7-38

species and through on-going monitoring and assessment. In this regard, the use of herbicides

will be limited and will only be used under strict controls if alternative less intrusive eradication

methods are not successful.

As part of closure planning, the designs of any permanent and potentially polluting structures (TSF

and WRDs) will take consideration of the requirements for long term pollution prevention and



Major spillage incidents will be handled in accordance with the Sedibelo emergency response

procedure.

SURFACE WATER

The mine (including project changes) has the potential to impact on surface water resources through

the potential contamination thereof as well as through potential alterations to surface water drainage

patterns. These issues are discussed separately below.


key ecological drivers for the Wilgespruit, Bofule and Lesele Rivers (i.e. biogeochemical processes,

base flow, aquatic ecology and riparian vegetation). The portion of the Bofule River, before the

confluence with the Wilgespruit, is ranked as a Level 1 FEPA. The Bofule River was classified as a

FEPA based on the river ecosystem type, an Ephemeral upper and lower foothill system, and the fact

that it was still in a good condition (Category B) when the FEPA status was determined. An

investigation by NSS (2014) supported the assessment of the Bofule River being a FEPA, based on

ecosystem type and current conditions. The potential impact of the mine on surface water resources,

including the FEPA, as ecological drivers is assessed in Section 7.3.6.

7.3.8 ISSUE: CONTAMINATION OF SURFACE WATER RESOURCES

Introduction

There are a number of pollution sources that have the potential to pollute surface water, particularly in

the unmitigated scenario. In the construction and decommissioning phases these potential pollution

sources are temporary in nature. Although these sources may be temporary, the potential pollution

may be long term. The operational phase will present more long term potential sources and the

closure phase will present final land forms (such as the TSF and WRDs) that have the potential to

contaminate surface water through long term seepage and/or run-off.


CONSTRUCTION OPERATIONAL DECOMMISSIONING CLOSURE



Page 7-39

√ √ √ √

Earthworks Civil works Transport systems Site management Mineralised waste management and disposal Non-mineralised waste management

Open pit Underground mining Transport systems Mineral processing Mineralised waste management and disposal Site management Water supply infrastructure Non-mineralised waste management

Open pit Underground mining Transport systems Mineral processing Mineralised waste management Site management Water supply infrastructure Non-mineralised waste management


Rating of impacts

Severity/nature

In the unmitigated scenario, surface water may collect contaminants (hydrocarbons, salts, and metals)

from numerous sources during the construction and operational phases as a result of day to day

operational and maintenance activities and unplanned emergencies such as spills or discharges of

contaminated water. In the unmitigated scenario, potential operational and decommissioning phase

pollution sources will include seepage and run-off from the TSF and WRDs.

At elevated concentrations these contaminants can be harmful to humans and livestock if ingested

directly and possibly even indirectly through contaminated vegetation, vertebrates and invertebrates

(impacts on biodiversity have been assessed in Section 7.3.7 and will not be reassessed in this

section). The related unmitigated severity is high.

In the mitigated scenario, clean water will be diverted away from the areas disturbed by mine

infrastructure, and contaminated run-off and process water will be contained and re-used in the

normal course. The severity can therefore be reduced to medium.

Duration

In the unmitigated scenario, the potential health impacts are long term, occurring for periods longer

than the life of mine. With mitigation, pollution can be prevented and/or most of the health impacts

can be reversed or mitigated within the life of mine.


In the mitigated and unmitigated scenarios the spatial scale is likely to extend beyond the study area

because contamination is mobile once it reaches flowing water courses. This will be more of an issue

in the rainy season because most of the watercourses are non-perennial.

Consequence

In the unmitigated scenario the consequence is high and in the mitigated scenario it is medium.

Probability

The probability of the impact occurring relies on a causal chain that comprises three main elements:

• does contamination reach water resources?



Page 7-40

• will people and animals utilise this contaminated water?

• is the contamination level harmful?

With regards to the first element, infrastructure such as the TSF and WRDs are located in close

proximity of drainage channels and it is therefore likely that contamination will reach surface water

resources and that third parties and and/or livestock will use this contaminated water for drinking

purposes. Without mitigation the probability is high, but with mitigation it reduces to medium.

The second element is that third parties, livestock and/or wildlife consume the contaminated water.

There is a possibility for this to occur through the consumption of both groundwater and surface

water. The hydrocensus that was undertaken for the proposed project shows that of the boreholes on

site and in the surrounding area, 25% are in use for domestic and livestock watering purposes. In

addition, although livestock and wildlife may drink surface water when it is available this is not their

constant water supply because for most of the year the watercourses are dry. Without mitigation the

probability is high, but with mitigation it reduces to low.

The third element is that some contaminants will be at a level which is harmful to humans and

livestock. The contamination levels could be influenced by the quality and quantity of unplanned

discharges and diffuse pollution sources and by the diluting effect of any rainwater. In the unmitigated

scenario, the probability is high, which could be reduced to low with mitigation.

Therefore, the overall probability is rated as high in the unmitigated scenario. As most of the pollution

sources are in close proximity to surface water sources, the probability is reduced to medium with the

implementation of management and mitigation measures that contain pollution at source or enable

fast remediation.

Significance

In the unmitigated scenario, the significance of this potential impact is high for all phases. In the

mitigated scenario, the significance can be reduced to low by reducing the severity, duration and

probability of the impact occurring.

Unmitigated – summary of the rated pollution of surface water resources impact per phase of the

project




SIGNIFICANCE


Mitigated – summary of the rated pollution of surface water resources impact per phase of the project




SIGNIFICANCE

All phases Mitigated M M M M M M



Page 7-41

The unmitigated significance as presented in the approved EIA/EMP was rated as moderate in the

pre-construction, construction and operational phases. This was mitigated to low for the operational

phase, but remained moderate for the pre-construction and construction phases. The rating for the

closure phase was low in the unmitigated and mitigated scenarios, with the exception of the impact

from the waste rock dump which was rated as moderate in both scenarios.



Objective

The objective of the mitigation measures is to prevent pollution of surface water resources and related

harm to surface water users.

Actions

With regards to soil/erosion management, pollution prevention and management, and waste

management; the procedures, practices and actions included in Sections 2.8.2.7 and 7.3.7 will be

implemented.

In all phases, infrastructure associated with the mine will be constructed, operated and maintained so

as to comply with the provisions of the National Water Act (36 of 1998) and Regulation 704 (4 June

1999) or any future amendments thereto. In this regard:

• clean water systems will be separated from dirty water systems as outlined in the Stormwater

Management Plan, included in Appendix G;

• the size of dirty areas will be minimised and dirty water will be contained in systems that allow

the reuse and/or recycling of this dirty water as outlined in the Stormwater Management Plan,

included in Appendix G;

• discharges of dirty water may only occur in accordance with authorisations that are issued in

terms of the relevant legislation specifications and they must not result in negative health

impacts for downstream surface water users. The relevant legislation specifications

comprises any applicable authorisation/exemption, the National Water Act (36 of 1998) and

Regulation 704, or any future amendment thereto; and

• the site wide water balance will be refined on an on-going basis with the input of actual flow

volumes and used as a decision making tool for water management and impact mitigation.

During the construction, operational and decommissioning phases the mine will ensure that all

mineralised wastes and non-mineralised wastes are handled in a manner that they do not pollute

surface water. This will be implemented through a procedure(s) covering the following:

• pollution prevention through basic infrastructure design;



Page 7-42

• pollution prevention through maintenance of equipment;

• pollution prevention through education and training of workers (permanent and temporary);

• pollution prevention through appropriate management of hazardous substances and waste;

• the required steps to enable containment and remediation of pollution incidents; and

• specifications for post rehabilitation audit criteria to ascertain whether the remediation has

been successful and if not, to recommend and implement further measures.

The designs of any permanent and potentially polluting structures will take account of the

requirements for long term surface water pollution prevention. In addition, where these facilities are

associated with groundwater plumes that could impact the quality of surface water resources,

Sedibelo will implement mitigation measures for as long as is needed to eliminate the risk and achieve

the stated mitigation objectives. An example of such a solution is to pump and treat the polluted

groundwater so that it does not impact surface water resources.

The intake of superfluous freshwater will result in the unnecessary contamination of clean water.

Sedibelo therefore will monitor bulk water intake and recycled/reused water on an on-going basis

through the installation of flowmeters and related instrumentation. This information will feed into the

site wide water balance. Instrumentation will be calibrated on a regular basis in line with

manufacturer’s operating manuals.

Sedibelo will establish a water management committee to ensure that water consumption, recycling

and re-use targets are established, monitored and optimised on quarterly basis. This committee

should furthermore identify and implement synergies and initiatives across the operations to minimise

bulk water intake.

Sedibelo will monitor the water quality (refer to Section 21) in all potentially affected surface water

resources and use the monitoring results to implement appropriate mitigation measures to achieve the

surface water quality objectives. Where monitoring results indicates that third party water supply has

been polluted by the operations, Sedibelo will ensure that appropriate compensation such as an

alternative equivalent water supply will be provided.


Discharge and spillage incidents that may result in pollution of surface water resources will be

handled in accordance with the Sedibelo emergency response procedure outlined in Section 20.

7.3.9 ISSUE: ALTERATION OF NATURAL DRAINAGE PATTERNS

Introduction

Natural drainage across the study area is via sheet flow and/or non-perennial tributaries. There are a

number of activities/infrastructures which will alter drainage patterns by reducing the volume of run-off

into the downstream catchments. With the exception of a small part of the northern WRD (WRD2), all



Page 7-43

of the surface infrastructure is located outside of both the modelled 1:50 year and 1:100 year flood-

lines and outside the 100m offset from the centre of the non-perennial Wilgespruit and Bofule

watercourses. It should be noted that due to the relatively low hydraulic gradient of the Wilgespruit

and Bofule watercourses on the site, the flood-lines are wide and typically extend to in excess of

100m of the watercourse. The WRD2 is situated across the pathway of a non-perennial watercourse,

which flows from the main Wilgespruit channel around the west of the Moswafole dam and into Bofule

River. Portions of the southern waste rock dump located on Legkraal 45 JQ (WRD3) and the western

waste rock dump on Wilgespruit 2 JQ (WRD1) is positioned across the origin of some tributaries to

the Bofule.

Developments within the upper catchment area of the Wilgespruit have potential implications for the

existing run-off coefficients, peak flows and flood lines for the Wilgespruit which may influence

downstream activities. As part of the neighbouring PPM pit operations it is planned that the

Wilgespruit be diverted into the Tuschenkomst pit at the end of operations. The point of diversion

from the Wilgespruit would be upstream of the Sedibelo site. For the purposes of assessing the

potential impacts on alteration of drainage patterns, it was assumed that PPM will maintain (during all

phases including post closure) the natural flow patterns downstream of the diversion to the

Wilgespruit and that the water resources will not be lost.

The potential impact on riparian zones, which fulfil an important ecological function and which are

predominantly sustained by a combination of surface and subsurface water is assessed in Section

7.3.6. The potential impact of dewatering on surface water resources is assessed in Section 7.3.10.



Earthworks Civil works Transport systems Site management Mineralised waste management and disposal Non-mineralised waste management

Open pit mining Underground mining Earthworks Civil works Transport systems Mineralised waste management and disposal Non-mineralised waste management Water supply infrastructure Power supply infrastructure Rehabilitation



Rating of impacts Severity / nature

During the construction, operation, decommissioning, and to a lesser extent, the closure phases,

rainfall and surface water run-off will be collected in all areas that have been designed with water

containment infrastructure. The collected run-off will therefore be lost to the catchment and can result

in the alteration of drainage patterns. All mine infrastructure will be located within quaternary

catchment A24D, with the exception of a small portion of the eastern corner of the accommodation



Page 7-44

camp which is located in quaternary catchment A24E. An estimated 12.9km2 of area will be

contained for the establishment of the mine (including project changes).This equates to a loss of only

1% of the total MAR for the quaternary catchment A24D. In the context of the affected quaternary

catchment this is considered to be a medium severity because although the reduction is measurable it

will not result in a substantial deterioration in the water reserve and downstream water uses. The

overall medium severity rating applies in both the unmitigated (all phases) and mitigated scenario

(prior to closure where it reduces to low).

Duration

In the unmitigated scenario, the alteration of drainage patterns will extend beyond closure. In the

mitigated scenario, the duration of the alterations will mostly be restricted to the phases before closure

as the surface infrastructure, with the exception of the remaining waste rock dumps and tailings

storage facility, will be removed and the area rehabilitated. The remaining infrastructure will be

shaped and rehabilitated to allow for surface water to be diverted to follow natural flow patterns post

closure.


In the mitigated and unmitigated scenario the physical alteration of drainage patterns will extend

beyond the site boundary as flow reduction impacts could extend further downstream.

Consequence

In the unmitigated scenario the consequence is high for all phases. In the mitigated scenario the

consequence is reduced to medium prior to closure and low thereafter because of reductions in

duration and severity.

Probability

In the unmitigated scenario the probability of altering drainage patterns is high. With mitigation, such

as limiting the infrastructure footprint and associated catchment areas, the probability can be reduced

to medium. With closure the re-establishment of natural drainage and design for the rehabilitation of

remaining infrastructure (TSF and WRDs) will reduce the probability to low.

Significance


the significance is reduced to medium in the construction, operational and decommissioning phases

and low in the closure phase.

Unmitigated – summary of the rated impact on the alteration of drainage lines per phase of the project




SIGNIFICANCE




Page 7-45

Mitigated – summary of the rated impact on the alteration of drainage lines per phase of the project




SIGNIFICANCE

Construction, Operation, Decommissioning Mitigated M H M M M M Closure Mitigated L M M L L L

According the approved EIA/EMP, the impact of the mine infrastructure on the hydrology of the

catchment was expected to be insignificant for all phases due to the very limited surface area of the

mine infrastructure as well as the fact that the SF are WRD would have been located out of the 1:50

and 1:100 year floodlines. No ratings were therefore undertaken.

Conceptual description of mitigation actions


Objective:

The objective of the mitigation measures is to minimise the alteration of surface drainage in the study

area.

Actions:

Sedibelo will apply for the necessary water authorisations/licenses and comply with the terms and

conditions of water authorisations/licenses that are granted.

In all phases, mine related infrastructure will be constructed, operated and maintained so as to

comply with the provisions of the NWA and R704 or any future amendments thereto. Key related

issues are:

• clean water systems will be separated from dirty water systems; and

• the size of dirty areas will be minimised and clean run-off and rainfall water will be diverted

around dirty areas and back into its normal flow in the environment.

The WRD2 will be raised above natural ground levels to limit flood related damage.

At closure, the objective will be to rehabilitate all remaining facilities to establish a functionality that

eliminates or materially reduces the need for dirty water systems thereby maximising the extent of the

site than can drain clean surface water into the natural hydrological systems. The open pit will be

backfilled and profiled to allow for functional surface run-off and to minimise infiltration.

In addition, and as included in the approved EIA/EMP (KP, 2007), a safety measure must be put in

place by repairing the Moswafole Dam and carrying out routine monitoring at this site on a biannual

basis in order to monitor water quality leaving the site.



Page 7-46


No emergency situations have been identified.

GROUNDWATER

7.3.10 ISSUE: REDUCTION IN WATER AVAILABILITY / LEVELS

Introduction

It will be necessary to dewater the open pit and underground mine workings in order to establish safe

working conditions. This may cause a loss in water supply to surrounding borehole users and

groundwater-fed springs. This activity will commence during the establishment of the open pit and

shaft sinking operations and will cease in the decommissioning phase. Upon closure, the

groundwater levels will be allowed to rebound naturally subject to the permanent influence of open

pits in the area which includes the proposed long term open pit at the neighbouring PPM.

Dewatering related impacts on surface water resources and biodiversity reliant thereon are assessed

are assessed in Section 7.3.6.


CONSTRUCTION OPERATIONAL DECOMMISSIONING CLOSURE √ √ √

Open pit construction Shaft sinking

Open pit Underground mining

Dewatering ceases

Rating of impact

Severity / nature

It will be necessary to dewater the underground mine workings and the open pit (i.e. when the depth

of the pits pass below the natural water table). This dewatering is to ensure safe working conditions.

The area is underlain by a shallow, weathered aquifer as well as a deeper, intact fractured bedrock

aquifer. The shallow and weathered aquifer is an important water zone for third parties (AGES, 2011)

where boreholes pump the ground water to surface to be used by third parties and livestock in the

area. A study undertaken by AGES (2014) concluded that the impact of activities associated with

deep mining is not foreseen to be measurable within the shallow perched aquifer. The shallow

aquifer is recharged by surface water and precipitation. Furthermore, as established with the falling

head tests during the 2014 AGES study, the transmissivity values of the overburden, clay material is

such that a decrease in water levels of the shallow aquifer as a result of the open pit are expected to

be limited and localised.

In the study undertaken by AGES (2013) only a cumulative dewatering scenario, comprising the

Sedibelo open pit and underground mine workings, Magazynskraal underground mine workings and

extended Tuschenkomst open pit pit operations, was modelled. This represents a worst case



Page 7-47

scenario in view of the Sedibelo operations. According to this modelling, a radius of influence (ROI) is

associated with the mine dewatering during life of the mines and could impact neighbouring

groundwater users. The simulated cumulative radius of influence indicates potential drawdown levels

of between 50 and 500m extending up to 12km from the Sedibelo underground operations which are

located at the centre of the draw down cone. During mining, the PPM flooded pit (if the water level in

this pit is above the bottom of the Sedibelo pit) could re-water the Sedibelo pit if the two are

hydraulically connected.

Modelling, based on the assumption that a permeable inferred dyke (ring dyke) runs around the

Pilanesberg, predicts that the springs located in the Pilanesberg, south of the proposed operations,

could be affected by the Sedibelo the open pit and underground mine workings. These springs are

perennial and are believed (personal communication from Black Rhino) to be the only natural water

source for animals and the local ecosystem in the northern section of the Pilanesberg National Park,

particularly in the winter months.

Open pit and underground mining activities during the construction and operational phases could

result in a decrease in water levels and subsequent borehole yields. Neighbouring groundwater

users, in particular in the immediate vicinity of Wilgespruit 2JQ, where some boreholes are being used

for potable and crop watering purposes, could be adversely affected. The radius of influences

simulated indicated potential drawdown levels of between 50 and 500m. Thus water supply from

groundwater resources that are impacted may not possible (including some boreholes and the

Pilanesberg springs). In this regard the impact is considered to have a high impact without mitigation

which could be reduced to low with mitigation which will include the provision of alternative water

resources.

The natural water levels are expected to be restored post closure and the underground operations will

flood with time, given that groundwater flow is not completely sealed off during the mining process.

However, according to AGES, the proposed flooding of the PPM Tuschenkomst pit may limit the post

operational rebounding (+50 years) of groundwater levels in the vicinity of the backfilled Sedibelo

open pit and associated underground mines. The partial flooding of the PPM Tuschenkomst pit could

prevent the water levels of the Sedibelo operations rebounding fully. Such that levels may only

rebound to between 10m and 20m below the pre-mining water level at the open pit and approximately

2m to 7m at the central underground mine.

Therefore, mining activities during all phases could result in a decrease in water levels and

subsequent borehole yields to third party users including people and livestock, including the

Pilanesberg springs. This is regarded as a high severity in the unmitigated scenario, which could be

reduced to low with mitigation, providing suitable alternative water resources are available.



Page 7-48

Duration

The duration of the impacts is linked to the duration of the dewatering and the recharge time

thereafter. It is expected that the duration of dewatering impacts on the boreholes in the vicinity of the

operations could extend beyond closure in the unmitigated and mitigated scenarios due to recharging

of the system and the in particular the impact the Tuschenkomst pit may have on the Sedibelo

operations. The duration is therefore long term in the unmitigated scenarios. With mitigation the

duration of the impact is reduced to the short term which is a low rating.


Where dewatering occurs, the spatial scale of the known radius of influence will be localised in close

proximity to the mining areas but could impact off site receptors, resulting in a medium spatial extent

in the unmitigated and mitigated scenarios.

Consequence

The consequence of the impact is rated as high without mitigation which is reduced to low with

mitigation.

Probability

In the unmitigated the impact occurring is definite. This is reduced to low in the mitigated scenario.

Significance

In the mitigated scenario the significance of the impact as a result of dewatering on third party

boreholes, including the Pilanesberg springs is regarded as high. With mitigation this is reduced to

low, as the severity is reduced with the provision of alternative water resources.

Unmitigated – summary of the rated dewatering impact per phase of the project




SIGNIFICANCE


Mitigated – summary of the rated dewatering impact per phase of the project




SIGNIFICANCE

All phases Mitigated L L M L L L

The unmitigated significance of the impact, as presented in the approved EIA/EMP, was rated low

and moderate in the construction and operational phases respectively. This remained unchanged in

the mitigated scenario. No assessment was undertaken for the closure phase, although modelling

predicted that the groundwater levels would rebound to pre-construction levels after 137 years.



Page 7-49


Conceptual mitigation measures are provided below and tabulated in the EMP (Section 19)

Objective

The objective of the mitigation measures is to prevent water losses to third party water users and

ecological sensitive areas.

Actions

During the construction and operational phases, Sedibelo will:

• ensure all potentially affected third party boreholes are included in the ground water

monitoring program to ensure that changes in water depths can be identified, where possible;

• provide alternative water, of equivalent quality, to third parties if it is found and proved that

neighbouring water levels and yields are affected;

• establish a joint water monitoring forum between the local mining companies where data is

shared and impacts on third party groundwater users are addressed;

• ensure geophysical surveys are conducted to locate and characterise the inferred dyke near

the Pilanesberg springs. Additional shallow and deep drilling as well as aquifer testing with

isotope analyses should be conducted to determine the permeability of the inferred dyke. The

numerical model should be update accordingly;

• undertake additional packer tests to characterise this deep fracture systems and the model

should be updated accordingly;

• undertake a study to determine the extent of the mines impact on the springs. If the mine is

impacting on the springs, alternative water should be supplied to the location of the springs

(pannetjies) to service the ecosystems supported by the springs;

• update the groundwater model every two years;

• undertake a survey of local villages to determine which ones are serviced by Magalies water

and which has access to piped water. The aquifer classification to be updated accordingly.

Records should be kept on bulk water supply efficiency as to correctly classify aquifers i.e.

groundwater use in and around villages;

• ensure dewatering boreholes are drilled around the Sedibelo open pit should it be found that

the seepage from groundwater into the open pit is reaching high volumes. Cover drilling and

depressurising of the advancing phase in the underground mines at Sedibelo should be

implemented;

• ensure the procedures are implemented for the sealing of discrete fractures to reduce the

ingress of groundwater in the underground mines;

• ensure the volume of groundwater seeping into the open pit and underground mines are

licensed and used in the mine circuit; and

Post operational phase, Sedibelo will update the groundwater flow model with the detailed post

closure underground mine voids and the time to flood the underground mine voids should be



Page 7-50

simulated. A detailed geochemical assessment should be conducted to determine the water quality in

the flooded underground mines.


Any complaints regarding the drying-up of third party boreholes and or the springs will be handled in

accordance with the Sedibelo emergency response procedure included in Section 20.

7.3.11 ISSUE: CONTAMINATION OF GROUNDWATER RESOURCES

Introduction

There are a number of sources in all mine phases that have the potential to pollute groundwater. In

the construction and decommissioning phases some of these potential pollution sources are

temporary and diffuse in nature. Even though the sources are temporary in nature, related potential

pollution can be long term. The operational phase will present more long term potential sources and

the closure phase will present final land forms, such as the TSF and WRDs that may have the

potential to pollute water resources through long term seepage and/or run-off.

It should also be noted that the local area and associated aquifers was historically classified as a Sole

Source Aquifer. This was due to the communities relying on groundwater alone for their basic water

requirements. The classification of a sole source was reviewed (by AGES) due to the supply from

Magalies Water. Although the villages located on the northern rim of the Pilanesberg National Park

are connected to Magalies Water infrastructure it is understood that they are often without potable

water. Villages located further to the north and north-west of the project area rely solely on

groundwater. The aquifer classification for the project area is therefore not conclusive.

The impact of groundwater contamination on biodiversity is assessed in Section 7.3.7.



Earthworks Civil works Site management Transport system Non mineralised waste management

Site management Transport systems Open pit mining Underground mining Mineral processing Mineralised waste management and disposal Non-mineralised waste management Water supply infrastructure Water supply infrastructure

Demolition Site management Transport systems Mineralised waste management Non-mineralised waste management Water supply infrastructure Power supply infrastructure


Rating of impacts



Page 7-51

Severity/nature

In broad terms, two types of pollution sources are considered namely diffuse pollution, which includes

ad hoc spills and discharges of polluting substances, and point source pollution which includes longer

term pollution associated with sources such as the proposed TSF and WRDs. Geochemical results

indicate that there is no material risk of acid mine drainage. Groundwater modelling identified that

there is a potential for groundwater contamination (nitrates and sulphates amongst other parameters)

associated with the proposed TSF and WRDs. This contamination has potential to influence ground

and surface water resources. In the case of groundwater resources there is potential for

contamination of borehole water used for livestock watering and for domestic use by on site livestock

herders. In the case of surface water, the link between ground and surface water has not been

established (it has been established that the shallow perched aquifer is fed by surface water run-off),

but the application of the precautionary approach leads to the possibility that groundwater

contamination in the shallow aquifer could influence on site non-perennial drainage lines and

associated ecological systems, including the FEPA situated within a stretch of the Bofule River.

In the unmitigated scenario the severity is high. In the mitigated scenario the severity can be reduced

to medium because of pollution prevention and/or mitigation measures.

Duration

In the unmitigated scenario, groundwater contamination and the potential related health impacts are

long term in nature and can extend beyond the life of the project. With mitigation, including post

closure designs such as the reshaping and capping of the TSF and WRDs, the pollution and related

impacts can be prevented or mitigated during the life of the project which reduces the duration to

medium.


The groundwater model shows that in both the unmitigated and mitigated scenarios, groundwater

contamination and related impacts are not expected to extend beyond the mining right area for the life

of the operations. However, modelling excluded the post closure scenario, and it was therefore

assumed that pollution could potentially migrate beyond the site boundary in the unmitigated scenario,

post closure. In addition, there is potential for boreholes used by herders, livestock and/or wildlife to

be affected which is a medium spatial scale in that the contamination extends beyond the

infrastructure footprints.

Consequence

The consequence is high in the unmitigated scenario. With mitigation this reduces to medium.

Probability

The probability of the impact occurring relies on a causal chain that comprises three main elements:

• does contamination reach water resources?

• will people and animals utilise this contaminated water?



Page 7-52

• is the contamination level harmful?

The first element is that contamination reaches the ground and surface water resources within and

adjacent to the proposed project area. Without mitigation the probability is high, but with mitigation it

reduces to low.

The second element is that third parties, livestock and/or wildlife consume the contaminated water.

There is a possibility for this to occur through the consumption of both groundwater and surface

water. The hydrocensus that was undertaken for the proposed project shows that of the boreholes on

site and in the surrounding area, 25% are in use for domestic and livestock watering purposes. In

addition, although livestock and wildlife may drink surface water when it is available this is not their

constant water supply because for most of the year the watercourses are dry. Without mitigation the

probability is high, but with mitigation it reduces to low.

The third element is that some contaminants will be at a level which is harmful to humans and

livestock. This is influenced both by the quality of any discharged water and by the diluting effect of

any the receiving water bodies particularly in the rainy season. Without mitigation the probability is

high, but with mitigation it reduces to medium.

Significance

In the unmitigated scenario the significance is high, with mitigation it reduces to medium.

Unmitigated – summary of the rated contamination of groundwater impact per phase of the project




SIGNIFICANCE

Construction, Operation, Decommissioning and Closure Unmitigated H H M H H H

Mitigated – summary of the rated contamination of groundwater impact per phase of the project




SIGNIFICANCE

Construction, Operation, Decommissioning and Closure Unmitigated M M M M M M

The unmitigated significance of the impact, as presented in the approved EIA/EMP, was rated low,

moderate and moderate in the construction, operational and construction phases respectively. This

remained unchanged in the mitigated scenario.



Objective

The objective of the mitigation measures is to prevent pollution of ground water resources and related

harm to water users.



Page 7-53

Actions

All infrastructure that has the potential to pollute groundwater resources will be designed and

implemented in a manner that pollution is addressed post closure.

In the construction, operation and decommissioning phases the mine will ensure that all mineralised

wastes and non-mineralised wastes are handled in a manner that they do not pollute groundwater.

This will be implemented through a procedure(s) covering the following:

• pollution prevention through basic infrastructure design;

• pollution prevention through education and training of workers (permanent and temporary);

• pollution prevention through appropriate management of materials and non-mineralised

waste;

• the required steps to enable containment and remediation of pollution incidents; and

• specifications for post rehabilitation audit criteria to ascertain whether the remediation has

been successful and if not, to recommend and implement further measures;

• monitor surface water quality and levels in the stretch of Bofule River in which the FEPA is

located; and

• conduct isotope analyses on water seeping into the underground mine areas and undertake a

comparison to the shallow aquifer water sampled from local boreholes. This will indicate the

origin of the seepage water and enhance the monitoring of the local aquifer systems.

Infrastructure that has the potential to cause groundwater contamination will be identified and

included in a groundwater pollution management plan which will be implemented as part of the

operational phase. This plan has the following principles:

• determine potential pollution sources;

• determine the extent of potential contamination plumes;

• design and implement intervention measures to prevent, eliminate and/or control the pollution

plume. In terms of the TSF this may include: measures to reduce ponding and remove water

from the dam, interception trenches along the perimeter of the dam, scavenger wells, and a

pump and treat system, and final capping amongst others. In terms of the WRDs this may

include: measures to contain seepage, measures to contain runoff and final capping;

• monitor all potential impact zones to track pollution and mitigation impacts; and

• where monitoring results indicate that third party water supply has been polluted by the

operations, Sedibelo will ensure that an alternative equivalent water supply will be provided.

Post operational phase, Sedibelo will:

• ensure that were logistically possible, monitoring boreholes are established at the end of

mining in the backfilled open pit to determine the water quality and water levels. These

boreholes should be drilled to final pit depth.



Page 7-54

• continue with the monitoring of water quality in the neighbouring boreholes and monitoring

boreholes drilled for the purpose of open pit water quality and level measurements post

closure for at least 12 months; and

• clad the TSF and WRD’s to limit water ingress due to precipitation on these facilities.

Groundwater monitoring should continue post closure to assess the migrations of any groundwater

contamination (nitrates and sulphates amongst other parameters) originating from the permanent on-

site facilities i.e. TSF and WRDs. If contamination is detected additional measures will be taken to

address the contamination conerns.


Any significant pollution incident is considered an emergency situation. In such instances the

emergency procedure included in Section20 will be followed.

AIR QUALITY

7.3.12 ISSUE: AIR POLLUTION

Introduction

There are a number of activities/infrastructure in all phases that have the potential to pollute the air.

In the construction and decommissioning phases these activities are temporary in nature. The

operational phase will present more long term activities and the closure phase will present final land

forms that may have the potential to pollute the air through long term wind erosion.

With mines of this nature, the main emissions include: inhalable particulate matter less than 10

micrometres in size (PM10), larger total suspended particulates (TSP) that relate to dust fallout, and

limited gas emissions mainly from vehicle exhausts. In the operational, construction and

decommissioning phases contaminants include: PM10, TSP, and gas emissions. At closure there will

only be potential for PM10 and TSP emissions depending on the effectiveness of rehabilitation

measures. At certain concentrations, each of these contaminants can have health and/or nuisance

impacts. Gaseous pollutants (such as sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, carbon monoxide, etc.)

derived from vehicle exhausts and blasting are regarded as negligible in comparison to particulate

emissions.

In order to determine the potential for health impacts reference is made to South African (SA) National

Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for pollutants as outlined in Table 80 below. Certain

activities, such as construction have commenced prior to the implementation of the stricter NAAQS in

2015. It was decided to reference the stricter standards applicable in 2015 (in bold) for compliance

assessment, as meeting these standards would result in automatic compliance to the PM10 standards

that are in place currently.



Page 7-55

TABLE 80: AIR POLLUTION EVALUATION CRITERIA

NATIONAL AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STANDARDS

Pollutant Averaging Period Limit Value (µg/m³) Frequency of Exceedance

Compliance Date

PM10 24 hour 120 4 days per year 31 Dec 2014

24 hour 75(a) 4 days per year 1 Jan 2015

1 year 50 0 31 Dec 2014

1 year 40(a) 0 1 Jan 2015

Pollutant Application Limit Value (microgram/ m2/day) Compliance Date

TSP(a) Industrial 1 200 Current Residential 600 Current

Notes: (a) - Used in the assessment of impacts.

Air pollution related impacts on biodiversity have been considered in Section 7.3.7 and therefore this

section focuses on the potential for human health impacts.




Site management Transport systems Open pit mining Underground mining Mineral processing Mineralised waste management and disposal Non-mineralised waste management Rehabilitation

Site management Demolition Transport systems Site management Non mineralised waste management Mineralised waste management Rehabilitation


Rating of impact

Severity / nature

In the operational phase mitigated TSP and PM10 emissions were calculated to be 5103 and 1721tpa

respectively. Fugitive particulate emissions from haul roads are the most significant contributor to

calculated TSP (approximately 79%) and PM10 (approximately 72%) emissions, followed by material

handling activities which was calculated to contribute in the order of 16% and 19% to TSP and PM10

emissions respectively.

Predicted unmitigated and mitigated operational phase dustfall rates were low and did not exceed the

limit of 600 mg/m2/day, considered acceptable for residential areas, at any of the nearby communities.

The focus of this assessment is therefore on the more significant PM10 emissions which may have

human health impacts.



Page 7-56

Activities generally associated with the construction phase are regarded as transient in nature and are

therefore not expected to contribute significantly to background dust fall out levels and PM10

concentrations provided effective mitigation measures are implemented. However, a conservative

approach was taken with this assessment and it was assumed that the construction activities will have

a similar impact to that of the operational phase, primarily because emissions associated with

unpaved roads from the open cast operations is the single largest contributor to air impact during the

operational phase and these roads will be constructed and used during the construction phase, It is

assumed that the volumes of material that will be removed from the pit will be similar in the

construction and operational phases. Other sources of emissions during the operational phase

include:

• fugitive dust emissions from drilling and blasting (open pit mining);

• fugitive dust emissions from crushing and screening operations;

• fugitive dust emissions from materials handling and transfer;

• windblown dust emissions from TSF; and

• underground/ventilation emissions.

In the unmitigated scenarios for the construction, operational, decommissioning and closure phases

the severity is regarded as high primarily because the potential exists to expose third parties to levels

of inhalable dust that could influence health, particularly in vulnerable groups. For on-site receptors

such as the livestock herders, with mitigation that involves relocation, the severity reduces to low. For

off-site receptors, due to the potential for exceedance of the 24-hour evaluation criteria at some of the

communities, in the mitigated scenario prior to closure, the severity of the impact remains medium to

high (see discussion below). The severity of the impact will be reduced to low in the closure phase

with the implementation of a rehabilitation plan.

Predicted ambient PM10 concentrations at the nearest communities as a result of the mitigated

operational phase are presented in Table 81. The 24-hour NAAQS of 75μg/m3 was predicted to

exceed more than the permissible 4 days a year at Ngweding, Magong, Magalane and Ntwsana-le-

metsing, with exceedances indicated in bold. No exceedance of the annual NAAQS was predicted at

any of the surrounding communities. On site the 24-hour NAAQS of 75μg/m3 was predicted to

exceed more than the permissible 4 days a year, which will have an impact on the livestock herders

and subsistence farmers on site.

TABLE 81: MITIGATED OPERATIONAL PHASE PREDICTED PM10 CONCENTRATIONS AND COMPLIANCE ASSESSMENT

COMMUNITY PREDICTED ANNUAL AVERAGE CONCENTRATION (µg/m3)

FREQUENCY OF EXCEEDANCE OF THE 24-HOUR LIMIT

VALUE of 75 µg/m³

NAAQS 40 4

Ngweding 13 12



Page 7-57

COMMUNITY PREDICTED ANNUAL AVERAGE CONCENTRATION (µg/m3)

FREQUENCY OF EXCEEDANCE OF THE 24-HOUR LIMIT

VALUE of 75 µg/m³

NAAQS 40 4

Moruleng 0.7 0

Legkraal 1 0

Lekutung 0.4 0

Lesetlheng 0.5 0

Magong 5 5

Magalane 8.8 8 Ntswana-le- Metsing

9.3 5

Kgamatha 1.3 0

Lesobeng 2.5 1

Mononono 0.8 0

Mothlabe 8 4

Manamakgoteng 0.8 0

Duration

Without mitigation, if human health impacts occur, the duration of associated health impacts could

extend beyond closure. With mitigation, the potential for health impacts is reduced and the duration

of impacts will unlikely extend beyond closure. The duration for off-site receptors will therefore be

reduced to medium. With the relocation of the livestock herders and subsistence farmers the duration

of off-site farmers will be reduced to low.


The spatial scale of the potential impact is directly related to the spatial scale of the dispersion of any

air pollution. The spatial scale of the potential impact extends off site in both the mitigated and

unmitigated scenarios. The spatial scale for the livestock herders and subsistence farmers will

however be restricted to site.

Consequence

Without mitigation the consequence is high in all phases. With mitigation the consequence is reduced

to medium for all phases, in particular for the off-site receptors where exceedances of the 24-hour

PM10 evaluation criteria are predicted. For livestock herders and subsistence farmers who will be

relocated the consequence reduces to low.

Probability

The health impact probability is linked to the probability of ambient concentrations exceeding the

evaluation criteria. Given that there is potential for exceedances of the criteria, for PM10 in particular,

the probability is high in the unmitigated scenario. Even though exceedences are still predicted in the



Page 7-58

mitigated scenario, the frequency of these exceedences are reduced. Therefore , with mitigation the

probability reduces from high to medium for the construction, operational and decommission phases

and to low for closure. For livestock herders and subsistence farmers who will be relocated the

probability also reduces to low.

Significance

The significance of this impact is high in the unmitigated scenario for all phases. The significance is

reduced to medium for the construction, operational and decommission phases and to low for closure

and for on-site receptors with the implementation of mitigation measures, which includes the

relocation of livestock herders and subsistence farmers.

Unmitigated – summary of the rated air pollution impact per phase of the project




SIGNIFICANCE


Mitigated – summary of the rated air pollution impact per phase of the project




SIGNIFICANCE

All phases Mitigated M-H M-L M-L M-L M-L M-L

In the approved EIA/EMP, the significance of the potential impact was rated low in the unmitigated

and mitigated scenarios for the duration of the construction phase. The significance of the potential

impact for the duration of the operational phase, which included a smelter and a base metal refinery,

was rated moderate in the unmitigated and mitigated scenarios. For the duration of the construction

phase, it was rated moderate in the mitigated scenario, which was reduced to low with mitigation.



Objective

The objective of the mitigation measures is to prevent health impacts associated with air pollution.

Actions

During the construction, operation and decommissioning phases an air quality management plan

comprising the following main components will be implemented:

• development and implementation of an emissions inventory and ranking system based on

source quantity and impact;

• setting and implementation of emissions control targets. General emission control targets

include:



Page 7-59

o vehicle entrainment on roads – 80% and higher control efficiency through chemical

suppression or use of conveyor belts;

o materials handling operations - 50% control efficiency through effective water sprays;

o crushing and screening activities - 80% and higher control efficiency through effective

water sprays;

• reduction of emissions from unpaved roads within the mine site through measures aimed at

reducing the extent of unpaved roads which will include:

o traffic control measures aimed at reducing the entrainment of material by restricting

traffic volumes and reducing vehicle speeds;

o measures aimed at binding the surface material or enhancing moisture retention,

such as wet suppression and chemical stabilization;

o tarring or gravel cover of permanent roads which are frequently used, especially by

heavy vehicles;

• reduction of emissions from material handling, crushing and screening activities and

windblown dust through the implementation of engineering controls and wet suppression

techniques;

• if fumes occur after a blast then the immediate vicinity of the blast area will be kept clear until

these have dissipated. The wind direction and conditions must also be kept in mind to ensure

that the fumes do not impact further afield;

• maintenance of all vehicles and equipment to achieve optimal exhaust emissions;

• erosion control; and

• identification and monitoring of key performance indicators.

PM10 monitoring will be undertaken at Ngweding for a full year once the mine and processing plant

become operational to assess the contribution of these sources to measured levels recorded at these

nearby communities. Dust fall-out will be monitored at the closest sensitive receptors at locations

specified by an air quality specialist. An air quality specialist to review the results on an annual basis

and make recommendations with regards to the appropriateness and effectiveness of the monitoring

programme and to determine the need for additional mitigation actions and related monitoring.

Where farmers (crop and livestock) will be unable to carry out their farming activities as a direct result

of the mining activities (i.e. on the farm Wilgespruit 2 JQ) they will be relocated, as included as a

commitment in the approved EIA/EMP (KP, 2007), to the equivalent land (i.e. access, proximity,

infrastructure, productivity) off site.

As part of closure planning the designs of any permanent and potentially polluting structures

(particularly the mineralised waste facilities) will, on the basis of impact modelling, incorporate

measures to address long term pollution prevention and confirmatory monitoring.



Page 7-60


Upset conditions and related unmitigated emission incidents that are likely to result in an exceedance

of one or more of the evaluation criteria are considered an emergency situation. These will be

addressed in accordance with the Sedibelo emergency response procedure included in Section 20.

AMBIENT NOISE

7.3.13 ISSUE: NOISE POLLUTION

Introduction

Two types of noise are distinguished, i.e. noise disturbance and noise nuisance. The former is noise

that can be registered as a discernible reading on a sound level metre and the latter, although it may

not register as a discernible reading on a sound level metre, may cause nuisance because of its tonal

character (e.g. distant humming noises). The mine (including project changes) presents the

possibility of generating noise (both disturbing and nuisance) in the phases prior to closure.

In provinces, such as the North West Province, official noise regulations are lacking, and therefore the

old national noise regulations (DEA, 1994) apply by default. However, noise criteria in all previous

national and current provincial regulations, as well as current metropolitan noise policies, are derived

from SANS 10103.

In terms of the old national noise regulations, a disturbing noise implied a noise that causes the

ambient sound level to increase by 7 dB or more above the designated zone level, or if no zone level

has been designated, the ambient sound level measured at the same point. The South African

guidelines for ambient noise are summarised in Table 82. The expected degree of community

response to an increase in ambient noise levels is outlined in Table 83.

TABLE 82: SOUTH AFRICAN AMBIENT NOISE GUIDELINE VALUES (SANS 10130)

TYPE OF DISTRICT

OUTDOORS RATING LEVEL LREQ,T (dBA)

DAY-TIME (06:00 – 22:00)

NIGHT-TIME (22:00 – 06:00)

Rural districts 45 35

Suburban districts with little road traffic 50 40

Urban districts 55 45

Urban districts with workshops, business premises and main roads

60 50

Central business districts 65 55

Industrial districts 70 60



Page 7-61

TABLE 83: EXPECTED COMMUNITY RESPONSE TO AN INCREASE IN AMBIENT NOISE (SANS 10103)

INCREASE IN AMBIENT NOISE LEVEL [dBA] EXPECTED COMMUNITY RESPONSE

0-10 Sporadic complaints

5-15 Widespread complaints

10-20 Threats of community actions

More than 15 Vigorous community action

It should however be noted that the legal limit of 7 dB should not be construed as the upper limit of

acceptability. SANS 10103 (See Table 83 in this report) indicates that an increase of 5 dB is already

significant and that an increase of 7 dB can be expected to evoke widespread complaints from the

community. Hence, although the applicant would be within legal limits if the noise impact is prevented

from exceeding 7 dB, that would not prevent noise disturbance and noise complaints. The SANS

guidelines (SANS 10103) stipulate that noise levels from a development that causes ambient

background noise levels to increase by up to 3dBA is acceptable (note that this is the upper limit),

while 5 dB is considered a significant impact.

It should be noted that some receptors are expected to be more sensitive than others, particularly the

conservation and ecotourism activities located to the south and south-west of the project site. In this

regard, any increase in mining related noise levels, including noise levels from increased vehicle

activity, could be noticeable and could impact on current land uses.

The assessment below focuses on night-time conditions when ambient noise levels are lower

(generally night-time ambient noise levels are 10 dB lower than day-time levels) and the sensitivity of

the environment increases. It is expected that if the night-time impact is contained within acceptable

levels, then the daytime impact will also fall within acceptable limits.

Potential noise impacts on biodiversity have been addressed in Section 7.3.7 and so this section will

focus on the potential human related noise impacts.


CONSTRUCTION OPERATIONAL DECOMMISSIONING CLOSURE √ √ √ N/A

Site preparation Earthworks Civil works Transport systems Site management

Site management Transport systems Open pit mining Underground mining Mineral processing Mineralised waste management and disposal Rehabilitation

Site management Demolition Transport systems Rehabilitation



Page 7-62

Rating of impact

Severity / nature

As stated, two categories of noise are assessed below: general noise disturbance, which includes

noise as a result from blasting activities, and the noise nuisance. During the construction phase as

well as the initial operational phase when noise levels are expected to be at its highest due to the

combined open pit and underground mining activities, the villages of Ngweding and Legkraal will be

affected by increases in ambient noise levels, especially at night time. However, these increases will

generally be less than 3 dBA, which is not noticeable to a person with average hearing. During the

day the noise impact contours are limited to the immediate vicinity of the construction or operational

activities. The severity is therefore expected to be medium. With mitigation the mitigation could be

reduced to low.

Once the open pit activities have ceased (underground mining only) (second operational phase) and

during the decommissioning activities, there will be a slight decrease in ambient noise levels at

Legkraal at night time, but this will be much less than 3 dBA. Since the total resulting ambient noise

level will be very low. Again, the severity is therefore expected to be medium without mitigation which

can be reduced to low with mitigation.

For noise receptors located closer to the operations, such as the livestock herders located on the farm

Wilgespruit, in the absence of mitigation, the severity on these receptors is expected to be high. With

mitigation that caters for relocation of these receptors to an area outside of the 3dB increase footprint,

no significant impact on these receptors is expected.

It is also noted that there have been numerous noise related complaints from the Black Rhino lodge to

the south which indicates that noise is an issue for this receptor group. Some of these complaints

were raised during the public consultation processes with interested and affected parties.

It can therefore be summarised that in the unmitigated scenario for the construction, operational and

decommissioning phases, the severity is expected to be medium to high depending on the distance of

receptors from noise generating activities. This can be reduced to low with mitigation.

Duration

In both the unmitigated and mitigated scenarios the noise impacts will occur until the closure phase of

the mine when the noise generating activities are stopped. This is therefore a medium duration.


In both the unmitigated and mitigated scenarios the noise impacts will extend beyond the project site

boundary. This is a medium spatial scale.



Page 7-63

Consequence

The unmitigated consequence is medium which is reduced to low with mitigation due to a reduction in

the severity.

Probability

The unmitigated probability of the predicted noise increases causing a noise related disturbance at

the receptors is considered to be high in the unmitigated scenario during the construction and initial

phase of the operations when the open pit and underground operations will be functional. This is

expected to reduce to low with mitigation. The probability during the second operational phase and

decommissioning is low, which will remain low with mitigation.

Significance

In the unmitigated scenario, the significance is regarded as medium for all phases. The significance

is reduced to low in the mitigated scenario for all relevant phases.

Unmitigated – summary of the rated noise pollution impact




SIGNIFICANCE

Construction, operational and decommissioning phases Unmitigated M - H M M M

H M

Mitigated – summary of the rated noise pollution impact




SIGNIFICANCE

Construction, operational and decommissioning phases Mitigated L M M L

L

L

In the approved EIA/EMP, the unmitigated and mitigated scenarios for impacts associated with noise

and vibration during of all the phases of the project were rated a low significance.



Objective

The objectives of the management and mitigation measures are to prevent an unacceptable increase

in disturbing noise and limit nuisance noise at sensitive receptors as far as practically possible.

Actions

Blasting during the construction phase and open pit mining will be scheduled to take place in the

afternoons and will be limited to week days if possible.



Page 7-64

All vehicles and equipment will be maintained in good working order to restrict noise emissions. The

sound of reverse hooters will be engineered in such a manner to limit audibility in the surrounding

environment. Regular scheduled maintenance must include the checking and replacement, if

necessary, of intake and exhaust silencers. Any change in the noise characteristics of a particular

equipment piece should serve as an indicator of potential mechanical failure and immediately be

investigated.

Noise and safety berms will be constructed between the pit and communities closest to the operations

to mitigate noise impacts.

Ventilation equipment will be designed in such a manner to minimise the generation of noise and will

be fitted with silencer systems.

All noise complaints will be documented, investigated and reasonable efforts made to address the

area of concern. Options available for reducing noise impacts include but are not limited to:

• changing operating hours;

• equipping noise sources with silencers;

• construction of noise attenuation measures; and

• consulting a noise specialist for mitigation advice.

Regular noise monitoring will be undertaken by an independent contractor. Additional noise

monitoring will be used as part of the investigatory process into noise complaints and as part of the

assessment of the impact of mitigation and, if required, the alteration thereof.

Should any livestock herders be present within the high impact zone, their houses will be relocated

outside the zone.


None identified.

VISUAL IMPACTS

7.3.14 ISSUE: VISUAL IMPACTS

Introduction

Visual impacts are a subset of landscape impacts. Visual impacts relate to the changes that arise in

the composition of available views as a result of changes to the landscape, to people’s responses to

the changes, and to the overall effect with respect to visual amenity. Visual impact is therefore

measured as the change to the existing visual environment (i.e. views) caused by the intervention and



Page 7-65

the extent to which that change compromises (negative impact) or enhances (positive impact) or

maintains the visual quality of the scene as perceived by people visiting, working or living in the area.

Negative visual impacts will be caused by activities and infrastructure in all phases. During

construction, this will be influenced by the increase in activities and clearing of vegetation on-site.

During operation this will be influenced by the presence of infrastructure such as the open pit, shaft

headgears, processing plant and as well as the development of the TSF and WRDs; and during

decommissioning and closure by the closure objectives and effectiveness of rehabilitation measures.

The more significant visual impacts relate to the larger infrastructure components (such as the

processing plant and shafts), infrastructure that will remain in perpetuity (such as the TSF and

WRDs), and night lighting.



Site preparation Earthworks Civil works Site management Transport system

Transport system Site management Open pit mining Underground mining Mineral processing Mineralised waste management and disposal Non-mineralised waste disposal and management Water supply infrastructure Power supply infrastructure

Demolition Transport system Site management Mineralised waste management Non-mineralised waste management Water supply infrastructure Power supply infrastructure


Rating of impacts

Severity / nature

When viewed from the perspective of tourists and community members, mining activities can be

associated with a sense of disenchantment. People who would benefit from the development

(employees, contractors, service providers etc.) may not experience this disenchantment but rather

view the mine with a sense of anticipation.

Landscape impacts derive from changes in the physical landscape, which may give rise to changes in

its character and from effects to the scenic values of the landscape. The landscape impact (i.e. the

change to the fabric and character of the landscape caused by the physical presence of the

intervention) of the mine (including the project changes) would be high since the development

proposes to transform the land of the project site and replace it with process related structures and

infrastructure. In this regard, the surface infrastructure (both approved and proposed) will protrude

above the vegetation line and contrast with the existing landscape profile (topography, colour and

texture). The mine’s surface infrastructure would dominate the local landscape due to the size, scale

and engineered characteristics.



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The intensity of visual impact is determined using viewer sensitivity criteria, visibility, visual intrusion

and visual exposure. These are discussed in more detail below.

Sensitive viewers/ viewing areas

Areas considered potentially sensitive to mining activities in the study area are areas associated with

tourist activities, public roads and communities / settlements listed in Section 1.3.1.

As discussed in the baseline, Section 1.1.11, sensitive viewers will include local residents, mine

employees, visitors to residents of the communities, tourists visiting the tourist attractions in the area

or travelling through the area to other tourist destinations and visitors and personnel of the Black

Rhino Nature Reserve and the Pilanesberg National Park, including visitors on guided walks. Local

residents and tourists will have a high sensitivity to changes to existing views as the have a greater

awareness of their surrounding environment, whereas mine employees will have a lower sensitivity.

Sensitivity of visual receptors refers to the fact that the visual impact varies according to the sensitivity

of the receptors in the study area. It should be noted that concerns regarding visual impacts raised

during the scoping phase consultations were only received from the ecotourism and conservation

ventures to the south and south-west of the mine, which includes the conceptual Heritage Park

Corridor.

Considering the ‘worse case’ scenario, the sensitivity of the visual receptors to change in the visual

environment brought on by the physical presence of the mine would be rated as high.

Visibility

In determining the visibility of the mine (using viewshed analyses), the worst case scenario height of

60m, for the waste rock dumps, was used. The ‘zone of potential influence’ was established at 15km.

Over 15km the impact of the mine (including the project changes) would have diminished

considerably due to the diminishing effect of distance (the project recedes into the background) and

atmospheric conditions (haze) on visibility. Also, at this distance the component’s features would

appear in the background of a view and thus begin to be absorbed into the landscape setting. The

waste rock dumps on the project site will however shield the Black Rhino Nature Reserve from views

of the processing plants and associated infrastructure on Sedibelo.

Residents living in the neighbouring communities and tourists travelling along the identified routes will

possibly have views varying from open views to glimpses of the surface infrastructure where breaks in

the vegetation line occur or where the surface infrastructure protrudes above the vegetation line.

Some views are contained by the valley topography; however views from elevated lookout points

would occur from upper sections of the north-facing slopes of the northern section of the PNP.



Page 7-67

At night time the lights associated with the mine would be visible much further than the visibility of the

structures during day time as light travels further at night and the contrast between light and darkness

is much more evident. The glow from the lights would add to the glow from the existing mining

activities in the area.

Visual exposure and intrusion

Visual exposure is determined by qualifying the view with a distance rating to indicate the degree of

intrusion and visual perception while visual intrusion deals with the notion of contextualism (how well

a project component fits with or disrupts / enhances the ecological and cultural aesthetic of the

landscape as a whole). The visual intrusion of the project will be influenced by the foreground,

middleground and background views by various, including night time lighting.

Conclusion

Synthesizing the criteria above, the severity of impact of the mine is predicted to be moderate to high

on sensitive viewers and viewing areas, especially from selected areas from within the Black Rhino

Nature Reserve and Pilanesberg National Park for the following reasons:

• The mine will have a substantial negative cumulative effect on the visual quality of the

landscape and would be partially ‘absorbed’ into the landscape from key viewing areas. The

visual resource is rated moderate to high and will be compromised with the presence of the

proposed surface infrastructure. The Sedibelo project will exert a high cumulative effect on

the quality of the landscape within the study area.

• Mine infrastructure will contrast with future land use, settlement and tourism patterns east of

the R565 and north of the Pilanesberg – mining and utility land uses currently exist in the

study area but the possible future use is as a Heritage Park with a focus on game viewing and

scenic beauty. The emergence of residual ‘engineered’ dumps would appear out of place and

contrast with these future uses.

• The mine will cause major (notable) changes in key views – from some tourist vantage points

the surface infrastructure would result in notable negative changes in the landscape. Surface

infrastructure, along with existing mining activities, would tend to dominate views from these

areas, due to their scale, size and engineered characteristics. These would contrast with the

natural contours and slopes of koppies in the study area, resulting in the eye focusing on the

mine components, which would appear out of context within the broader landscape

panorama.

In summary, in the unmitigated scenario, the severity of the visual impact is regarded as high for all

phases. With mitigation, the impact can be reduced to medium-high for all phases prior to closure.

Although the pit will be backfilled utilising waste rock, portions of the waste rock dumps will remain

due to the bulking factor and the Tuschenkomst pit waste rock. In the closure phase, the severity

reduces to medium as the remaining TSF and WRD infrastructure would be rehabilitated. The effect



Page 7-68

of night lighting will also be eliminated in the closure phase when lighting structures would be

removed.

Duration

In the unmitigated scenario, the duration is high, as the impacts will continue beyond the life of the

mine. In the mitigated scenario, the impacts are unlikely to extend for the duration of the construction,

operational and decommissioning phases. During the closure phase the remaining infrastructure, in

particular the TSF and remaining WRDs, will be rehabilitated. The duration of the mitigated impact

in all phases is therefore medium term.


Visual impacts will extend beyond the mine site in the unmitigated and mitigated scenarios for all

phases. This is a medium spatial scale.

Consequence

The unmitigated consequence is high for all phases. With mitigation, this reduces to medium for all

phases.

Probability

In both the unmitigated and mitigated scenarios, the probability of this potential impact occurring is

high for all phases except for closure when it is reduced to low in the mitigated scenario.

Significance

The unmitigated significance is high for all phases. The significance of the mitigated impact during

the construction, operational and decommissioning is reduced to medium, predominantly as a result

of the duration of the impact during these phases. The significance of the impact during the closure

phase will reduce to low with the elimination of night lighting and the implementation of effective

rehabilitation measures.

Unmitigated – summary of the rated visual impact per phase of the project

MANAGEMENT SEVERITY / NATURE DURATION SPATIAL SCALE / EXTENT


SIGNIFICANCE


Mitigated – summary of the rated visual impact per phase of the project MANAGEMENT SEVERITY / NATURE DURATION SPATIAL SCALE



Construction, operational and decommissioning Mitigated M-H M M M H M Closure Mitigated M M M M L L



Page 7-69

In the approved EIA/EMP, the unmitigated and mitigated scenarios for the duration of the pre-

construction phase were rated as having a low significance. The significance for the duration of the

construction and operational phases was rated moderate in the unmitigated and mitigated scenarios.

Due to the removal of infrastructure the visual impact was rated a positive moderate impact in the

unmitigated and mitigated scenarios for the decommissioning and closure phases.



Objective

The objective of the mitigation measures is to minimise negative visual impacts on sensitive

receptors.

Actions

During the construction and operational phases, Sedibelo will implement the following visual

mitigation measures:

• limit the clearing of vegetation, in particular perimeter vegetation;

• limit the emission of visual air emission plumes (dust emissions);

• use of visual screening berms in areas where there are sensitive visual receptors;

• the use of lighting will be limited to project requirements and measures will be implemented to

limit light pollution impacts on surrounding areas;

• night lighting will be fitted with fixtures to prevent light spillage and focus the light on precise

mine activities and infrastructure, fitted as low to the ground as is practicable,

• security lights will be activated with movement sensors;

• on-going vegetation establishment on rehabilitated areas and the TSF side slopes that

reflects the natural vegetation of the area; and

• Sedibelo will develop the rehabilitation and closure plan in close partnership with the NWPTB

to ensure that visual impacts on the surrounding land users are minimised as far as possible.

In the decommissioning phase, Sedibelo will implement its closure plan which involves the removal of

infrastructure, backfilling of the pit and the rehabilitation and re-vegetation of cleared areas and any

final landforms that will remain post closure. These final landforms should be rehabilitated in a

manner that achieves both landscape functionality (particularly with regards to the conceptual

Heritage Park Corridor) and limits and/or enhances the long term visual impact. The following general

design guidelines are proposed to aid in the development of a sustainable final landform design for

the TSF and waste rock dumps:

• final shaping and dumping should be implemented such that the sides of the dumps are

articulated in a fashion that create areas of light and shadow interplay;

• harsh, steep engineered slopes should be avoided if at all possible as these could impose an

additional impact on the landscape by contrasting with existing topographic forms. The



Page 7-70

dumps are the only surface infrastructure that will remain after decommissioning and it is

important that a long-term view of their integration with the surrounding landscape be taken;

• the remaining WRD side slopes will be flattened to 1V:4H general slope, and will be re-

vegetated using indigenous species to mimic the vegetation cover of natural topographical

features in the area;

• the rehabilitated landscape can be no more stable than the adjacent undisturbed landscape;

therefore, it can be assumed that the reclaimed areas will be less stable and must be

designed accordingly, with gentler slopes, higher density drainage and smaller drainage

basins;

• maintain the final landform height and slope angles for the dumps as low as possible;

• where slopes compatible with the surrounding landscape can be achieved, an attempt should

be made to visually soften stepper areas by avoiding straight engineered ridges and sharp

changes of angle; and

• the preferred slope design is a concave or complex (convex-concave) profile. The use of

terraces or contoured banks should be avoided. Hill-slope-curvature can be obtained using a

series of linear slopes or slope facets.

At closure, final landforms will be managed through an aftercare and maintenance programme to limit

and/or enhance the long term post closure visual impacts.


None identified.

HERITAGE, PALEONTOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES

7.3.15 ISSUE: LOSS OF HERITAGE, PALEONTOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES

Introduction

Heritage resources include sites of archaeological, cultural or historical importance. There are a

number of activities/infrastructure in all phases prior to closure that have the potential to damage

heritage (including cultural) resources and result in the loss of the resource for future generations.

The more significant of these are expected to occur during the construction and operational phases

when most of the mine infrastructure will be established on site. Limited impacts are expected during

the decommissioning phase, and no impacts are expected to occur during closure.

The study area is underlain by igneous rocks of the Rustenburg Layered Suite of the Bushveld

Igneous Complex it is highly unlikely that fossils will be affected by any subsurface mining

development. An assessment of the impact on paleontological resources is therefore not deemed

necessary.



Page 7-71



√ √ √ N/A

Site preparation Earthworks Civil works Transport systems Site management

Site preparation Earthworks Transport systems Site management Water supply infrastructure Power supply infrastructure

Demolition Site management Transport systems

Rating of impact

Severity/nature

With reference to Section 1.3.4, limited heritage (and cultural) resources were recorded on the study

area. These resources will be disturbed by the mine and project changes.

The resources dating from the recent past have no historical or cultural significance. The scattered

stone tools and potsherds also present little archaeological significance. The remains of the historical

house presents a low significance due to the fact that it has been affected to such an extent that it has

no research or any other use. The severity of the impact in the unmitigated as well as the mitigated

scenario is therefore regarded as low.

Duration

In the unmitigated and mitigated scenarios, the loss of heritage resources will be permanent.


The spatial scale is limited to the study area in both the unmitigated and mitigated scenarios as even

though heritage resources will be lost they are of little to no importance.

Consequence

The consequence in the unmitigated and mitigated scenario is regarded as medium, predominantly as

a result that these resources will be permanently lost, even though they are resources of low

archaeological significance.

Probability

The potential for uncovering new heritage resources during the construction, operational and

rehabilitation phases prior to closure does exist. The probability of the loss of a heritage resources

occurring in the unmitigated scenario is high which will be reduced to low, with mitigation.

Significance

In the mitigated scenario, the significance of this potential impact is medium. With mitigation, the

significance will be low as the probability is reduced.



Page 7-72

Unmitigated – summary of the rated impact on heritage resources per phase of the project MANAGEMENT SEVERITY /




Construction, operational, decommissioning Unmitigated L H L M H M

Mitigated – summary of the rated impact on heritage resources per phase of the project MANAGEMENT SEVERITY /




Construction, operational, decommissioning Mitigated L H L M L L

In the approved EIA/EMP, the unmitigated and mitigated scenarios during of all the phases were

rated as having a moderate significance.



Objective:

The objective of the mitigation measures is to minimise the disturbance of heritage resources.

Actions:

Sedibelo will ensure that all workers (temporary and permanent) are educated about heritage and

cultural resources that may be encountered and about the need to conserve these.

In the event that new heritage and/or cultural and/or paleontological resources are discovered, the

mine will follow a chance find emergency procedure, which includes the following:

• all work at the find will be stopped to prevent damage;

• an appropriate heritage specialist will be appointed to assess the find and related impacts; and

• permitting applications will be made to SAHRA, if required.

In the event that any graves are discovered during the construction, operational or decommissioning

phases, prior to damaging or destroying any identified graves, permission for the exhumation and

relocation of graves must be obtained from the relevant descendants (if known) and the relevant local

and provincial authorities. The exhumation process must comply with the requirements of the

relevant Ordinance on Exhumations, and the Human Tissues Act, 65 of 1983. If the graves are older

than sixty years SAHRA must issue a permit for the exhumation of the graves whilst a social

consultation process and 60-day statutory waiting period have to be followed before the graves can

be exhumed.



Page 7-73


The uncovering of graves and heritage (including cultural) sites is considered an emergency. In such

instances, the emergency procedure included in Section 20 will be followed.

IMPACTS ON LAND USE

7.3.16 ISSUE: LOSS OF AGRICULTURAL, RESIDENTIAL, CONSERVATION AND/OR ECOTOURISM LAND USES

Introduction

The establishment of the mine (including project changes) will alter the conditions for current and

future land uses. It should be noted that the project site was approved for mining and related

activities in 2008. The mine is in the initial stages of construction and some of the facilities have been

established on site in line with the mine’s approved EIA/EMP report (KP, 2007). Land uses within the

study area prior to the approval of the EIA/EMP in 2008, included livestock grazing, crop farming and

community activities. The land uses immediately surrounding the study area include subsistence

farming (livestock grazing and crops); formal (villages) and informal (livestock herders and farmers)

residential, mining and conservation and/or eco-tourism activities associated with the Pilanesberg

National Park (PNP) as discussed in more detail in Section 1.3.1. Included in the future land use, is

the conceptual Heritage Park Corridor, aimed at linking the PNP and Madikwe Game Reserve as

proposed by the North West Parks and Tourism Board (NWPTB) also discussed in more detail in

Section 1.3.1 and illustrated in Figure 1 and Figure 2. It should be noted that an alternative alignment

was forward by PPM as outlined in Section 1.3.1 and illustrated in Figure 1 and Figure 2.

The presence of infrastructure and activities during the construction, operational and decommission

phases will impact on the on-site subsistence farming and informal residential land uses. The project

furthermore has the potential to impact on conservation and/or eco-tourism activities surrounding the

study area. The rehabilitated TSF and WRDs infrastructure will remain post closure and has the

potential to impact on future land use potential, which includes the current community/agricultural land

uses and the possible conceptual Heritage Park Corridor, in particular the dangerous game corridor

put forward by the NWPTB.

On the basis of current information, two possible future land uses have been identified:

• the most likely scenario is that the land will be returned, where possible, to pre-mining land

use (i.e. agricultural and residential use); or

• an alternative possible scenario is that the land may form part of the Heritage Park Corridor

(HPC) concept.

The proposed project therefore has the potential to impact on current and future agricultural and

residential activities as well as conservation and/or ecotourism activities and subsequently the

discussion below has been split as such.



Page 7-74

The development of the site on Wilgespruit 2 JQ and portion 1 of Rooderand 46 JQ, will result in the

displacement of an unknown number of communal cattle farmers who employ livestock herders with

associated housing and kraal structures. This displacement/relocation is assessed in Section 7.3.23.



Earthworks Civil works Site management Transport systems Mineralised waste management and disposal

Site management Transport systems Open pit mining Mineralised waste management and disposal Non-mineralised waste management Water supply infrastructure Power supply infrastructure



Rating of impact

Severity / nature

Agricultural and residential land use

In the unmitigated scenario the severity of the impact on agricultural and residential land use is rated

as high for all phases of the project. In the mitigated scenario, the severity for agricultural and

informal residential land uses including the farmers on site can be reduced to low depending on the

outcome of the relocation programme committed to in the approved EIA/EMP (KP, 2007). With

sustainable site rehabilitation, parts of the project area could be restored to ensure it is suitable to be

used for agricultural and residential use (i.e. pre-mining land use) post mining. Even though some of

the waste rock dumps and tailings storage facility will remain in perpetuity, the severity is rated low in

the mitigated scenario as it will be possible to resume agricultural and residential activities on the

remainder of the site post closure.

Conservation and/or ecotourism

In the unmitigated scenario the severity of the impact on conservation and/or ecotourism land uses is

rated as high for all phases of the project. In the mitigated scenario, which will include mitigation

measures listed in other sections of this report, the severity of the potential impact on ecotourism

activities which existed in close proximity of the study area prior to the commencement of the project

for duration of the construction, operational and decommissioning phases, will be reduced to medium.

In the closure phase the severity will be reduced to low with mitigation. With sustainable site

rehabilitation, the project area, with the exclusion of the TSF and WRDs could be restored to a

functional land use. Depending on the restored land capability, it may also be possible to restore the



Page 7-75

land to accommodate non-dangerous game post mining, which in conjunction with the alternative

option for dangerous game proposed by PPM (see below), reduces the severity to low.

It should specifically be noted that when considering the HPC alignment proposed by the NWPTB

(Figure 2), the corridor for dangerous game will be completely obstructed by the infrastructure

approved in the 2007 EIA/EMP, specifically by the waste rock dump (WRD1) and tailings storage

facility. This scenario will remain unchanged with the proposed changes in infrastructure. In order to

mitigate this impact, it will be necessary to implement the alternative alignment put forward by PPM.

The alternative alignment put forward by PPM for the dangerous game corridor lies to the west, and

none of the Sedibelo operations would be located within this alignment. This will reduce the severity

in the mitigated scenario to low. In the absence of an alternative dangerous game corridor, the

severity in the mitigated scenario for the HPC future land use will remain high as although

rehabilitation of remaining infrastructure that promotes the establishment of biodiversity is possible,

the functionality of the corridor and potential movement of animals will be compromised by the

presence of these remaining rehabilitated facilities. It can therefore be argued that with mitigation,

which involves the establishment of the alternative dangerous game corridor put forward by PPM, the

severity can be reduced to low.

Duration


In the unmitigated scenario the impact on agricultural and residential conservation and ecotourism

land uses will extend beyond mine closure. With mitigation, the current land use impacts are

expected to be limited to the construction, operational and decommissioning phases.


In the unmitigated scenario the impact on conservation and/or ecotourism land uses will extend

beyond mine closure. With mitigation, which includes the establishment of the alternative dangerous

game corridor put forward by PPM, the current land use impacts are expected to be limited to the

construction, operational and decommissioning phases.

It should be noted that even with rehabilitation, in the absence of an alternative corridor for dangerous

game, in the mitigated scenario, the obstruction of the HPC dangerous game corridor will continue

into the closure and post closure phases.



Unmitigated, the spatial scale of impacts on agricultural and residential land use will extend beyond

the study area. This will also apply to future land uses when considering the presence of final land

forms within the dangerous game corridor. In the mitigated scenario the impact will be limited to site.



Page 7-76


In the unmitigated, the impact on conservation and/or ecotourism land uses will extend beyond the

study area. This will also apply to future conservation and/or ecotourism land uses when considering

the presence of final land forms within the dangerous game corridor put forward by the NWPTB. In

the mitigated scenario, which includes the establishment of the alternative dangerous game corridor

put forward by PPM, the impact will remain within the site and immediate surrounding area.

Consequence


For agricultural and residential land uses, the consequence is high in the unmitigated scenario,

reducing to low with mitigation in all phases.


For conservation and/or ecotourism land uses, the consequence is high in the unmitigated scenario,

reducing to medium to low with mitigation in all phases.

Probability


In the unmitigated scenario, where environmental and social impacts are uncontrolled, the probability

that agricultural and residential land uses will be impacted by mining is definite. With mitigation, the

probability reduces to low.


In the unmitigated scenario, where environmental and social impacts are uncontrolled, the probability

that conservation and/or ecotourism land uses will be impacted by mining is definite. It is furthermore

uncertain whether the Heritage Park Corridor project will proceed, including the extent to which the

alternative arrangement put forward by PPM would be accepted. Therefore with mitigation, the

probability is expected to reduce to medium.

Significance


The unmitigated significance is high for agricultural and residential land uses. With mitigation, the

significance reduces to low.


The unmitigated significance is high for conservation and/or ecotourism land uses. With mitigation,

the significance reduces to medium.

It should be noted that in the absence of the alternative corridor for dangerous game put forward by

PPM, the significance after mitigation would remain high. If this alternative alignment for the



Page 7-77

dangerous game corridor is implemented, Sedibelo’s impact on the Heritage Park Corridor put

forward by the NWPTB will be negligible.

Unmitigated – summary of the rated land use impact per phase of the project

MITIGATION SEVERITY DURATION SPATIAL SCALE CONSEQUENCE PROBABILITY OF


All phases

Unmitigated Agricultural and residential land use

H H M H H H

Unmitigated Conservation and/or ecotourism

H H M H H H

Mitigated – summary of the rated land use impact per phase of the project



All phases

Mitigated, Agricultural and residential land use

L M L L L L

All phases Mitigated – Conservation and/or ecotourism

M-L M M M-L M M

In the approved EIA/EMP, the unmitigated and mitigated scenarios for the duration of the pre-

construction, construction and operational phases were rated as having a moderate significance. Due

to the proposed establishment of the Heritage Park Corridor post rehabilitation, the impact on land

use was rated positive high for the closure phase in both the unmitigated and mitigated scenarios.



Objective

The objective of the mitigation measures is to prevent unacceptable and irreversible negative impacts

on agricultural, residential, conservation and/or ecotourism land uses.

Actions

Prior to the commencement of construction activities, Sedibelo will ensure the relocation of affected

parties (i.e. farmers, families and farm hands) and their movable assets as outlined in Section 7.3.23.

During the operational phase, Sedibelo will:

• undertake concurrent rehabilitation of areas no longer required for mining activities, including

the open pit, with a particular focus on establishing indigenous vegetation cover;



Page 7-78

• develop the rehabilitation and closure plan in close partnership with relevant specialists,

NWPTB, MKLM, BBKTA, surrounding land owners/users and surrounding communities to

ensure that impacts on the end land use are minimised as far as possible; and

• engage with the NWPTB regarding the HPC dangerous game corridor and an alternative

alignment.

During decommissioning all surface infrastructure will be removed, with the exception of the waste

rock dumps and tailings storage facility, and the entire site will be rehabilitated to land capabilities

agreed to by relevant stakeholders and in accordance with the approved closure plan.


None identified.

7.3.17 ISSUE: BLASTING IMPACTS

Introduction

Blasting activities have the potential to impact on people, animals and structures located near the

operation. Blast hazards include ground vibration, air blast, fly rock, blast fumes and dust. Ground

vibrations travel directly through the ground and have the potential to cause damage to surrounding

structures. Air blasts result from the pressure released during the blast resulting in an air pressure

pulse (wave), which travels away from the source and has the potential to damage surrounding

structures. Fly rock is the release of pieces of rock over a distance and can be harmful to people and

animals and damage structures and property. Blast air emissions caused by the explosion, are

potential significant nuisance factors.

The main activities that have the potential to cause blasting hazards are the open pit mining and the

establishment of the shaft portals during the construction phase. During the operational phase,

blasting will take place as part of the open pit and underground mining activities. Underground

blasting activities will be at a depth of approximately 150 to 600m below surface and are therefore not

expected to have a significant impact on surface. The assessment below has been divided into the

potential impacts that blasting has on humans and man-made infrastructure and the potential impacts

of blasting on fauna.

Air quality impacts are discussed in Section 7.3.12 and noise impacts in Section 7.3.13.



Earthworks Open pit mining Establishment of shaft portals

Open pit mining Demolition -



Page 7-79

Rating of impact

Severity / nature

Humans, domestic animals and man-made infrastructure

Potential blasting impacts associated with the open pit and surface blasts coupled with the

establishment of the shaft portals will be fly rock, ground vibration and air blasts. Blasting will take

place on a daily basis in the open pit for the duration of the construction and operational phases.

There are farm workers living on the Wilgespruit 2JQ farm and cattle herders on Rooderand 46JQ

farm, potentially within 500-1500m from the open pit. The southern boundary of the open pit will be

located approximately 2 500m to the northeast from the closest community, Ga-Rhapiri and the edge

of the Ngweding village lies approximately 4 000m to the northeast from the northern edge of the

open pit. A number of community boreholes are located within the Ga-Rhapiri community. Some of

these boreholes are currently being utilised for livestock and domestic purposes.

Blast injury to third parties and domestic animals may be caused by fly rock.

Blast damage to third party infrastructure may be caused by the following blast related occurrences:

• fly rock (that if unmanaged can be propelled up to 1 500m from the blast site);

• ground vibration where the peak particle velocity is above 12mm/s at low frequencies for brick

and mortar buildings that are well constructed and lower velocities (as low as 2mm/s) for buildings

of lower standard;

• air blasts greater than 125dB has the potential to damage structures, particularly those with

substandard quality. The limit for well-constructed brick and mortar buildings is 130dB.

If any damage or injury occurs it is considered to have a high severity in the unmitigated scenario,

which may be reduced to medium in the mitigated scenario because the potential for blast related

incidents is expected to decrease.

Fauna

There is the potential for ground vibration, air blast and noise to impact on animals within the PNP

and surrounding the Black Rhino Game Reserve (i.e. large herbivores and burrowing animals).

Discussions regarding the potential impacts of blasting on animals were held with a blasting expert

and a professor from the Zoology Department at the University of Pretoria.

The blasting expert cited the following three case studies:

• Hall, S, Fraser, J., Mellen, J. and Shephardson, D.J. (1998). “Response of Zoo Animals to Air

blast and Ground Vibration Resulting from Light Rail Train Construction,” Metro Washington Park

Zoo, Portland, Oregon, 1998.



Page 7-80

• Revey and Associates (Personal experience) White-tailed deer response to an open-air explosive

testing range at the Reynolds Plant of the former Atlas Powder Company in Tamaqua,

Pennsylvania.

• Revey and Associates (Personal experience) (2001-2006) Dairy cattle’s response to blasting at

County of Sonoma California Central Disposal Site in Petaluma, California.

The anecdotal observations of the above mentioned case studies was that there was no long term

health effects on these animals.

The results of the Zoology Department at the University of Pretoria discussions provided the following

insights:

• the problem of perceptions and reactions to the effects of blasting are complex;

• available studies have not typically followed scientific protocol;

• blasting may trigger a physical, physiological or chemical response or a combination of these

responses in animals;

• the variability and the degree of the response will depend on many factors; but ultimately the

response will be stressed;

• the triggered response as a result of stress in animals will be of an inflammatory nature;

• even with scientific study of the wild animals it would be difficult to determine the actual source of

an animal’s stress (i.e. tourists in the park, size and environmental conditions within the park,

mine noise and blasting, people living outside or within the park boundaries);

• animals living in a healthy environment will however recover easily from a stress episode;

• an animal in a stressed environment will react differently as its already suppressed immune

system will find it difficult to defend itself which will ultimately result in illnesses;

• the extent of the reaction and the ability to recover will depend on individual animals and their

environment; and

• ultimately, animals will get accustomed to these stressors, whether it is adaptive or maladaptive.

Due to a lack of definitive, scientific information as to whether blasting will cause stress in these

animals, SLR is unable to assess the severity of this impact on wild animals in the PNP and

surrounding the Black Rhino Game Reserve.

Duration


In the case of damage to structures this is reversible within the life of mine; however, in the case of

death or serious injury to people and animals the duration is long term.

Spatial scale




Page 7-81

Blast impacts may extend beyond the project site boundary in the unmitigated scenario. Table 84

below outlines the proximity of the open pit and shaft areas to third party infrastructure. A minimum

distance of 1 200m, 2 500m and 2 800m will separate the pit from the P50-1, Z536 roads and D511

respectively. Due to the distances of formal third party infrastructure and communities from the open

pit and shafts, it is not expected that blasting will have an impact on community safety and

infrastructure and the spatial extent in the mitigated scenario is limited to site.

TABLE 84: PROXIMITY OF STRUCTURES TO THE OPEN PIT AND SHAFT AREAS STRUCTURES WITHIN 100m STRUCTURES WITHIN 500m STRUCTURES WITHIN 1 000m OPEN PIT Livestock herders / crop farmers Livestock

Livestock herders / crop farmers Livestock

Livestock herders / crop farmers Livestock Powerlines Tuschenkomst pit boundary

SHAFTS AREAS Livestock herders / crop farmers Livestock

Livestock herders / crop farmers Livestock

Livestock herders / crop farmers Livestock Powerlines

Consequence


In the unmitigated scenario, the consequence of this potential impact is high and reduces to medium

in the mitigated scenario.

Probability


Without adequate controls, blast related impacts are likely to occur in the unmitigated scenario.

However, with mitigation and due to the distance of formal third party infrastructure and communities

from the open pit and shafts the probability will be reduced to low.

Significance


In the unmitigated scenario the significance is regarded as high and this reduces to low in the

mitigated scenario. This is applicable to humans, domestic animals and man-made infrastructure. No

assessment on the potential impact on wild animals in the PNP and surrounding the Black Rhino

lodges was possible due to a lack of scientific information.

Unmitigated – summary of the rated blasting impact per phase of the project




SIGNIFICANCE

Construction, Operational and Decommissioning Phases Unmitigated H H M H H H

Mitigated – summary of the rated blasting impact per phase of the project




SIGNIFICANCE



Page 7-82




SIGNIFICANCE

Construction, Operational and Decommissioning Phases Mitigated M H L M L L

In the approved EIA/EMP only vibration associated with blasting activities was assessed. The

unmitigated and mitigated scenarios for impacts associated with noise and vibration during of all the

phases of the project were rated as having a low significance.


Discussion of the conceptual management measures is provided below and tabulated in the EMP

(Section 19).

Objectives

The objective of the management measures is to prevent harm to people, animals and structures.

Actions

Sedibelo will implement a blast management plan which has the following key principles:

• identifying pre mining structures and conducting crack surveys of structures within the potential

impact zone;

• a peak particle velocity (PPV) and air blast at third party structures which is below the damage

causing threshold. As a general rule this is 12 mm/sec and 125dB respectively for structures that

have been built in accordance with relevant building standards and 2.0mm/sec and 130dB for

structures that have not been built in accordance with relevant building standards;

• for each blast, Sedibelo will observe the following procedural safety steps:

o the fly rock danger zone of 500m associated with each blast is delineated and people

and animals are cleared from this zone before every blast, including road users;

o an audible warning is given at least three minutes before the blast is fired;

o blast debris falling on the road surface could potentially damage these surfaces,

therefore debris must be cleared and the surface repaired as required;

• blast times will mainly be restricted to afternoons. No blasting will take place on public holidays

and weekends;

• fly rock will be contained to within 500m of the blast site;

• Sedibelo will respond immediately to any blast related complaints. These complaints and the

follow up actions will be dated, documented and kept as records for the life of mine.

• Where the mine has caused blast related damage it will provide appropriate compensation or fix

the damage within 24 hours;

• detailed blast records will be kept:

o date, time and blast location;

o unusual occurrences such as collapsing holes, runaway explosives, fumes, fly rock;

o prevailing weather conditions, wind speed and direction; and



Page 7-83

• monitoring will be conducted using industry standard seismographs (ground vibration and air blast

to be measured simultaneously). Seismographs will be positioned at selected sensitive receptors.

• the mine and environmental managers are responsible for implementing these actions before and

during the open cast mining activities


If a person or animal is injured by blasting activities this must be handled in accordance with the

emergency response procedure as documented in Section 20.

7.3.18 ISSUE: IMPACT ON TRAFFIC CAPACITY AND ROAD ACCESSIBILITY

Introduction

There are a number of transportation activities in all phases of the mine that have the potential to

impact on the existing road transportation infrastructure capacity and accessibility. The increase in

transportation activities during the construction and decommissioning phases will be temporary in

nature, while the operational activities will be of a long term nature. No impacts on road capacity and

road accessibility are expected in the closure phase.



Site preparation Earthworks Civil works Transport systems

Site management Transport systems Open pit mining

Demolition Site management Transport systems Earth works


Rating of impact

Severity / nature

Approximately 30 taxi, 32 bus, 42 private vehicle and eight truck trips per day are expected during the

construction phase. During the operational phase approximately 50 busses, 180 private vehicles, 40

taxi and 8 trucks are expected per day. Traffic is expected to significantly taper off during the

decommissioning phase and traffic during the closure phase is expected to be insignificant.

The open pit and underground operational phases were modelled by the traffic specialist. Given that

the operation phase presents the highest volume of mine traffic, the modelling represents a

conservative scenario.

Level of service (LOS) is a qualitative measure used to assess the quality of traffic service in

particular relating to traffic delays and inaccessibility to roads. According to modelling results, used to

determine the LOS as a result of the increase in operational traffic volumes associated with the mine

(including project changes) in the year 2022, the LOS at the various intersections will remain within



Page 7-84

the excellent “A” grade as defined in terms of traffic impact criteria. Given that less traffic is expected

during the construction and decommissioning phases, an “A” grade LOS is also expected during

these phases.

The mine (including project changes) will not result in any road closures, apart from the potential

temporary diversion of the D511 gravel road during the period it will be upgraded to a paved road. It

can therefore be deducted that the impact on traffic capacity and road accessibility will be moderate

during the construction, operational and decommissioning phases, in particular during peak traffic

events, without mitigation, which can be reduced to low with mitigation measures.

Duration

The impacts associated with road transport will persist for the duration of the project.


In all relevant phases, the impact will occur outside the site boundary.

Consequence

The consequence is medium in the unmitigated scenario. This is reduced to low with mitigation.

Probability

In the unmitigated scenarios the probability of road traffic delays and inaccessibility to roads is

medium, which is reduced to low with mitigation.

Significance

The unmitigated significance is medium. With mitigation this reduces to low.

Unmitigated – summary of the rated impact on road capacity and accessibility per phase of the project




SIGNIFICANCE

Construction, operational and decommissioning phases Unmitigated M M M M M M

Mitigated – summary of the rated impact on road capacity and accessibility per phase of the project




SIGNIFICANCE

Construction, operational and decommissioning phases Mitigated L M M L L L

In the approved EIA/EMP, the significance of the unmitigated impacts as a result of increased

pressure on transport infrastructure was rated as moderate during construction and high during the

operational phase. These were reduced to low with mitigated scenario. No assessment was

undertaken for the closure phase.



Page 7-85


Discussion of the conceptual management measures is provided below and tabulated in the EMP

(Section 19).

Objective

The objective is to minimise the impact on road transport infrastructure.

Actions

The following is proposed to upgrade the intersection at the P50-1 and D511 roads (Figure 2):

• south bound traffic along the D511 to be stop controlled at the intersection with the P50-1 (as

is the current practise);

• east and west bound traffic along the P50-1 will be free-flow (as is the current practise); and

• dedicated right and left turns to be established on the P50-1 for vehicles turning onto the

D511.

The following recommendations are made in terms of the detailed design phase:

• detailed design drawings should be submitted by the Roads Design Engineer of the project to

the relevant road authorities for approval purposes, and where necessary the required way

leaves should be obtained in order to conduct the required road improvements;

• detailed investigations should be conducted in conjunction with the relevant road authorities in

terms of the existing quality and potential life span of the existing road surface layers (asphalt

and gravel) where consumables and workers will be transported; and

• a road maintenance plan needs to be prepared in conjunction with the relevant road

authorities on public roads where trucks and buses will operate.


None identified.

7.3.19 ISSUE: TRAFFIC IMPACTS ON ROAD SAFETY

Introduction

There are a number of transportation activities in all phases of mine (including project changes) that

have the potential to impact on road safety. The increase in transportation activities during the

construction and decommissioning will be temporary in nature, while the operational activities will be

long term for the duration of the mining operations. No impacts are expected in the closure phase.



√ √ √ N/A

Site preparation Earthworks

Site management Transport systems

Demolition Site management

Maintenance and aftercare of final land forms and



Page 7-86


Civil works Transport systems

Open pit mining

Transport systems Earth works

rehabilitated areas

Rating of impact

Severity / nature

During the construction, operation and decommissioning phases, the use of the local road network,

increases in traffic volumes and change in traffic patterns can result in road safety concerns. It is

expected that employees and contractors will make use of public or own transport. It is furthermore

expected that contractors and employees residing at company accommodation on the Sedibelo

property will either make use of taxis or buses or alternatively walk. Employees or contractors walking

to work will result in an increase in pedestrians. Some employees residing in the local communities

may also opt to walk to work in order to save transport expenses, which will further increase the

number of pedestrians. Heavy trucks bringing raw materials to the mine are expected to use the

R510 and travel along the P50-1, while heavy trucks transporting product are expected to travel

eastwards along the P50-1 and north along the R510. These factors could potentially result in injury

and/or death to third parties.

The increase in traffic volumes as a result of employee transport associated with the mine will be

greater during the construction phase than during the operational and decommissioning phases due

to the number of contractors and employees on site. The increase in heavy vehicles will however be

greater during the operational phase with the delivery of heavy fuel oil and waste oil via road. This

impact could become even more pronounced when considering the cumulative impacts of current and

future developments in the area. Regardless of the traffic volumes, in the unmitigated scenario, the

severity of potential injury or death to a third party is high. With the implementation of traffic control

measures, the potential impact on road users and pedestrians will be reduced. Nevertheless, if an

accident occurs resulting in permanent injury or death, the severity will remain high in the mitigated

scenario for construction, operational and decommissioning phases.

Duration

With or without mitigation, in the context of this assessment and even though the risk of injury or

death of third parties will be for the duration of the mine, the duration of the potential impact may be

experienced post closure. Hence a high rating is assigned in the unmitigated and mitigated

scenarios.

Spatial scale

With or without mitigation, if someone is injured or dies, the impact (including secondary socio-

economic impacts) will extend beyond the project site regardless of the phase in which the potential

incident may occur. These types of accidents or incidents are also furthermore likely to occur off-site.



Page 7-87

Consequence

In both unmitigated and mitigated scenario the consequence of impacts is high for all assessed

phases due to the potential severity.

Probability

In the unmitigated scenario, the probability of severe injury or death of a third party is medium during

construction, operational and decommissioning phases. The implementation of management

measures to prevent injury or death to a third party will reduce the probability to low probability for all

phases.

Significance

The significance of this potential impact is high during the construction, operational and

decommissioning phases for the unmitigated scenario. With mitigation the significance is reduced to

a medium.

Unmitigated – summary of the rated impact on road safety

MITIGATION SEVERITY DURATION SPATIAL SCALE CONSEQUENCE PROBABILITY OF OCCURRENCE

SIGNIFICANCE

Construction, operational and decommissioning phases

Unmitigated H H M H M H

Mitigated – summary of the rated impact on road safety

MITIGATION SEVERITY DURATION SPATIAL SCALE CONSEQUENCE PROBABILITY OF OCCURRENCE

SIGNIFICANCE


Mitigated H H M H L M

In the approved EIA/EMP, the significance of the unmitigated impacts as a result of increased

pressure on transport infrastructure was rated as moderate during construction and high during the

operational phase. These were reduced to low with mitigated scenario. No assessment was

undertaken for the closure phase.

Conceptual description of mitigation measures Discussion of the conceptual management measures is provided below and tabulated in the EMP

(Section 19).

Objectives

The objective of the management measures is to prevent safety related traffic impacts as far as

possible and limit these impacts where they cannot be avoided.



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Actions

Sedibelo will implement the measures listed below during the construction phase in order to provide

safe access to the site for all phases. These measures will be maintained for the life of the mine:

• traffic and information signs and road markings will be provided where relevant;

• traffic calming measures will be implemented, including the establishment of speed humps in the

villages along the P50-1;

• implement a vehicle satellite tracking system in all mine vehicles to monitor the traveling activities,

including driving speed of mine vehicles;

• dedicated pedestrian routes will be identified and implemented;

• dedicated public transport loading and offloading area will be provided on the property;

• road traffic safety will be included in the general awareness training programmes for employees,

which includes contractors;

• evaluate the relevant intersections and road sections on a regular basis as part of the risk and

safety management process;

• mine and contractor vehicles to be inspected on a regular basis for roadworthiness;

• vehicles must use established access and haul roads;

• no off road driving will be allowed; and

• all drivers to adhere to the site speed limits

Should sections of the D511 be upgraded to paved road for mine access in the future, a dedicated

right turn lane for north bound traffic must be provided as part of the intersection layout.


Any road accident involving or caused by project related traffic will be handled in accordance with the

emergency procedures in Section 20.

SOCIO-ECONOMIC

In the broadest sense, all activities associated with the mine (including the project changes) will have

socio-economic impacts in all phases. Some of these are considered to be positive impacts and

others are considered to be negative impacts. Each impact is assessed separately below.

7.3.20 ISSUE: CONTRIBUTION TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY AS A RESULT OF EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Introduction

At this stage, it is envisaged that the construction workforce will be approximately 6,000 people.

Approximately 3860 permanent and 125 long term contractor jobs will be created during the

operational phase.



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The impact on economic development as a result of the mine and employment opportunities are

assessed in economic terms in Section 7.3.21.

Rating of impact

Severity / nature

Due to the high levels of poverty and unemployment in the area the significance of employment

opportunities during the construction and operational phase is significant. In addition to the direct job

creation an economic multiplier is expected from the increase in community spending power and

associated flow of money in the local economy. This in turn will increase the localised tax base.

Taken as a whole, this is considered to be a high positive severity in the mitigated and unmitigated

scenarios.

Duration

Employment opportunities will exist for the duration of life of mine, although it will peak during the

construction phase and will taper off towards the end of life of mine. The duration is therefore

regarded as medium in the unmitigated scenario. With adequate planning and alternative skills

training programmes this could be extended to beyond life of mine.


Ideally, employment opportunities should be predominantly provided to the local communities. As a

result of the multiplier effect the extent of the impact may extent to beyond the local communities.

The spatial scale is therefore rated as medium in the mitigated and unmitigated scenarios.

Consequence

In all applicable phases, the consequence of this potential impact is medium (positive) in the

unmitigated scenario. This could become high (positive) with mitigation.

Probability

In the unmitigated and mitigated scenarios, the creation of jobs is definite.

Significance

The significance of this potential impact is medium positive in the unmitigated scenario. This could be

enhanced to a high positive impact should employment opportunities be created beyond the life of

mine through alternative skills development programmes.

Unmitigated – summary of the impact on the local economy as a result of employment creation impact

per phase of the project






Page 7-90




Unmitigated H+ M M H M+

Mitigated – summary of the rated job creation impact per phase of the project




Mitigated H+ H M H H H+

In the approved EIA/EMP, the significance of the unmitigated impact in the construction and

operational phases was rated as positive moderate. This remained positive moderate in the mitigated

scenario for the duration of the construction phase but was enhanced to positive high for the duration

of the operational phase. In the closure phase the impact on unemployment were rated as a negative

moderate impact in the unmitigated and mitigated scenarios.


Conceptual mitigation measures are provided below and tabulated in the EMP in Section 19.

Objective

The objective of the mitigation measures is to enhance the benefits of long term job security and

employment opportunities.

Actions

Sedibelo will ensure the following with regards to recruitment, procurement and training:

• recruitment and procurement, by Sedibelo and its contractors, will be preferentially provided

to people in the communities where possible, that are closest to the proposed project. In

order to be in a position to achieve this, a skills register of people within the closest

communities will be maintained;

• no ad hoc hiring of temporary casual labour will be allowed. A sign clearly indicating that

there will be no recruitment at the construction site will be erected at the entrance to the site.

Also, a list of available temporary workers in the area will be drawn up and kept by Sedibelo

in the event that temporary labour is required;

• the precise number of job opportunities (permanent and temporary) will be made public

together with the required skills and qualifications. The duration of temporary work should be

clearly indicated and employees provided with regular reminders and revisions throughout the

employment period;

• good communication with all job seekers will be maintained throughout the recruitment

process. The process must be seen and understood to be fair and impartial by all involved;



Page 7-91

• urge people to get all their documents and certificates, including valid driving licenses, in

order prior to recruitment;

• notifying unsuccessful job seekers once the recruitment process is complete;

• disclose any social investment plans for the area that may lead to jobs; and

• investigate skills development opportunities and needs in preparation for mine closure to

sustain employees post mine closure.


None identified.

7.3.21 ISSUE: IMPACT ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Introduction

The development of the mine has the potential to impact on the economy both positively through

potential growth in the mining sector and negatively through the potential loss of existing economic

activities.

With regards to the potential impact on the economic viability of the eco-tourism ventures to the south

and south-west of the study area, it is expected that the mine would not have an impact on these

developments for the following reasons:

• the eco-tourism ventures are currently operatingwith existing mining developments in the

area; and

• it is expected that tourists and visitors to the Pilanesberg National Park in general would not

experience significant impacts from the mine. However tourists and visitors in the northern

wilderness section of the PNP may be aware of the development, particularly from a visual

perspective if looking north from the top of the hills associated with the wilderness section.

There is currently uncertainty over the feasibility of developing the conceptual Heritage Park Corridor

(HPC) as outlined in Section 1.3.1. While the vision of the HPC is alive and is being promoted by a

number of stakeholders with the NWPTB taking the lead in this initiative; there is uncertainty due to

the lack of investors in this project. Quantifying economic impacts on the HPC is therefore not

considered possible for this study. Therefore no comparative analysis is provided below. This does

not imply that potential impacts on the proposed HPC have not been acknowledged; In this regard

refer to the land use impacts (Section 7.3.16).

Rating of impact

Severity/nature

The amount of land potentially lost as a result of the project (approximately 1400 hectares) is

relatively small in agricultural terms, while the anticipated investment of approximately R5 billion and



Page 7-92

job creation of approximately 3 895 jobs associated with the operational phase of the mine (including

the project changes) is significant.

The following economic indicators were calculated:

• the total economic addition to land value by the mine is calculated as R2.4 billion after

amortisation over a 30 year period. The potential loss of the eco-agricultural land is

calculated at R119 million, thus giving a net positive R2.3 billion to the local economy. The

mine therefore adds more property value over an economic generation than the current land

use;

• the net gross domestic product (GDP) gain to the economy as a result of the mine amounts to

R7.3 billion (present value of GDP over life of mine); adding property values gained, the net

value to the economy amounts to R9.5 billion. It should be noted that a higher discount rate

was used for mining (20%) as it is inherently more risky than eco-agricultural (12%); and

• the net employment added to the economy is estimated at 3 322 jobs according to the

economic impact assessment (S4G, 2012). This is the net difference between mining jobs

created and potential eco-agricultural jobs lost. It was assumed that all eco-agricultural jobs

will be lost. This net employment was however understaded as the economic impact

assessment used an operation employment total of 3 500 instead of 3985. The net

employment, based on the 3 985 number of employees during the operational phase is

therefore 3 807.

It follows that without mitigation the economic contribution from the mine is high and the potential loss

to eco-agriculture is relatively low in comparison so the net impact severity is high positive. Without

mitigation the severity of the economic impact will be medium (positive). With mitigation, Sedibelo,

the BBKTA, and land users (current and potential future) should work together to increase the net

positive severity to high. This could include identifying alternative unutilised land for the continuation

of some of the affected farming and/or establish agricultural initiatives as well as taking future

potential land uses into consideration.

Duration

In the unmitigated scenario positive benefits will most likely only be achieved for the duration of the

life of mine. Without mitigation, negative economic impacts have the potential to extend beyond the

closure phase. With mitigation the following positive impacts associated with the operational phase

can endure into post closure phase:

• contributing to the establishment of a critical economic mass;

• benefits of wealth creation; and

• Better skilled workforce that will more easily find employment in the formal sector.



Page 7-93


In both the mitigated and unmitigated scenarios, the spatial scale is high because it will extend far

beyond the project site on a regional and national scale.

Consequence

The consequence is medium in the unmitigated scenario, which is increased to high with mitigation.

Probability

The probability is considered to be high in both the unmitigated and mitigated scenarios for all phases

until closure.

Significance

The significance has been rated as medium positive in the unmitigated and high positive in the

mitigated scenario for all phases until closure.

Unmitigated – summary of the rated impact on economic development per phase of the project



All phases

Unmitigated M+ M H M H M+

Mitigated – summary of the rated impact on economic development per phase of the project



All Phases

Mitigated H+ M H H H H+


operational phases was rated as positive moderate. This remained positive moderate in the mitigated

scenario for the duration of the construction phase but was enhanced to positive high for the duration

of the operational phase. In the closure phase the impact on economic development as a result of

retrenchments was rated as a negative high impact in the unmitigated and mitigated scenarios.


Conceptual mitigation measures are provided below and tabulated in the EMP (Section 19)

Objective:

The objective of the mitigation measures is to maximise the positive socio-economic benefits and

minimise negative socio-economic impacts.

Actions:

Sedibelo will ensure that:



Page 7-94

• it (and its contractors) hires local people from the closest communities where possible;

• it extends its formal bursary and skills development programmes to the closest communities

to increase the number of local skilled people and thereby increase the potential local

employee base;

• it procures local goods and services from the closest communities where possible;

• it implements a procurement mentorship programme which provides support to local business

from the enquiry to project delivery stages;

• where farming and/or livestock grazing land is lost to mining, the affected farmer(s) will be

provided with alternative suitable land by facilitating discussions with the State and the

BBKTA. If this is not feasible alternative compensation will be provided;

• it assists with the development of the conceptual Heritage Park Corridor initiative;

• it incorporates economic considerations into its closure planning from the outset and develops

the rehabilitation and closure plan in close partnership with relevant specialists, NWPTB,

MKLM, BBKTA, surrounding landowners/users, and surrounding communities to ensure that

impacts on the end land use are minimised as far as possible;

• that these closure planning considerations cover the skilling of employees for the

downscaling, early closure and long term closure scenarios; and

• it identifies and develops sustainable business opportunities and skills, independent from

mining, for members of the local communities to ensure continued economic prosperity

beyond the life of mine.


Not applicable

7.3.22 ISSUE: INWARD MIGRATION

Introduction

Mining projects tend to results in an expectation of employment in all phases prior to closure. This

expectation can lead to the influx of job seekers to an area which in turn increases pressure on

existing communities, housing, basic service delivery and raises concerns around safety and security.

This section focuses on the potential for the inward migration and associated social issues. Other

secondary impacts include social ills such as an increase in crime and the spread of diseases such as

HIV/AIDS.

Rating of impact

Severity / nature

The effects of inward migration can be significant. These effects could include, but not be limited to:

• potential establishment or expansion of informal settlements;



Page 7-95

• increased pressure on housing, water supply infrastructure, sanitation and waste

management systems and infrastructure, health care and community services and

infrastructure;

• potential for increased pressure on natural resources such as water, fauna, flora and soils;

• increase in crime;

• disruption of social structures; and

• spread of disease, most notably HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis.

In the unmitigated scenario, this impact severity has been rated as high in line with the precautionary

approach. It may be possible to mitigate this impact by managing expectations with regard to

employment and by limiting inward migration in cooperation with the relevant tribal and government

authorities.

Duration

In the normal course, social impacts associated with each phase of the mine will occur for the life of

the mine, but negative social issues associated with inward migration can continue beyond the

closure of the mine, particularly in the unmitigated scenario.


In both the unmitigated and mitigated scenarios, the impacts of inward migration could extend beyond

the project site and into surrounding communities.

Consequence

In the unmitigated scenario the consequence associated with inward migration is high. In the

mitigated scenario, the consequence is reduced to medium.

Probability

In the unmitigated scenario the probability of this impact occurring is considered to be definite. With

mitigation, impacts associated with inward migration are considered to be possible, but they are

unlikely to be completely eliminated.

Significance

In the unmitigated scenario, the significance of this potential impact is high. With mitigation this may

reduce to medium-high.

Unmitigated – summary of the rated inward migration impact per phase of the project




Unmitigated H H M H H H



Page 7-96

Mitigated – summary of the rated inward migration impact per phase of the project




Mitigated M H M H M-L M-H


operational phases was rated as moderate and high respectively. This was reduced to low for both

these two phase with mitigation. The closure phase was not assessed.



Objective

The objective of the mitigation measures is to limit inward migration and related social impacts.

Actions

Sedibelo will ensure the following with regards to recruitment, procurement and training:

• good communication with all job and procurement opportunity seekers will be maintained

throughout the recruitment process. The process must be seen and understood to be fair and

impartial by all involved. The personnel in charge of resolving recruitment and procurement

concerns must be clearly identified and accessible to potential applicants;

• the precise number of new job opportunities (permanent and temporary) and procurement

opportunities will be made public together with the required skills and qualifications. The

duration of temporary work will be clearly indicated and the relevant employees/contractors

provided with regular reminders and revisions throughout the temporary period;

• recruitment and procurement, by Sedibelo and its contractors, will be preferentially provided

to people in the communities where possible, that are closest to the proposed project. In

order to be in a position to achieve this, a skills register of people within the closest

communities will be maintained. Sedibelo will also preferentially provide bursaries and

training to people that reside in these closest communities; and

• there will be no recruitment or procurement at the gates of the proposed project. All

recruitment will take place off site, at designated locations in the closest communities. All

procurement will be through existing, established procurement and tendering processes that

will include mechanisms for empowering service providers from the closest communities.

Sedibelo will work with its neighbours, local authorities and law enforcement officials to monitor and

prevent the development of informal settlements near the study area and to assist where possible

with crime prevention in the surrounding area.



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Sedibelo will implement a health policy on HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. This policy will promote

education, awareness and disease management both in the workplace and in the home so that the

initiatives of the workplace have a positive impact on the communities from which employees are

recruited. Partnerships will be formed with local and provincial authorities to maximise the off-site

benefits of the policy.

Sedibelo will work closely with the local and regional authorities, the BBKTA and other mines/industry

in the area to be part of the problem solving process that needs to address social service constraints.

Sedibelo will implement a stakeholder communication, information sharing and grievance mechanism

to enable all stakeholders to engage with Sedibelo on both socio-economic and environmental issues.

In this regard, quarterly stakeholder meetings will be held with surrounding communities and IAPs.


The establishment of informal settlements in the area is considered an emergency situation.

Procedures outlined in Section 20 will be followed.

7.3.23 ISSUE: DISPLACEMENT/RELOCATION OF PEOPLE

Introduction Displacement may be either physical or economic. Physical displacement constitutes the actual

physical relocation of people resulting in a loss of homes, productive assets or access to productive

assets (such as land, water, grazing land, etc.). Economic displacement results from an action that

interrupts or eliminates people’s access to productive assets without physically relocating the people

themselves. Displacement has the potential to impact on the livelihoods and social and/or communal

structure of families and communities.

The development of the site on Wilgespruit 2 JQ and portion 1 of Rooderand 46 JQ, if approved, will

result in the displacement of an unknown number of communal cattle farmers who employ livestock

herders with associated housing and kraal structures. This could result in the potential loss of

income, which will affect the livelihoods of these communal farmers.

Sedibelo committed to the development and implementation of a relocation action plan in the

approved EIA/EMP (KP, 2007) (Section 1.3.1).

Rating of impact

Severity / nature

The development of this mine will necessitate the relocation of the affected livestock herders and

community members with ties to the arable and grazing lands. In the unmitigated scenario, the

negative impacts than can arise in this context are: loss of employment, loss of income sources

and/or production resources, loss of an aspect of their rural livelihood, weakening of social networks



Page 7-98

and social structures, loss of cultural identity, long term hardship and impoverishment. This is rated

as a high severity in the unmitigated scenario.

In the mitigated scenario this can be reduced to low depending on the outcome of the relocation

programme. With successful relocation, the people and infrastructure would be relocated to the

satisfaction of all stakeholders and such that the farmers and farm workers are in the same or better

position than present.

Duration

Although the impact will occur prior to the start of the mine, the negative impacts felt by the displaced

farmers, their families and farm hands in the unmitigated scenario could be long term. With mitigation

the duration can be reduced to low depending on the outcome of the relocation programme, even

though these individuals will most likely never occupy the original area post-mining.

Spatial scale

In unmitigated scenario, the impacts will be felt beyond the site boundary. This spatial scale cannot

be reduced in the mitigated scenario.

Consequence

In the unmitigated scenario the consequence is high, which is reduced to low with the successful

implementation of a relocation action plan.

Probability

In the unmitigated scenario the impact is definite. In the mitigated scenario where farmers (crop and

livestock) will be unable to carry out their farming activities as a direct result of the mining activities

(i.e. on the farm Wilgespruit 2 JQ) they will be relocated to equivalent land (i.e. access, proximity,

infrastructure, productivity) off site. This probability reduces to low with the successful implementation

of a relocation action plan.

Significance

In unmitigated scenario, the significance of this potential impact is high. With mitigation, the people

and property can be relocated to the satisfaction of all stakeholders and such that the farmers and

farm hands are in the same or better position than present. The severity, spatial scale, duration and

probability all reduce and the significance is therefore reduced to low.

Unmitigated – summary of the impact of relocation




Unmitigated H H M H H H



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Mitigated – summary of the impact of relocation




Mitigated L L M L L L

In the approved EIA/EMP the significance of the impact on the loss of agricultural land as a result of

relocation was assessed in for the pre-construction phase. In the unmitigated scenario the severity

rating was moderate, which was reduced to low with mitigation.

Conceptual description of proposed mitigation measures Conceptual mitigation measures are provided below and tabulated in the EMP in Section 19.

Objective

The objective of the mitigation measures is to develop and implement a community specific

resettlement action plan that will ensure that the affected parties are resettled in the same if not better

circumstances than they are in currently.

Actions

The process of relocating the affected individuals will be primarily driven by the mine. If approved and

the affected cattle herders are to be resettled there are two scenarios that will apply:

• in the case that the BBKTA takes responsibility for the resettlement action plan then the mine

has no further responsibility and the mitigation measures outlined below do not apply;

however

• in the scenario where the BBKTA does not take responsibility for the resettlement action plan

then the mine, will implement the mitigation measures indicated below.

If the mine is responsible for implementing a relocation plan, the following will apply:

• the mine will appoint a resettlement professional to design and implement a resettlement

action plan;

• prior to the design of this plan the responsible party will carry out a social survey and census

of the affected site to determine the number of people and livestock and to identify all

associated infrastructure;

• the resettlement will take place prior to the components of the operational phase that will

necessitate resettlement and the plan must cover the relevant components from the following

list, which has been extracted from the World Bank Operational Directive on Involuntary

Resettlement. The decision on which components to include in the plan will be made by the

appointed professional:

o clear statement on organisational responsibilities with mechanisms for the affected

parties to be involved from the outset with their own professional representation;



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o community participation and impacts on/integration with host populations;

o an updated socio-economic survey;

o a legal framework;

o alternative sites;

o valuation of and compensation for lost income and assets;

o land tenure, acquisition and transfer;

o access to training, employment and credit;

o shelter, infrastructure and social services;

o environmental protection and management;

o implementation schedule, monitoring and evaluation; and

• establish a relocation committee, comprising representatives from the mine, DRDLD BBKTA

and MKLM to monitor the relocation process.

If the BBKTA takes responsibility for the development and implementation of the relocation plan,

the mine will monitor the process to ensure is it is line with acceptable standards and

requirements.


None identified.

7.4 DEFINITION OF CRITERIA USED

Both the criteria used to assess the impacts and the method of determining the significance of the

impacts is outlined in Table 85. This method complies with the method provided in the EIA guideline

document. Part A provides the approach for determining impact consequence (combining severity /

nature, spatial scale and duration) and impact significance (the overall rating of the impact). Impact

consequence and significance are determined from Part B and C. The interpretation of the impact

significance is given in Part D. The unmitigated scenario is considered for each impact.

7.5 PHASES AND TIMEFRAMES OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS

An indication of the phases in which impacts could occur is included in Section 7.3. This section also

provides an indication of the duration of potential impacts. Potential impacts associated with the

project have the potential to occur in almost all project phases and on a continuous basis if

unmitigated. With the implementation of the mitigation as presented in Section 19, the monitoring

programmes as presented in Section 21 and the emergency response procedures as presented in

Section 20 the timeframe of potential impacts will be reduced.



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TABLE 85: CRITERIA FOR ASSESSING IMPACTS PART A: DEFINITION AND CRITERIA Definition of SIGNIFICANCE Significance = consequence x probability Definition of CONSEQUENCE Consequence is a function of severity / nature, spatial extent and

duration Criteria for ranking of the SEVERITY/NATURE of environmental impacts

H Substantial deterioration (death, illness or injury). Recommended level will often be violated. Vigorous community action. Irreplaceable loss of resources.

M Moderate/ measurable deterioration (discomfort). Recommended level will occasionally be violated. Widespread complaints. Noticeable loss of resources.

L Minor deterioration (nuisance or minor deterioration). Change not measurable/ will remain in the current range. Recommended level will never be violated. Sporadic complaints. Limited loss of resources.

L+ Minor improvement. Change not measurable/ will remain in the current range. Recommended level will never be violated. Sporadic complaints.

M+ Moderate improvement. Will be within or better than the recommended level. No observed reaction.

H+ Substantial improvement. Will be within or better than the recommended level. Favourable publicity.

Criteria for ranking the DURATION of impacts

L Quickly reversible. Less than the project life. Short term M Reversible over time. Life of the project. Medium term H Permanent. Beyond closure. Long term.

Criteria for ranking the SPATIAL SCALE/ EXTENT of impacts

L Localised - Within the site boundary. M Fairly widespread – Beyond the site boundary. Local H Widespread – Far beyond site boundary. Regional/ national

PART B: DETERMINING CONSEQUENCE SEVERITY / NATURE = L

DURATION Long term H Medium Medium Medium Medium term M Low Low Medium Short term L Low Low Medium

SEVERITY / NATURE = M DURATION Long term H Medium High High Medium term M Medium Medium High Short term L Low Medium Medium

SEVERITY / NATURE = H DURATION Long term H High High High Medium term M Medium Medium High Short term L Medium Medium High L M H SPATIAL SCALE / EXTENT

PART C: DETERMINING SIGNIFICANCE PROBABILITY (of exposure to impacts)

Definite/ Continuous H Medium Medium High Possible/ frequent M Medium Medium High Unlikely/ seldom L Low Low Medium

L M H CONSEQUENCE

PART D: INTERPRETATION OF SIGNIFICANCE Significance Decision guideline High It would influence the decision regardless of any possible mitigation. Medium It should have an influence on the decision unless it is mitigated. Low It will not have an influence on the decision.

*H = high, M= medium and L= low and + denotes a positive impact.



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7.6 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS

The impacts associated with the Sedibelo mine (including the project changes) as a stand-alone entity

has been assessed in the previous sections.

Sedibelo, PPM (Tuschenkomst mining operations) and Magazynskraal are three separate mining

operations, and each of these operations undertook individual mining right and EIA authorisation

processes. As SLR has access to the EIA and specialist investigations which were commissioned in

support of these individual EIA processes, an off-site assessment of the anticipated impacts was

undertaken from a cumulative off-site perspective of all three entities. It is furthermore expected that

these three operations will jointly be the most significant contributors when considering cumulative

impacts in comparison to other land uses, including other smaller neighbouring mining operations in

the larger project site.

In addition to the above, there are discussions underway to combine the three separate mining

operations of Sedibelo, PPM and Magazynskraal into a single operation in future (referred to as the

combined projects). This will provide an opportunity to reduce the overall footprint through the

sharing of surface infrastructure where practical and feasible (i.e. WRDs, TSFs and plants). The

potential cumulative impacts considered below address the combined project option for Sedibelo,

PPM and Magazynskraal. The mitigated scenarios discussed below assume that the PPM and the

Magazynskraal mines apply similar mitigation principles as will be adopted by Sedibelo.

It should be noted that the Sedibelo and PPM operations are approved, with PPM in its operational

phase. Sedibelo is in its initial stages of construction. As such, some of the infrastructure associated

with the Sedibelo and PPM operations is in fact already approved. The sections below should

therefore be read in the context of the figures showing approved and planned infrastructure (Figure 26

and Figure 27) for the PPM, Sedibelo and Magazynskraal operations.



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FIGURE 26: APPROVED INFRASTRUCTURE AND SURROUNDING LAND USES



Page 7-104

FIGURE 27: PROPOSED INFRASTRUCTURE AND SURROUNDING LAND USES



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7.6.1 LOSS AND STERILISATION OF MINERAL RESOURCES

Mineral resource related losses could occur through poor planning and the placement of infrastructure

and activities above or in close proximity to mineable ore bodies or by disposing of mineral resources

onto mineralised waste facilities in a way that they cannot be accessed in future. These mineral

losses will occur through all project phases.

Compared to the Sedibelo impacts, the combined projects could result in mineral resources being

sterilised and/or lost over a wider geographical area and over a longer period of time. This will have a

high consequence.

In the mitigated scenario planning and co-ordination between the relevant stakeholders will assist in

preventing the unacceptable sterilisation of resources. In addition, processes are in place to remove

minerals prior to deposition on the TSF, and as a second measure there is always the option to

reprocess the TSF in future. Chrome recovery operations which extract chrome resources from the

UG2 tailings streams during favourable market conditions, could also be considered.

7.6.2 HAZARDOUS STRUCTURES/EXCAVATIONS/SURFACE SUBSIDENCE

Hazardous excavations and infrastructure include all structures into or off which third parties and

animals can fall and be harmed, i.e. foundations, scaffolding, open pits, shaft headgear, waste rock

dumps etc. Also included in this category are facilities that can fail, such as water storage dams and

tailings storage facilities. Hazardous excavations and infrastructure will be present on all three project

sites and will occur in all phases of the development from construction through operation to

decommissioning and closure. Surface subsidence can occur if insufficient support is left behind in

shallow underground mining. Slope failure can occur on the WRDs, TSFs or the partially flooded pit if

the angle of repose of the side walls has not been engineered correctly.

In the unmitigated scenario, there would be a number of hazardous structures and excavations at all

three project sites that could pose significant risks of injury and/or death to both animals and third

parties. With the implementation of mitigation measures, as discussed in Section 7.3.2, these risks

can be managed.

7.6.3 LOSS OF SOIL RESOURCES AND LAND CAPABILITY THROUGH PHYSICAL DISTURBANCE

There are a number of activities and infrastructure in all phases that have the potential to disturb soils

and related land capability through removal, compaction and/or erosion. The proposed surface

infrastructure associated with the three project sites will disturb an area of approximately 2 000ha.

Any soils that remain beneath the permanent landforms, i.e. TSFs and WRDs, or are disturbed as

part of PPM’s proposed extension of the flooded Tuschenkomst pit will be a lost resource and the

associated land capability will be permanently altered.



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In the unmitigated scenario, physical soil disturbance can result in a loss of soil functionality as well as

a loss of soil resources in the case of erosion. When considered cumulatively for all three project

sites, the loss of soil resources as a result of physical disturbance and the subsequent impacts on

land capability is considered to be significant.

In the mitigated scenario, soils can be conserved and reused to establish land capabilities as

discussed in Section 7.3.4. This does not apply to the soils that will remain under the TSFs and

WRDs or that will be disturbed as part of the pit extension, as well as the associated land capability of

those areas.

7.6.4 LOSS OF SOIL RESOURCES AND LAND CAPABILITY THROUGH POLLUTION

The proposed projects have the potential to damage soil resources through contamination. If soil

resources are lost and/or damaged through contamination, the land capability of the area will be

compromised. When considering the three project sites, the number of potential pollution sources

increases and therefore the potential impact increases in magnitude.

In the unmitigated scenario, there would be a number of potential pollution sources at all three project

sites that could damage soil resources through contamination which would result in a significant loss

of soil resources.

In the mitigated scenario, as discussed in Section 7.3.3, emphasis will be placed on preventing

pollution events and on quick and effective remediation if pollution events do occur.

7.6.5 LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY THROUGH DESTRUCTION, DISTURBANCE OR THROUGH THE LOSS OF

ECOLOGICAL DRIVERS

The three proposed d projects are located in areas that have both habitat and species richness. In

this context species richness refers to both flora and fauna species. Some evidence of anthropogenic

activities was discernible in both the Wilgespruit and Lesele Rivers, although the Lesele River is less

impacted upon. The following areas of national and local conservation significance were identified by

the biodiversity specialist:

• nationally protected areas, which include wetlands and associated riparian areas and buffer


• Nationally Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Areas (NFEPAs). In terms of water resources, the

section of the Bofule (Category B-Largely Natural), emanating from the Pilanesberg is ranked as

a Level 1 NFEPA, and is therefore regarded as ecologically important and generally sensitive to

changes in water quality and quantity;



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• Mining and Biodiversity Guidelines (2013). Some components of the proposed projects are

located in areas classified as Highest Biodiversity Importance and Risk for Mining and High

Biodiversity Importance and Risk for Mining as indicated in Figure 28.

The cumulative biodiversity assessment focusses on the following broad issues: physical destruction

of biodiversity and related functions, the reduction of water resources as an ecological driver and

general disturbances to biodiversity such as pollution, noise and lighting.


There are a number of activities and infrastructure related to all three project sites that have the

potential to destroy biodiversity in the broadest sense during all phases. When considering the three

project sites, the cumulative footprint of the operations has the potential to damage the ecological

functionality of a significant amount of land, some of which has been rated as having high species

diversity and habitat richness. Impacts associated with the physical destruction of biodiversity as a

result of the three projects include the following:





When collectively considering the above impacts, the potential impacts associated with the three

project sites would be similar to those discussed in Section 7.3.5, however the magnitude of the

potential impacts would be greater in the unmitigated scenario.

In the mitigated scenario, the applicant companies would implement a biodiversity action plan. It

would be preferable if one biodiversity action plan was developed for all three operations to ensure

continuity and that the NWPTB and relevant communities are involved in the development and

implementation of the plan. This will enable a co-ordinated approach to biodiversity conservation and

the re-establishment of ecological functionality through rehabilitation and restoration. This is

particularly important in the context of the proposed Heritage Park Corridor.

In should also be noted that in the mitigated scenario, although correct management and

implementation of mitigation measures can address some of the impacts to varying degrees, some

sensitive habitats such as the Red Pilanesberg Wash and riparian zones will be permanently

destroyed, impacting on several species of conservation importance, in particular the Giant Bullfrog.

Loss of biodiversity through the loss of water as an ecological driver


key ecological drivers for the rivers located within the combined study area, which are semi-

ephemeral in nature. Impacts associated with the loss of water resources as an ecological driver as a

result of the three projects relates to changes in hydrology (water inputs, retention patterns and



Page 7-108

distribution), including the potential ecological impact on the groundwater supplying the endorheic

pans (springs and pannetjies) within the north western boundary of the Pilanesberg National Park,

similar to what is discussed in Section 7.3.6.

Thee impacts which could result from the three projects could have a high significance in the

unmitigated scenario. With mitigation measures, similar to measures included in Section 7.3.6., the

impact can be prevented or mitigated.

Loss of biodiversity through disturbance

There are various activities/infrastructure associated with the three proposed projects that have the

potential to directly disturb vegetation, vertebrates and invertebrates in all project phases, particularly

in the unmitigated scenario. These typically include lighting, noise, vibration, vehicle movement and

litter as well as soil, air and water pollution. Impacts associated with blasting are discussed in Section

7.6.15. In the construction and decommissioning phases these activities are temporary in nature,

usually existing for a few weeks to a few months. The operational phase will present more long term

occurrences and the closure phase will present final land forms such as the TSF and WRDs that may

have long term pollution and disturbance potential.

These disturbances could have a high significance in the unmitigated scenario. In the mitigated

scenario, many of these disturbances can be prevented or mitigated.



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FIGURE 28: PROPOSED INFRASTRUCTURE AND BIODIVERSITY GUIDELINES



Page 7-110

7.6.6 POLLUTION OF SURFACE WATER RESOURCES

There are a number of pollution sources at the mine that have the potential to pollute surface water,

particularly in the unmitigated scenario. Surface water may collect contaminants such as

hydrocarbons, salts, and metals from numerous sources. At elevated concentrations these

contaminants can be harmful to humans and livestock if ingested directly and possibly even indirectly

through contaminated vegetation, vertebrates and invertebrates (impacts on biodiversity have been

assessed above and are not included in this discussion). In addition, polluted surface water has the

potential to pollute near surface water. This issue is addressed in Section 7.6.9.

In the unmitigated scenario, the number of potential pollution sources from all three project sites is

substantial. As a result, it is expected that the magnitude of the impacts would increase and

contamination levels could be elevated in some areas.

In the mitigated scenario, clean water will be diverted away from disturbed areas and contaminated

runoff and process water will be contained and re-used. In addition, all infrastructure associated with

the three project sites will be constructed, operated and maintained so as to comply with the

provisions of the National Water Act (36 of 1998) and Regulation 704 (4 June 1999) or any future

amendments thereto.

The applicant companies will also ensure that all mineralised wastes and non-mineralised wastes are

managed in a manner that they do not pollute surface water, including in the post closure scenario.

7.6.7 ALTERATION OF SURFACE DRAINAGE PATTERNS

Natural drainage across the project sites is via sheet flow and/or non-perennial tributaries. There are

a number of activities and infrastructures associated with the three projects which will alter drainage

patterns by reducing the volume of run-off into the downstream catchments. Rainfall and surface

water run-off will be collected in all areas that have been designed with water containment

infrastructure. In addition, as part of the proposed PPM pit extension and pit flooding projects it is

planned that the Wilgespruit be diverted into the Tuschenkomst pit at the end of operations. It should

be noted that there are settlements and other mining operations in the upper reaches of the Bofule

and Wilgespruit tributaries prior to these rivers flowing through the project sites.

In the unmitigated scenario, the collected rainfall and surface water run-off from all three project sites

will be lost to the catchment and can result in the alteration of drainage patterns. The proposed

diversion of the Wilgespruit into the Tuschenkomst pit would also result in a loss to the catchment.

In the mitigated scenario, the applicant companies will ensure that the size of dirty areas is minimised

and clean run-off and rainfall water is diverted around dirty areas and back into its normal flow in the

environment. With regards to the proposed diversion of the Wilgespruit into the Tuschenkomst pit it is

planned that the flow of the Wilgespruit would be simulated by a release of water of suitable quality



Page 7-111

(treated if necessary) from the Tuschenkomst flooded pit into the section of the Wilgespruit

downstream of the pit, however it is yet to be seen if this will be successful. A combined storm water

management plan should be developed for the PPM, Sedibelo and Magazynskraal operations as the

sites and river systems thereon are closely connected.

7.6.8 REDUCTION IN GROUNDWATER LEVELS / AVAILABILITY

This section should be read in conjunction with Figure 29 (Cumulative ROI) below and only considers

impacts on third parties and the springs (Pilanesberg Springs) located within the Pilanesberg National

Park.

The area is underlain by a shallow and weathered aquifer as well as a deeper, intact fractured

bedrock aquifer. The shallow and weathered aquifer is an important water zone for third parties

(AGES, 2011) where boreholes pump the ground water to surface to be used by third parties and

livestock in the area. Biodiversity related uses are discussed in Section 7.6.5 and are not addressed

below.

It will be necessary to dewater the underground mine workings at the Magazynskraal operation, and

the open pits at the PPM and Sedibelo operations (i.e. when the depth of the pits pass below the

natural water table). This dewatering is to ensure safe working conditions.

In the study undertaken by AGES (2013) the cumulative dewatering scenario was modelled.

According to this modelling, a radius of influence (ROI) is associated with the mine dewatering during

life of the mines and could impact neighbouring groundwater users. The simulated cumulative radius

of influence indicates potential drawdown levels of between 50 and 500m extending up to 12km from

the centre of the draw down cone.

The natural water levels are expected to be restored post closure and the underground operations will

flood with time, given that groundwater flow is not completely sealed off during the mining process.

However, according to AGES, the proposed flooding of the PPM Tuschenkomst pit may limit the post

operational rebounding (+50 years) of groundwater levels in the vicinity of the backfilled Sedibelo

open pit and associated underground mines. The partial flooding of the PPM Tuschenkomst pit could

prevent the water levels of the Sedibelo operations rebounding fully. Such that levels may only

rebound to between 10m and 20m below the pre-mining water level at the open pit and approximately

2m to 7m at the central underground mine.

There is therefore the possibility that water levels in third party boreholes could be lowered

significantly within the cone of depression. This will be significant given the reliance of people and

livestock in the area on water from these boreholes. Should the combined projects not mitigate this

impact its significance will be high, but if this impact is mitigated, the potential significance should be



Page 7-112

low. Key to this is the supply of alternative water where dewatering has caused a loss in water

supply.

7.6.9 CONTAMINATION OF GROUNDWATER

There are a number of sources at all three project sites that have the potential to pollute groundwater.

Some of these sources may be temporary in nature while others (such as the TSFs and WRDs) have

the potential for long term seepage. Broadly speaking, two types of pollution sources are considered.

The one type is diffuse pollution which includes ad hoc spills and discharges of polluting substances.

The other type is point source pollution which includes more long term pollution associated with

sources such as the TSFs and WRDs. Geochemical results indicate that there is no material risk of

acid mine drainage but there is potential for groundwater contamination associated with the proposed

TSFs and WRDs.

In the unmanaged scenario, this contamination has potential to influence third party boreholes and

surrounding water resources. Considering all three project sites would have both diffuse and point

pollution sources, including TSFs and WRDs, it is expected that the magnitude of the impact would

increase and contamination levels could be elevated in some areas where the zone of influence from

neighbouring operations could overlap.

In the mitigated scenario, management measures such as those included in Section 7.3.11 will be

implemented by the applicant companies to minimise the pollution of groundwater resources.



Page 7-113

FIGURE 29: CUMULATIVE DEWATERING CONE IMPACTS



Page 7-114

7.6.10 AIR POLLUTION

The main contaminants likely to be associated with the combined projects include inhalable

particulate matter smaller than 10 micrometres in size (PM10), larger total suspended particulates

(TSP) that relate to dust fallout, and gas emissions mainly from vehicles. These may be applicable to

all phases. At certain concentrations, each of these contaminants can have health and/or nuisance

impacts.

In the unmitigated scenario the number of potential pollution sources from all three project sites is

significant. As a result, it is expected that the magnitude of the impact would increase and

contamination levels could be elevated in some areas where the zone of influence from neighbouring

operations could overlap.

With the implementation of mitigation measures similar to that outlined in Section 7.3.12 the impact

will be reduced. The cumulative air quality impact assessment (Airshed, 2013) for the combined

projects predicts that dust fallout and annual average PM10 concentrations will not exceed the

indicated limits in the mitigated scenario (Table 86). There will however be exceedances of the daily

standards at some receptors.

TABLE 86: PREDICTED MITIGATED CONCENTRATIONS AT SENSITIVE RECEPTOR LOCATIONS Location Dustfall (mg/m²/day) PM10 Location Dustfall in mg/m².day (SA

Residential Limit - 600 mg/m²/day)

Annual Average (μg/m³) - SA NAAQS 40 μg/m²

Frequency of Exceedance of SA Daily NAAQS of 75 μg/m³

Vlakplaas 3 6 6 Kameelboom 21 9 8 Ntwana le Metsing 48 19 36 Magalane 1 15 26 Farmers 1 7 12 Malorwe 9 9 10 Mothlabe 45 16 22 Ngweding 141 26 51 Lesobeng 111 10 15 Makgope 4 8 7 Black Rhino 19 6 3 Legkraal 51 6 1 Lesethleng 10 3 2

It is therefore recommended that the applicant companies establish a PM10 monitoring station at a

selection of communities in consultation with a suitably qualified air specialist. Results from these

monitoring stations should be used to evaluate the effectiveness of each mine’s mitigation measures

and where necessary these need to be revisited.

7.6.11 DISTURBING AMBIENT NOISE

The combined projects include noise generating activities that could increase ambient noise levels

and result in noise disturbance and noise nuisance impact. The three project sites present the



Page 7-115

possibility of generating both types of noise in the project phases prior to closure. It should be noted

that some receptors are more sensitive than others, particularly the eco-tourism ventures located to

the south and south-west of the three project sites. In this regard, any increase in noise levels could

be noticeable and could impact on current land uses.

In the unmitigated scenario, the cumulative noise impacts associated with the three project sites is

expected to be significant, particularly from the perspective of the eco-tourism ventures located to the

south and south-east of the project sites. Land users within and immediately adjacent to the three

project sites may experience significant (> 5dBA) increases in ambient noise levels. With mitigation,

noise impacts can be reduced to some extent by implementing noise attenuation measures. The

applicant companies will need to monitor noise levels and act accordingly should levels exceed the

evaluation criteria stipulated in the SANS guidelines (SANS10103, 2008). Nuisance noise is more

difficult to mitigate and this impact may remain of high

7.6.12 NEGATIVE LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACTS

The visual landscape is determined by considering: landscape character, sense of place, scenic

quality, sensitivity of the visual resource and sensitive views. In this regard, the project sites are

considered to have a moderate value as they have been disturbed by anthropogenic activities.

However when considering the wider area which includes the ‘untouched’ hills, the value is

considered to be moderate to high. Views of the project sites will be from the surrounding

communities and public roads as well as the eco-tourism ventures located to the south and south-

west.

In the unmitigated scenario, the combined negative visual impacts associated with the three project

sites is expected to be significant, particularly from the perspective of the eco-tourism ventures

located to the south and south-west of the project sites as they are considered to be sensitive

receptors. This statement is supported by the fact that this is the only stakeholder group who have

raised concerns about visual impacts (refer to the comments and response report in Appendix D).

With mitigation, negative visual impacts can be reduced to some extent by using berms, vegetation

screens, light shading and good practise. However, tourists and people visiting the eco-tourism

ventures will have elevated views of the project sites as a result of the hills associated with the

northern section of the Pilanesberg National Park. Therefore the negative visual impacts are

expected to remain of high significance for this group of stakeholders.

7.6.13 DISTURBANCE OF HERITAGE (INCLUDING CULTURAL) RESOURCES

Heritage resources include sites of archaeological, cultural or historical importance. There are a

number of activities and infrastructure related to all three project sites that have the potential to



Page 7-116

damage heritage (including cultural) resources and result in the loss of the resource for future

generations.

No cumulative impacts resulting from the three projects have been identified.

7.6.14 LOSS OF PALEONTOLOGICAL RESOURCES

The combined projects are underlain by Precambrian rocks that are of igneous origin. It is highly

unlikely that fossils will be present in such rock types. Therefore no impacts, including cumulative

impacts are expected.

7.6.15 BLASTING HAZARDS

Blasting hazards relate to fly rock, ground vibrations and air blasts. Fly rock has the potential to injure

third parties and animals. There is also the potential for damage to third party infrastructure through

fly rock, ground vibrations, and/or significant air blasts. The blast related impacts are most pertinent

for surface and near surface blasts. In this regard, this discussion focuses on open pit mining

associated with the PPM and Sedibelo operations, and the blasting required for the establishment of

shafts at Sedibelo and Magazynskraal.

Discussions regarding the potential impacts of blasting on animals were held with a blasting expert

and a professor from the Zoology Department at the University of Pretoria. However, due to a lack of

definitive, scientific information as to whether blasting will cause stress in these animals, SLR was

unable to assess the impact on wild animals in the PNP and surrounding the Black Rhino Game

Reserve.

In the unmitigated scenario, blasts can impact on people, livestock, fauna and structures within and

adjacent to the three project sites, as well as public roads and road users in the case of the proposed

PPM pit extension.

With mitigation, blasts can be designed to reduce the number of recommended level violations.

Generally speaking, blast related impacts are not expected to extend more than 2km from the area

where the blast takes place. It is recommended that the applicant companies schedule the blasts at

each operation to minimise impacts. If necessary, this should be done in consultation with an

appropriately qualified specialist.

7.6.16 TRAFFIC IMPACTS

The key potential traffic impacts relate to road capacity and public safety. The specialist is of the

opinion that mine-related traffic from the three project sites would have a manageable impact on the

relevant road network in terms of roads capacity and safety. As part of EIA and EMP that is currently



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underway for PPM’s proposed expansion of the Tuschenkomst pit, it is proposed that the P50-1 road

will be diverted immediately to the south of the proposed pit expansion on Portion 1 the farm

Rooderand 46 JQ (refer to Route D-4 in Appendix N).

In the unmitigated scenario, the increase in mine related traffic from the three project sites could result

in increased safety risks (in terms of injury and death) to pedestrians and animals in the area as well

as other road users. It is also likely that the increased traffic from the three project sites will contribute

to the poor condition of the roads in the area.

In the mitigated scenario, the specialist has recommended a number of mitigation measures be

implemented as part of the three projects (see Appendix N) and the relevant affected roads are

maintained to an acceptable standard to ensure the transport of workers, consumables, mined

products and the overall use by commuters. In this regard, it is recommended that the applicant

companies engage with the relevant authorities (i.e. the Moses Kotane Local Municipality and the

North West Department of Roads, Transport and Community Safety) and encourage them to establish

a joint initiative with all the mining operations in the area to maintain and/or upgrade the affected

roads.

7.6.17 ECONOMIC IMPACTS

The cumulative impact of the three projects will have a significant net positive impact on the provincial

and national economy. It is expected that the cumulative economic impacts associated with the

projects will occur for a minimum of 40 years. Linked to this is the effect of the three operations on

surrounding land uses. In this regard, the potential loss of the contribution to the provincial and

national economy from agriculture and tourism is relatively low in comparison. It is however noted

that certain endeavours, such as the proposed hotel site at Black Rhino Game Reserve, may be less

feasible in the medium term as a result of the current and proposed mining operations north of the

Pilanesberg National Park. In this regard, it must also be noted that the current Black Rhino

operations continue to function in the context of the existing mining activities in the area.

When considering the three projects and related job creation opportunities the impacts are potentially

significant in that:

• in the case of the Sedibelo an estimated 6 000 construction jobs of varying lengths and 3860

permanent and 125 long term contractor jobs will be created during the operational phase;

• the 1 628 staff employed at PPM (386 permanent, and 1 242 contract) will retain their jobs for

the additional six years life of mine; and

• Approximately 2 500 temporary employment opportunities will be created during the

construction phase and a further 2 800 jobs will be created during the operational phase for

the Magazynskraal project.



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Without mitigation the economic contribution from the three projects is significant and the potential

loss to agriculture and tourism is relatively low in comparison.

With mitigation, the applicant companies, in consultation with the BBKTA, land owners/ users, the

Department of Agriculture and the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform could identify

alternative unutilised land for the continuation of some of the affected livestock grazing and farming.

This will limit the loss to agriculture and increase the net positive severity further. In addition, the

applicant companies must rehabilitate the land to be economically and environmentally sustainable in

order to meet the needs of both the community and the proposed Heritage Park. A co-operative

framework must be established to enable ecotourism (especially Black Rhino and the Heritage Park)

and the mining operations to move forward together.

7.6.18 INWARD MIGRATION

When considering all three projects and the related employment opportunities, it could lead to an

influx of job seekers to the area which in turn increases pressure on existing communities, housing,

basic service delivery and raises concerns around future land uses as well as safety and security.

It is not possible to predict how significant the inward migration may be, as it would depend on

individuals’ choices to move to the area in search of work. It is however possible that this could be a

significant impact.

It may be possible to mitigate this impact by managing expectations with regard to employment, by

limiting inward migration through the BBKTA, and by working in close collaboration with the local

authorities. Furthermore, all the mines in the area will need to work together with the communities,

land owners/users and other relevant authorities to manage this issue.

7.6.19 RELOCATION/DISPLACEMENT OF PEOPLE

The development of the PPM pit extension and Sedibelo projects will result in the displacement of an

unknown number of communal cattle farmers on the farms Wilgespruit 2 JQ and Portion 1 of

Rooderand 46 JQ. These farmers employ farm hands who in turn have associated housing and kraal

structures on the abovementioned properties. There will also be community members who feel that

they have historic links to sections of farm land project site.

The consultation process with the BBKTA with regards to the compensation and potential relocation

of resident farmers has commenced. This process will be driven by PPM to ensure that all affected

parties are compensated fairly and that the process followed is the correct one.

In unmitigated scenario, the significance of this potential impact is high. With mitigation, the people

and property can be relocated to the satisfaction of all stakeholders and in a manner that will ensure

the farmers and farm hands are in the same or better position than present.



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7.6.20 LAND USE IMPACTS

The establishment of the combined projects has the potential to change the current and future land

use for all the project phases. The current land use within the surface area covered by the combined

projects is a mix of mining, grazing and limited cropping. The main surrounding land uses comprise;

servitudes (i.e. transport infrastructure, electrical and telecommunications, bulk water supply),

residential areas, mining operations, conservation and eco-tourism, communal farming areas

(livestock grazing and arable lands) and retail businesses.

For the life of the combined projects, the change in land use within the footprint of the combined

projects is unavoidable. At closure, it is assumed that the majority of the combined project footprint

area could be returned to grazing depending on the final closure plan for each of the operations. The

significance of the impacts of the combined projects in the unmitigated scenario will be high,

compared to high-medium significance in the mitigated scenario depending on how effectively

mitigation measures can be implemented.

Potential impacts on surrounding land users will be significant without mitigation. With focus on the

management and mitigation of all the other potential impacts, the potential impact on surrounding land

users will be reduced. This will require a collective management approach by the three operations.

For the heritage park corridor (HPC) the rating may be high whether mitigated or not due to the

placement of surface infrastructure (i.e. the Sedibelo and PPM operational phases will give rise to the

land forms that will be rehabilitated at closure) and these final land forms will restrict movement within

the NWPTB-proposed dangerous game corridor. It is however possible to adopt the alternative

corridor alignment for dangerous game (proposed by PPM) which together with appropriate on site

rehabilitation reduces this impact.



Page 8-1

8. ALTERNATIVE LAND USE OR DEVELOPMENT

8.1 ALTERNATIVE LAND USES WHICH COULD BE IMPACTED ON







mining land uses related to community grazing and cropping.

8.2 RESULTS OF SPECIALIST COMPARATIVE LAND USE ASSESSMENT

The specialist report (Strategy4Good 2012, January 2013) included in Appendix O concluded that on

consideration of sustainable development principles, the project should proceed.



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9. LIST OF SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS - UPDATE

A list of significant impacts, when considered without mitigation, as identified in the assessment

conducted in Section 7.3 is provided below:

• Loss and sterilization of mineral resources (All phases): High

• Hazardous excavations and infrastructure (All phases): High

• Loss of soil resources and land capability through pollution (All phases): High

• Loss of soil resources and land capability through physical disturbance (All phases): High

• Physical destruction of biodiversity (All phases): High

• Loss of water resources as an ecological driver (All phases): High

• General disturbance of biodiversity as a result of pollution (All phases): High

• Contamination of surface water resources: High

• Alteration of natural drainage lines - (Construction, Operational and Decommissioning): High

• Alteration of natural drainage lines - (Closure): High

• Dewatering (All phases): High

• Contamination of groundwater (All phases): High

• Air pollution (All phases) : High

• Noise pollution (Construction, Operational and Decommissioning): Moderate

• Visual impacts (Construction, Operational and Decommissioning): High

• Visual impacts (Closure): High

• Loss of heritage, paleontological and cultural resources (All phases): Moderate

• Loss of agricultural and residential land use (All phases): High

• Loss of conservation and ecotourism land use (All phases): High

• Blasting impacts (Construction, Operational and Decommissioning): High

• Road capacity and accessibility (Construction, Operational and Decommissioning): Moderate

• Road safety (Construction, Operational and Decommissioning): High

• Contribution to the local economy as a result of employment opportunities: Moderate

positive

• Impact on economic development: Moderate positive

• Inward migration: High

• Displacement of people: High

SLR Consulting (Africa) Pty Ltd


Page 10-1

10. STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PROCESS (UPDATE WITH PLANNED EIA FEEDBACK)

This section provides a description of the engagement process with interested and affected persons

(IAPs) followed during the course of the environmental assessment process. It outlines how IAPs

were identified, confirms the details of the engagement process (with supporting documentation

included as appendices), and how issues raised have been addressed.

Effective and equitable engagement between stakeholders contributes to the identification of key

issues of concern and possible solutions, as well as of relevant local or traditional knowledge. This

helps to ensure that environmental considerations are taken into account in the planning, design and

decision-making phases for proposals that may have a significant effect on the environment. In this

way the potential negative impacts of a proposal or activity may be minimised and the positive

benefits can be maximised.

10.1 IDENTIFICATION OF INTERESTED AND AFFECTED PARTIES

The stakeholder engagement process commenced with a stakeholder analysis that was aimed at

identifying parties to be involved during the environmental assessment process and associated

communication structures. This was done through a deeds search of the relevant properties within

the project site and immediately adjacent portions of land, social scans including site visits in the

surrounding areas, networking and direct discussions with IAPs. Key stakeholders identified for the

project include:

IAPs:

• landowners, land occupiers and communities on and surrounding the project site;

• tribal authorities/communities;

• mines and industries in the area;

• non-government organisations and associations;

Regulatory authorities:

• Department of Mineral Resources (DMR);

• Department of Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development (DREAD);

• Department of Water and sanitation (DWS);

• Department of Environmental Affairs;

• South Africa Heritage Resource Agency (SAHRA);

• Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery (DAFF);

• Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLR) (previously the Department

of Land Affairs);

• Department of Transport, Roads and Community Safety (DTRCS);

• North West Parks and Tourism Board (NWPTB);



Page 10-2

• Regional Land Claims Commission;

Local authorities:

• Moses Kotane Local Municipality (MKLM);

• Bojanala Platinum District Municipality (BPDM); and

• relevant ward councillors.

A summary list of stakeholder groups and how they were consulted is included in Appendix C.

A full list of landowner names, local communities, other IAPs and non-government organisations

consulted is provided in the IAPs and regulatory authorities’ database included in Appendix A. The

database is updated on an on-going basis throughout the environmental process.

10.2 DETAILS OF ENGAGEMENT PROCESS

Stakeholder engagement is an integral component of any development process. The goal of

stakeholder engagement is to facilitate and improve communication between stakeholders (including

the applicant) in the interest of facilitating better decision-making and more sustainable development

(DEAT, 2002). In accordance with the requirement of Chapter 6 of the EIA Regulations, 2006, a

stakeholder engagement programme has been developed to set out a coordinated process through

which IAPs are informed of the development and environmental assessment process and provided

with an opportunity to provide input into the project plan and proposed mitigation measures. By

consulting with authorities and IAPs, the range of environmental issues to be considered in the EIA

has been given specific context and focus. Included below is an outline of the process followed, and

the people engaged. Refer to Section 10.3 for a list of issues that were identified during the

engagement process.

As discussed in the Introduction of the EIA and EMP report, there is a possibility that the PPM,

Sedibelo and proposed Magazynskraal mines will combine to form one mining operation.

Subsequently, and due to the timing of the three projects, one stakeholder engagement process was

conducted for the three projects. The reasons for the combined stakeholder engagement process

was to limit stakeholder fatigue (i.e. attending numerous meetings), to limit any potential confusion

caused by the number of projects in the area, and to provide the future plans for the area in a

transparent manner. The following combined activities were undertaken as part of the stakeholder

engagement process:

• one social scan was undertaken for the three study areas;

• newspaper advertisements detailing the three projects was published in local and national

newspapers;

• site notices detailing the three projects were place in and around the three project sites;

• a combined background information document (BID) was produced providing details of the

three projects;



Page 10-3

• focussed and general scoping meetings were held to present the projects.

Further detail is provided in Section 10.2.1 below.

10.2.1 STEPS IN THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PROCESS

Steps in the process that have been conducted to date are set out in Table 87 below.

TABLE 87: PARTICIPATION PROCESS WITH IAPS AND AUTHORITIES TASK DESCRIPTION DATE NOTIFICATION - REGULATORY AUTHORITIES AND IAPS Submission of applications DREAD and DMR

• S102 application to amend the Mine Works Programme in terms of the MPRDA was submitted to the DMR (30 May 2011)

• NEMA application submitted to DREAD (October 2011) • Copies of the acceptance letters are included in Appendix B.

May 2011 October 2011

Consultation with land claims commissioner

The land claims commissioner was consulted in order to verify if any land claims had been lodged on any of the project farms. Refer to Appendix B for a copy of the response received from the land claims commissioner.

February 2012

Social scan A social scan of the consolidated project sites was carried out by SLR. The purpose of the social scan was:: • to identify relevant municipal ward councillors, traditional

community leaders, landowners, land occupiers, and other interested and affected parties;

• to obtain contact details for IAPs; • to identify appropriate communication structures; and • inform IAPs of the project, upcoming public process and

associated scoping and EIA processes. As part of the social scan, notification and information-sharing took place through formal and informal discussions, focussed meetings and/or telephonic discussions. SLR encountered some difficulty engaging with all of the land users on the proposed project areas. These IAPs were not always willing to discuss the proposed projects and the BBKTA set up communication structures in such a way that they are the contact point for this stakeholder group. A record of discussions and minutes of meetings are included in Appendix C. Issues raised are included in the comments and response report in Appendix D. One output of the social scan is an IAP database (Appendix A). The IAP database is updated as required throughout the environmental process.

February 2012

Initial meetings with tribal structures

A focused meeting was held with representatives from the BBKTA to introduce the proposed projects and seek advice on the community consultation strategy. A focused meeting was held with the kgosana’s from the communities to introduce the proposed project and share information. Minutes of these meetings are included in Appendix C.

December 2011

Distribution of the combined background information document (BID)

BIDs were distributed by hand (during the social scan and at the scoping meetings) and e-mail to IAPs and authorities on the project’s public involvement database. The purpose of the BID was to inform IAPs and authorities about the proposed projects, the environmental assessment process, possible environmental impacts, and means of providing input into the environmental assessment process. Attached to the BID was a registration and response form, which provided IAPs with an opportunity to submit their names, contact details and comments on the project. A copy of the BID in English and Setswana are provided in Appendix C.

February and March 2012



Page 10-4

TASK DESCRIPTION DATE Site notices Laminated A2 site notices in English and Setswana were placed at key

conspicuous positions in and around the project sites. Copies of the site notices are included in Appendix C together with photos of where the site notices were placed.

January and February 2012

Newspaper advertisements

Block advertisements were placed in one national (The Sowetan) and one local newspaper (The Rustenburg Herald) on 27 January 2012. Copies of the advertisements are included in Appendix C.

January 2012

Loud hailing Loud hailing took place in the villages where the scoping meetings were held three days prior to the meeting to serve as a reminder to community members.

March 2012

SCOPING STAGE MEETINGS AND COMMENTS RECEIVED Public scoping meetings

General and focussed public scoping meetings were held with the following stakeholders: • Federation for a Sustainable Environment (FSE) – 29 February

2012. • Pilanesberg National Park, Heritage Park and surrounding industry

– 06 March 2012. • Black Rhino Game Reserve – 07 March 2012. • Saulspoort / Moruleng – 05 March 2012. • Manamakgoteng – 06 March 2012 • Lekutung – 05 March 2012. • Mononono – 07 March 2012 • Kgamatha / Lesobeng – 08 March 2012 • Lekgraal / Bofule – 09 March 2012 • Ramasedi – 09 March 2012 • Ntswana-le-Metsing – 10 March 2012 • Motlhabe – 10 March 2012 • Sefikile / Spitskop – 12 March 2012 • Ngweding – 12 March 2012 • Magalane – 13 March 2012 • Magong – 13 March 2012 A presentation was given at each meeting that provided basic information for the three projects and the environmental process being followed. The same presentation was given at all of the scoping meetings. The meetings were therefore focussed on: • informing IAPs about the proposed projects; • informing IAPs about the stakeholder engagement process and

how IAPs can have input into the process; • providing information about the baseline environment and

obtaining input thereon; • providing information about the potential impacts of the project and

obtaining input thereon; and • providing an opportunity for IAPs to raise issues and concerns.

These issues and concerns have been documented in the Comment and Response Report (Appendix D) and used to inform the Plan of Study for the EIA Phase.

Minutes of the meetings are included in Appendix C. It should be noted that the Lesetlheng community meeting was arranged at the Lesetlheng Primary School on 5 March 2012 at 13:00. Upon arrival, the Lesetlheng community requested that this meeting be postponed until the 17 March 2012 and requested that the directors of PPM, IBMR, Richtrau as well as the leaders of the BBKTA be invited to this meeting. The meeting (17 March 2012) did not take place as it was not possible for the directors and leaders of the various entities to attend and another meeting was subsequently arranged for 19 May 2012. The community requested that the meeting be moved to 27 May 2012. Due to civil unrest in the area, the May meeting was cancelled. A meeting between representatives from the Lesetlheng community and SLR took place on 26 July 2012. One of the outcomes of the

March – June 2012



Page 10-5

TASK DESCRIPTION DATE meeting was a formal request, in writing, from SLR to meet with the Lesetlheng community as part of the EIA consultation process. It is understood that the Lesetlheng representatives communicated the request to the community, who responded by stating that they do not want to participate further in the consultation process until various conditions have been met. Copies of this correspondence are included in Appendix C.

Regulatory authority scoping meeting

A regulatory authority meeting was held on 06 March 2012. The purpose of the meeting was to provide regulatory authorities with an outline of the project and to obtain input into the legal process being followed, identify potential issues to be investigated further, provide input into the terms of reference for specialist studies and agree on the way forward. Minutes of the meeting have been included in Appendix B.

March 2012

REVIEW OF SCOPING REPORT Public review of scoping report

Copies of the scoping report were made available for public review at the following places: • Villages immediately surrounding the project area, including

Lesetlheng; Manamakgoteng; Lekutung; Sefikile/Spitskop; Mononono; Kgamatha/Lesobeng; Lekgraal/Bofule; Ramasedi; Ntswana-le-Metsing; Motlhabe; Ngweding; Magalane; Magong;

• Bakgatla-Ba-Kgafela traditional offices in Saulspoort; • Moses Kotane Local Municipality in Saulspoort; • Rustenburg public library; • Black Rhino Game Reserve; • Pilanesberg Platinum Mine; • SLR’s offices in Johannesburg; and • electronically on a CD, on request. Summaries of the report were sent by post or e-mail to all IAPs and authorities on the project’s public involvement database. In addition, IAPs were notified when the report was available for review via SMS. In some cases, full copies of the report were provided to IAPs on request.

October 2012

Authority review of scoping report

Seven hard copies and one electronic copy of the scoping report were submitted to the DMR. The DMR distributes the reports to the relevant authorities as required. In addition, the following departments received copies of the scoping report from SLR: DREAD, DWS, DAFF, SAHRA, DRDLR, DTRCS, NWPTB, Bojanala Platinum District Municipality and the Moses Kotane Local Municipality. Copies of the scoping reports were forwarded to DREAD following authority and public review.

29 May 2013 October 2012 January 2013

10.2.2 SPECIALIST TEAM

Managing Transformation Solutions (Pty) Ltd has been commissioned by SLR to carry out a Socio-

Economic Impact Assessment for the Pilanesberg Platinum Mines (Pty) Ltd (PPM), the Itereleng

Bakgatla Mineral Resources (Pty) Ltd (IBMR) and Richtrau No 123 (Pty) Ltd (Richtrau) projects. As

part of this study, the following stakeholder meetings were held:

16 April 2012:

• Farmers group consultation, BBKTA Boardroom

• Local Headman, BBKTA Boardroom

• BBK Youth Organisation Consultation, BBKTA Boardroom



Page 10-6

17 April 2012:

• Community Development Workers and Ward Councillors held at the Moses Kotane Local

Municipality

• North West Department of Education

• Department of Health, Mogwase

• South African Police, Mogwase Police Station

18 April 2012:

• Department of Labour, Mogwase

• Kgamanyane High School

• Local Economic Development Manager, Moses Kotane Development Agency, Mogwase

10.2.3 REVIEW OF EIA AND EMP REPORT BY REGULATORY AUTHORITIES

Seven copies of the EIA and EMP report was submitted to the DMR for review in May 2015.

In addition, the following Departments received a copy of the EIA and EMP report from SLR: DWS,

DREAD, DA, DRDLR, SAHRA, NWPTB, Bojanala Platinum District Municipality and Moses Kotane

Local Municipality. Two copies of the EIA and EMP report was submitted to the DREAD on the 30th of

April 2015 for review.

Once the relevant authorities have issued their respective decisions, the IAPs will be notified by e-

mail and post in accordance with the instructions from these authorities.

10.2.4 REVIEW OF THE EIA AND EMP REPORT BY IAPS

Copies of the EIA and EMP report was made available for public review at the following places:

• Villages immediately surrounding the project area, including Lesetlheng; Manamakgoteng;

Lekutung; Sefikile/Spitskop; Mononono; Kgamatha/Lesobeng; Lekgraal/Bofule; Ramasedi;

Ntswana-le-Metsing; Motlhabe; Ngweding; Magalane; Magong;

• Bakgatla-Ba-Kgafela traditional offices in Saulspoort;

• Moses Kotane Local Municipality in Saulspoort;

• Rustenburg public library;

• Black Rhino Game Reserve;

• Pilanesberg Platinum Mine; and

• SLR’s offices in Johannesburg.

Electronic copies of the report was made available to IAPs on request (electronically on CD).



Page 10-7

A summary of the EIA and EMP report (in English and/or Setswana) was compiled and distributed to

all IAPs registered on the project’s public involvement database by hand and e-mail. IAPs was

notified of the availability of the EIA and EMP report/summary for review as well as review periods via

newsletter, through established community leadership and representative structures, and via SMS.

IAPs was given 30 days to review the EIA and EMP report and submit comments in writing to SLR.

Arrangements were made collect comments sheets from community leaders by the end of the

commenting period

10.2.5 FEEDBACK MEETINGS

It was indicated in the draft report that feedback meetings on the EIA and EMP report would be

arranged at the request of IAPs. However, no meetings were requested.

10.3 MANNER IN WHICH ISSUES RAISED WERE ADDRESSED

Stakeholder meetings and public review of the scoping reports provided IAPs an opportunity to

comment on the baseline environment and potential impacts of the project (including social and

cultural impacts). All views, issues and concerns raised have been captured into the comments and

response report (Appendix D). The comments and response report provides responses to issues

raised and identifies where the issues have been addressed in the EIA and EMP report.



Page 11-1

11. ADEQUACY OF PREDICTIVE METHODS AND ASSUMPTIONS AND UNCERTAINTIES

11.1 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT LIMIT

The EIA focused on third parties only and did not assess health and safety impacts on workers because

the assumption was made that these aspects are separately regulated by the mine safety and health

legislation, policies and standards, and that Sedibelo will adhere to these.

The assessment of the closure scenario assumed that the open pit will be back filled completely. Even

though some of the waste rock will be utilised for backfilling purposes, as a worst case scenario, it was

assumed that the WRDs will remain due to the bulking factor and that waste rock from underground

operations and a portion of the Tuschenkomst pit will be deposited on the three Sedibelo WRDs. The

remaining infrastructure in the closure scenario was assumed to be the three WRDs and the TSF.

The Wilgespruit which originates from the Pilanesberg flows in a northerly direction towards the Sedibelo

project site and has been diverted around the south and east of the existing PPM Tuschenkomst Pit. It is

understood that this diversion will be maintained for the operational lifetime of the PPM pit, after which,

the diversion channel will be decommissioned and the Wilgespruit returned to its original course in an

attempt to aid the flooding of the Tuschenkomst Pit. Therefore, for the purposes of assessing the

potential impact of the proposed changes in infrastructure for Sedibelo operations on specifically soils

and land capability, biodiversity and surface water, it was assumed that PPM will simulate the natural flow

patterns of the Wilgespruit downstream of the diversion of this stream.

11.2 PREDICTIVE MODELS IN GENERAL

All predictive models are only as accurate as the input data provided to the modellers. If any of the input

data is found to be inaccurate or is not applicable because of project design changes that occur over

time, then the model predictions will be less accurate.

11.3 CLIMATE

None.

11.4 TOPOGRAPHY

None.



Page 11-2

11.5 SOILS

None.

11.6 LAND CAPABILITY

None.

11.7 BIODIVERSITY

11.7.1 VEGETATION LIMITATIONS

Sampling method

As an alternative to other vegetation cover sampling methods, the Braun-Blanquet cover-abundance

scale was used to analyse vegetation. It is reported that the Braun-Blanquet method requires only one

third to one fifth the field time required to other similar methods. In addition, cover-abundance ratings are

better suited than density values to elucidate graphically species-environment relationships. For

extensive surveys this method provides sufficiently accurate baseline data to allow environmental impact

assessment as required by regulatory agencies. However problems that have been detected with this

sampling method include:

• it can be seen as subjective and dependent upon the experience and knowledge of the

vegetation type by the surveyor. The cover estimate may vary from observer to observer; and

• there also may be a problem when the cover estimate is very close to two different classes (on

the border so to speak) and then it is for the observer to decide which class it should be allocated

to. In marginal situations, where the cover of a species is close to a boundary between two

classes, the chance of two observers allocating the species to the same cover class is no better

than 50:50. However, when comparing to other sampling methods the Braun-Blanquet scale is

better adapted for monitoring (less cover classes and fewer boundaries).

Sampling season

Although the majority of the sampling was conducted during the summer season, it must be noted that

the absence of species on site does not conclude that the species is not present at the site as species

emerge and flower at different times of the year. Reasons for not finding certain species may be due to:

• sampling season does not coincide with flowering season of specific floral species;

• the disturbed nature of the site;

• the inconspicuous nature of species;

• accessibility; and

• lack of species presence.



Page 11-3

11.7.2 ANIMAL LIFE LIMITATIONS

The time available for the trapping field visit was limited, and sampling was conducted in late summer. It

should be noted that the absence of species on site during site visits does not conclude that the species

are not present. Reasons for not finding certain species may be due to:

• the field work being limited to five days, although the study was supplemented with data from

studies from adjacent farms;

• prevailing weather conditions being hot and dry;

• the disturbed nature of the site; and

• the inconspicuous nature of species.

11.7.3 AQUATIC ECOLOGY LIMITATIONS

The assessment of macro-invertebrate communities in a river system is a recognised means of

determining river “health”. Macro-invertebrates are good indicators because they are visible, easy to

identify and have rapid life cycles. The SASS5 (South African Scoring System, version 5) method is

designed for low/moderate flow hydrology and is not applicable in wetlands, impoundments, estuaries

and other lentic habitats. In addition, it has not been tested in ephemeral rivers and so should be used

with caution. Therefore, aquatic macro-invertebrates are of limited use for monitoring changes in these

ephemeral systems within the study area because of the hardy nature of the taxa and the highly seasonal

nature of these systems. However, macro- invertebrates were still collected to give an indication of the

macro-invertebrates that prefer and are able to survive in these ephemeral systems. These macro-

invertebrates were collected with the SASS5 sweep method due to limited habitat and identified to family

level. The occurrence and sensitivity of these macro-invertebrates were recorded.

One of the limitations of assessing changes in the ecological condition of the 13 upper and lower foothill

ephemeral river systems, identified within the Bushveld Basin Eco-Region, is that it is based on a desktop

level assessment. In addition, Google Earth Imagery only dates back to 2005 compared to the field

assessments done in 1999 for the identification of NFEPA’s (Driver et al, 2011). Therefore, the current

assumptions regarding the status of these rivers are not supported by NSS fieldwork except for the

Bofule River and Wilgespruit.

The aquatic limitations to the ecological study further included: • the techniques used for assessing habitat integrity are subjective;

• water was very limited in the study area and the majority of the sampling sites were dry during

the sampling run. In these river systems only the upstream site 1 had water;

• the only downstream site that had water was a farm dam (Site 3) next to Wilgespruit River and

did not form part of the river system. It was assumed that the farm dam’s water comes from the

Wilgespruit and will give an indication of the water quality;



Page 11-4

• at both aquatic sampling sites Site 1 and Site 3, the water levels were limited and only water

quality and diatoms could be assessed; and

• none of the bio-monitoring indices could be used due to the ephemeral nature of these systems.

11.7.4 MINING AND BIODIVERSITY GUIDELINES

It should be noted that the Mining and Biodiversity Guidelines mapping (as depicted in Figure 12) cannot

be taken at face value and must be ground truthed to deal with mapping errors and/ or anomalies. For

example the existing PPM Tuschenkomst open pit, located on the neighbouring farm to the west, has

been in operation for five (5) years, but more than half of this pit area has been assigned a highest

biodiversity classification. This confirms that the accuracy of mapping at a national level has limitations.

However, what the guidelines illustrate is that the Wilgespruit and Bofule river systems require protection

even if a portion has already been affected by the current mining operations. Therefore, notwithstanding

the mapping concerns, a precautionary approach has been applied in this EIA and the mapping has been

used in the establishment of the baseline and the assessment of the impacts, in particular areas of local

conservation significance.

11.8 SURFACE WATER

Flood modelling of the Wilgespruit and Bofule watercourses as they flow through the site has been

undertaken by Peen & Associates (June, 2011). Peen & Associates estimated peak flows within the

Wilgespruit for a range of return period events concluding that a flow of 274m3/s would be expected

during a 1:100 year event. No independent review of Peen & Associates work has been undertaken as

part of this study. For the purposes of the hydrological assessment and the stormwater control

management plans, the floodlines as determined by Peens and Associates were utilised.

It should be noted that centre line of the watercourses used by Peen & Associates differs from the

1:50,000 topographical maps however, Peen & Associates’ modelling is a much more detailed study of

the watercourses in this vicinity and would have been informed by more detailed site-specific

topographical information.

11.9 GROUNDWATER

The following general assumptions and limitation are applicable to the groundwater study:

• rainfall data used was recorded at Station 0548280 at Saulspoort Hospital. This is not on site

and the distance could show minor influences on the rainfall recorded. No daily rates were used;

• recharge rates used in the groundwater balance were estimated and long term monitoring will

need to confirm the accuracy;

• runoff estimates were based on the PPM pit flooding study;

• aquifer storativity cannot be measured and literature values were used;



Page 11-5

• deep aquifer parameters (below 200 mbgl) is uncertain and should be assessed with packer

testing on core boreholes;

• model boundaries were assumed to be a combination of no-flow and outflow boundaries.

• Community water use / wellfield at PPM were included.

• The environmental water balance was compiled for steady state requirements once peak

productions volumes are reached.

• Surface water sampling is rare due to high surface water runoff and short period of residence

time.

• The aquifer classifications were influenced by the erratic water supply to the local villages by

Magalies water.

The area north of Pilanesberg is affected by numerous dykes (assumed to be impermeable) and highly

conductive fault zones which form local groundwater compartments. The faults zones were assumed to

be younger than the dyke swarms and cut through the dyke swarms, however, this should be confirmed

with geophysics and drilling, as the dykes could influence the radius of influence (ROI) of the mine

dewatering substantially.

The groundwater regime north of the Pilanesberg Intrusive Complex is highly heterogeneous due to

complex faulting and intrusions, which ultimately influence the groundwater flow patterns. Several

assumptions were during the construction of a groundwater flow model. The following assumptions,

based on data collected during field surveys, and model limitations are applicable to the simulated

scenarios:

• prior to development, the flow system is in equilibrium and therefore in steady state;

• recharge from rainfall over the area is between 1.7% and 2.5% of MAP i.e. 625 mm/a;

• aquifer system is represented by a three dimensional system consisting of 13 hydraulic zones in

layer 1 and 8 hydraulic zones in layer 2. The faults, dykes and drainage weathered zones were

modelled discretely and form part of the total number of hydraulic zones;

• some of the management scenarios were simulated in steady-state;

• modelling approach was based on the precautionary principle in areas where there were little or

a lack of data. This means that the simulated impacts should be larger than would be in the

actual case. The real effect of the mining activities will only be quantified by additional site

characterisation and monitoring that should be used to update the model before the

implementation and on an on-going basis;

• faults are 100m wide in their horizontal influence and are believed to be more than 100m deep

vertically. It is planar and vertical in orientation and is connected to smaller faults which were

also assigned higher transmissivity parameters;

• open cast and underground mines are modelled as drains which take water out of the system;

and

• accuracy and scale of the assessment will result in deviations at point e.g. individual boreholes.



Page 11-6

When assumptions were made or reference values used, a conservative approach was followed. A

groundwater model is a representation of the real system. It is therefore an approximation, and the level

of accuracy depends on the quality of the data that is available. The purpose of the model was not to

simulate the actual field conditions (i.e. every dyke and fracture), but to simulate the proposed mining and

related activities and influence on the receiving environment.

The numerical simulations were constructed to represent a period starting in 2007 due to mining

operations at PPM and ending in 2039, i.e. a 32 year simulation. The numerical model included the

following proposed mining simulations:

• Sedibelo Open Pit: 120m deep, 2013 – 2021 (8 year LoM). The pit could extend to 170m deep.

Once the pit extends to this depth, the groundwater flow model should be updated accordingly;

• Sedibelo Central Underground (UG) Mine: 600m deep, 2022 – 2032 (10 year LoM);

• Sedibelo East Underground (UG) Mine: 600 deep, 2022 – 2037 (15 year LoM); and

In the cumulative scenario the following was added:

• current Tuschenkomst Open Pit: 2008 – 2026 (18 year LoM)

• proposed Magazynskraal Underground (UG) Mine: 700m deep, 2014 – 2039 (25 year LoM)

It should also be noted that the model was run for the life of mine as indicated and as such excluded post

closure scenarios.

The following actions should be undertaken to improve the understanding and management of

groundwater related issues:

• the hydrocensus should be extended to include the Pilanesberg National Park;

• aquifer testing should be conducted to provide a better understanding of the flow properties;

• a detailed geotechnical investigation should be undertaken to understand the clay layer

properties;

• detailed mapping of preferential pathways, borehole drilling and aquifer testing of the shallow

weathered zone and deeper fractured zone is required and the groundwater models should be

updated;

• the aquifer(s) classification should be updated on the basis of the improved information;

• an ecosystem study should be undertaken to determine the functionality of the springs. This will

allow appropriate simulation if dewatering impacts the springs.

11.10 AIR

Emissions associated with the construction phase were not modelled but are generally considered to be

less significant than operation related impacts which have been assessed. Construction comprises a



Page 11-7

series of different activities, each with its own duration and potential to generate dust. It is anticipated

that the extent of dust emissions would vary substantially from day to day depending on the level of

activity, the specific operations, and the prevailing meteorological conditions.

The most important assumptions and limitations of the air quality impact assessment are summarised as

follows:

• emissions are based on the process description and mine layout plan as provided by the mine;

• particle size distributions for stockpiles were not available and therefore particle sizes from

similar operations were utilised;

• the dispersion model cannot compute real time mining processes, therefore average mining

process throughputs were utilised;

• routine emissions for the mining operations were simulated. Atmospheric releases occurring as

a result of upset conditions were accounted for in the form of blasting;

• fugitive emissions related to construction activity were not included as no detailed information

was available regarding these activities; and

• no on-site meteorological data was available and use was made of calculated MM5

meteorological data.

• a minimum of 1 year, and typically 3 to 5 years of meteorological data are generally

recommended for use in atmospheric dispersion modelling for air quality impact assessment

purposes. Three years of meteorological data were used in the atmospheric dispersion

modelling;

• no site specific detailed particle size fraction data for the tailings facility was available and use

was made of participle data from PPM operations. As a worst case scenario it was assumed that

the moisture content for the Sedibelo and Magazynskraal TSF would be 1%;

• the impact assessment was limited to airborne particulates (including TSP and PM10) and did not

include assessment of gaseous pollutants from vehicle exhausts (including carbon monoxide

(CO), diesel particulate matter (DPM), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and sulphur dioxide (SO2) or PM2.5.

Impacts related to gaseous emissions were not included due to: (i) a lack a fuel use data form

heavy equipment used on-site and underground and (ii) impacts are not expected to be

significant. PM2.5 emissions are mostly a result of combustion processes and not from fugitive

dust emissions related mining activities; and

• it was assumed that all processing operations will have ceased by the closure phase of the

project. The potential for impacts during this phase will depend on the extent of demolition and

rehabilitation efforts during closure and on features which will remain. Information regarding the

extent of demolition and/or rehabilitation procedures were limited and therefore not included in

the emissions inventory or the dispersion modelling.



Page 11-8

11.11 NOISE

Information used in this report was sourced from the noise impact studies undertakenfor the approved

Sedibelo EIA/EMP (Francois Malherbe Acoustic Consulting (FMAC, 2007) and 2012 (Acusolv, 2012) for

the Magazynskraal EIA.

The original noise study was compiled by FCAC for the approved Sedibelo operations in 2007. At the

time this noise study was undertaken, the infrastructure made provision for smelter and base metal

recovery operations. These activities were subsequently excluded from the infrastructure scope when

the approved EIA/EMP was finalised. The remainder of the activities and infrastructure will be similar and

the report was therefore deemed applicable even though it may present a worst case scenario.

The following apply to the 2007 noise impact study:

• no night time measurements were undertaken;

• the propagation of noise from the source to the receiver was calculated in accordance with the

procedures described in SANS 10357. The model took account of the following aspects:

o sound power emission levels of the major noise sources;

o screening provided by the topography and other plant structures against the propagation

of noise;

o typical meteorological conditions of the area, i.e. temperature, humidity, static air

pressure, wind speed and direction;

o diurnal factors that influence the propagation of sound, i.e. during the night conditions

favour the propagation of sound; and

o acoustical characteristics of the ground between noise source and receiver.

The following apply to the 2007 noise impact study:

• day and night time readings were taken;

• the baseline ambient noise levels were measured and estimated based on a physical inspection,

aided by sampling and probing measurements. Since no facilities suitable for long-duration

unattended recordings were available, ambient noise levels were probed and samples taken in

which the level was averaged over sufficiently long time durations to obtain good estimates of the

average ambient level. This involved time-integrated averaging for a period long enough for the

running average to converge to a constant level with less than 1 dB variance. A-weighted,

equivalent continuous sound pressure levels LAeq (dBA) were measured, using an integrating

sound analyser; and

• in allocating baseline ambient noise ratings, it should be borne in mind that the levels obtained in

any particular survey do not represent absolute or constant values, but samples only of what is a

variable parameter. Ambient noise is not fixed and even relatively, long-duration averages of day

and night levels at any location will vary over time. This is in response to variances in noise



Page 11-9

source emission levels, as well as unpredictable day, night and seasonal fluctuations in

atmospheric conditions.

11.12 VISUAL

The following assumptions and limitations applied to the visual impact assessment:

• the study used a conservative scenario in predicting impacts;

• the viewshed analyses considered only the topography of the area and did not factor in any

features such as existing trees and other obstacles. This implies that the spatial patterns

generated in the analyses are inclined towards the worst case-scenario rather than the actual

situation;

• the extent of the study area is determined by the zone of potential influence, which in this study

related to a radius of 15km; and

• the activities associated with the neighbouring proposed PPM Tuschenkomst pit extension

project have been taken into account in the cumulative effects of mining in the study area.

11.13 TRAFFIC

A model was prepared with the traffic modelling software Transcad to allow for more accurate distribution

of potential trips to be generated by the mining developments in order to determine the impact on the

level of service. The following traffic distributions, based on village population statistics, were assumed in

terms of the distribution of vehicles trips expected to be generated from respective workforces at the

relevant mines:

• Kameelboom Area: 2%

• Makgope Area: 3%

• Motlhabe / Mankwe Area: 10%

• Ngweding Area: 2%

• Rhenosterkraal Area: 7%

• Legkraal Area (Bofule): 3%

• Legkraal Area (including Ga-Masilela, Ga-Riphiri, Boriteng): 3%

• Mogwase Area: 70%

Trip generation rates, the number of vehicle trips which are expected to be generated by the mining

developments and the distribution of the vehicle trips to and from the respective areas of the

development during the construction and operational phases respectively were based on information

provided by Sedibelo. Where information was not available, trip generation rates were based on the

South African Trip Generation Rates, Second Edition, 1995 and assumptions made based on the

experience of the traffic specialist.



Page 11-10

The anticipated traffic volumes expected from the nearby Rooderand mining project were included as

part of the background traffic growth.

11.14 HERITAGE AND CULTURAL RESOURCES

It is possible that the study may have missed heritage resources in the study area as heritage sites may

occur in thick clumps of vegetation while others may lie below the surface of the earth and may only be

exposed once development commences. If any heritage resources of significance are exposed during

the project the South African Heritage Resources Authority (SAHRA) will be notified immediately, all

construction activities will be stopped and an archaeologist accredited with the Association for Southern

African Professional Archaeologist (ASAPA) will be notified in order to determine appropriate mitigation

measures for the discovered finds.

The methods used and underlying assumptions are based on human effort (search and observe,

outcomes of earlier/previous surveys in wider area) and as such is subject to human error.

11.15 PALEONTOLOGICAL RESOURCES

A specialist paleontological desktop study was undertaken by BPI for Paleontological Research. The

methods used and assumptions made are considered adequate for this area.

11.16 SOCIO-ECONOMIC

The most significant limitations are detailed below:

• socio-economic data was sourced from both the 2001 and 2011 census data;

• the availability and/or willingness of relevant representatives (farmers, headmen and the

community development workers as well as the municipal representative) to discuss matters,

pertaining to the project;

• representatives from villages falling outside of the scope of the EIA (such as the villagers north of

the Pilanesberg who have historical ties and are currently making use of the land) were not

interviewed;

• community unrest during the period of the EIA, from May to June 2012, specifically with

relevance to the community of Lesetlheng. The unrest not only impacted on the timeframes for

completion of the EIA (access to community and the mining operations) but also the willingness

to speak to any external parties for fear of retribution; and

• the envisioned period of time was three (3) months (March to May 2012), but due to the

community unrest other reports contributing to the EIA were only completed and reviewed in the

last quarter of 2012.



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11.17 BLASTING

Impacts on animals as a result of blasting were not assessed. Due to a lack of definitive, scientific

information as to whether blasting will cause stress in these animals as discussed in Section 7.3.17, it no

possible to assess the severity of this impact on wild animals in the PNP and surrounding the Black

Rhino Game Reserve.

11.18 ECONOMIC

The following relating to the cost-benefit analysis was assumed:

• the mining project being evaluated is economically viable;

• all the financial information provided to the specialist is correct;

• the study was limited in its scope as it uses “inferred economic data”, which is limited to desktop

research, telephonic interviews and relied on independent information from the environmental

assessment team;

• the land deemed to be potentially lost to agriculture and eco-tourism is utilised at the average

productivity of the country’s output for those sectors;

• the projects were evaluated over the period of an economic generation, even though the life of

mine is slightly less than this;

• the land impacted by mining will be sterile and of no real use economically after mining.

At the time of compiling the alternative land-use economic impact assessment report it was not certain as

to whether the Heritage Park Corridor concept will in fact materialise. Impacts on the conceptual

Heritage Park Corridor were therefore not taken into consideration.

The alternative land-use economic impact assessment was based on an operation employment number

of 3 500. The number of employees which will be employed during the operational phase will in fact be

closer to 3 985. The economic benefits derived from the project as determined in the alternative land-use

economic impact assessment will be therefore be slighty underestimated.

11.19 GEOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS

The geochemical analysis used in this report was based on pit and waste rock samples from the

neighbouring PPM operations. Due to the close proximity of the sites, it was assumed that the

geochemical characteristics on the project site are the same as that of the samples that were tested.

A critical success factor for any geochemical characterisation program is the selection of representative

samples considering material type (e.g. lithology), spatial (e.g. vertical and horizontal area to be mined)

and compositional (e.g. all material types based on sulphur content) representation as well as sample



Page 11-12

storage and handling (e.g. fresh or weathered samples). Additional testing should therefore be

conducted on actual samples from the mining operation.

Acid based accounting tests - Tailings material

Two PPM samples of the UG2 and Merensky Reef, which were collected by mine personnel, were sent to

an accredited laboratory for ABA and leach tests in order to evaluate the effect of mining on the potential

of the minerals and rocks to produce acidic products. These samples were of the ore, thus presenting a

conservative approach and also represent material that will end up on the tailings storage facility after the

minerals are extracted.

Acid based accounting tests - Waste rock material

The characterisation of waste rock is based on the specialists’ experience and observations of the waste

rock dumps at the neighbouring PPM operations, as well as on previous work done on the

characterisation of waste rock geochemistry for PPM. As the reef that would be mined as part of the

Sedibelo project is part of the same ore body that was tested and observed at PPM, the results can be

extrapolated and applied to this project. In addition, recent studies have been conducted by SLR for

similar projects that are also located in the Western Limb of the BIC. As the geology is the same, the

results of these studies can be applied to the waste rock resulting from this project.

Geochemical modelling

The following limitation and assumptions are applicable to the geochemical modelling results:

• due to the similarity between the Magazynskraal, Sedibelo and PPM ore bodies, only one model

was run to simulate waste facilities;

• model is dynamic in that the kinetic rate constants of the mineral reactions are included;

• model was built on an equilibrium thermodynamic platform, with disequilibrium simulated by

incorporating reaction kinetics. Therefore the minerals in the numeric model are assumed to be

pure specimens;

• acid base accounting total sulphur analyses are conservatively used as a measure of the

concentration of sulphides in the system. Using the maximum sulphur concentration of 0.07

wt%, a pyrite content of 0.06 wt% is calculated. This value is used as input to the model, as

pyrite is the most common acid forming mineral;

• rain water was assumed to be in equilibrium with atmospheric oxygen and this assumption was

conservatively carried through the model calculations;

• model was run for a life of mine of 50 years;

• nitrate was not included in the model and may be of concern due to blasting. Monitoring of

nitrate in mine pollution control dams and return water dams as well as groundwater and surface

water upstream and downstream of the mine waste facilities and mine site should be conducted.

• model shows what should precipitate in the equilibrium scenario. It may however be that some

minerals are in metastable equilibrium and do not precipitate.



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11.20 GEOTECHNICAL ANALYSIS

Investigations of the site geotechnical conditions were carried in 2006. These results were deemed to be

sufficient by Epoch for the purposes of the ore-feasibility design of the mineralised waste facilities. If any

infrastructure needs to be re-positioned following any additional geotechnical study the EIA and EMP

report will need to be revised accordingly.

11.21 CLOSURE COST CALCULATIONS

The closure cost calculations are based on the technical information and site layout as provided by the

technical project team, and are assumed accurate at the time of compiling the report. The calculations

of the financial closure liability associated with the Sedibelo Platinum Mine have been completed in

accordance with the Guideline Document for the Evaluation of the Quantum of Closure-Related Financial

Provision Provided by a Mine as published by the Department of Minerals and Energy (DME), dated

January 2005.

Since no detailed Closure Plan for Sedibelo Platinum Mine has been developed and/or approved by the

relevant authorities, the step-by-step ‘rule-based’ DMR approach for calculating closure liability was

followed. It is important to note that the DMR opencast rehabilitation closure component (including final

voids and ramps) does not allow for backfilling of the void, but only makes provision for the sloping of the

pit walls to 1V:3H i.e. making the voids safe for humans and domestic animals which is contradiction to

the stated closure objective of backfilling the pit. Therefore, the amount that needs to be provided for the

Sedibelo Platinum Mine as outlined in Section 22 excludes a provision to backfill the open pit. All

infrastructure within the mineral abandonment area that will be used by or support the Sedibelo

operation, were included in the liability assessment.

11.22 CUMULATIVE ASSESSMENT

The cumulative assessment of PPM’s pit extension, Sedibelo’s proposed changes to surface

infrastructure and the proposed Magazynskraal Mine was carried out qualitatively. In this regard, the

assessment was informed by SLR’s knowledge of the three operations as well as the following specialist

studies which assessed the cumulative impacts of the combined projects:

• air;

• visual;

• groundwater (dewatering);

• traffic; and

• socio-economic.

The cumulative assessment only included the three above-mentioned projects and did not include other

existing or proposed mining operations in the area.



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12. ARRANGEMENT FOR MONITORING AND MANAGEMENT OF IMPACTS

This section describes the arrangements for monitoring and management of environmental impacts. It

identifies the impacts that require monitoring programmes and outlines the functional requirements, roles

and responsibilities and timeframes for the monitoring programmes. Further detail on each monitoring

programme is included in Section 21.

12.1 IMPACTS THAT REQUIRE MONITORING PROGRAMMES

Impacts that require monitoring include:

• hazardous excavations and structures (open pit and failure of TSF and water dams);

• physical destruction and general disturbance of biodiversity (habitats and species);

• reduction in groundwater levels / availability;


• pollution of surface water;

• water consumption;

• increase in air pollution;

• increase in disturbing noise levels;

• blasting hazards; and

• project-related road use and traffic.

In addition to the above, the commitments as included in the EMP report will require on-going monitoring

to ensure that they are:

• being implemented; and

• effective in mitigating potential impacts on the environment, socio-economic conditions of third

parties and heritage/cultural aspects.

This on-going monitoring will be undertaken through regular internal auditing by mine personnel as part

of the environmental management system.

12.2 FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS OF MONITORING PROGRAMMES

The purpose of the monitoring programmes is to review the impacts from the mine on various aspects of

the environment and to report on changes needed to the management programme as included in this

report.

As a general approach, Sedibelo will ensure that the monitoring programmes comprise the following:

• a formal procedure;

• appropriately calibrated equipment;



Page 12-2

• where samples require analysis they will be preserved according to laboratory specifications;

• an accredited, independent, commercial laboratory will undertake sample analysis;

• parameters to be monitored will be identified in consultation with a specialist in the field and/or

the relevant authority;

• if necessary, following the initial monitoring results, certain parameters may be removed from the

monitoring programme in consultation with a specialist and/or the relevant authority;

• monitoring data will be stored in a structured database;

• data will be interpreted and reports on trends in the data will be compiled by an appropriately

qualified person on a quarterly basis; and

• both the data and the reports will be kept on record for the life of mine.

12.3 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The IBMR board will appoint a senior executive, who amongst other duties, will be responsible for

environmental management and will ensure that the necessary resources required for implementing and

maintaining the EMP commitments and an effective environmental management system are provided on

an operational level This will include the monitoring programme. The roles and responsibilities for the

planning and execution of the monitoring programmes are defined below.

• Senior Executive and Environmental Department Manager:

o ensure that the monitoring programmes are scoped and included in the annual mine

budget;

o identify and appoint appropriately qualified specialists/engineers to undertake the

programmes; and

o appoint specialists in a timeously manner to ensure work can be carried out to

acceptable standards

12.4 TIMEFRAMES FOR MONITORING AND REPORTING

The timeframes for monitoring and reporting thereof are detailed in the monitoring programme (see

Section 21). A summary is provided below:

TABLE 88: TIMEFRAMES FOR MONITORING AND REPORTING PROGRAMME TIMEFRAME AND FREQUENCY* REPORTING* Waste rock dumps, TSF and water dams

All project phases On-going by dam operators and quarterly by professional engineer

On-going internally and quarterly by professional engineer; Reports to be submitted to the relevant authorities (DMR and/or DWS)

Biodiversity All project phases Annually by specialist Groundwater and process water

All project phases Monthly (water levels), quarterly (water qualities), annually (update groundwater model and climatic water balance).

Quarterly and annually by specialists Annually to DWS

Surface All project phases Quarterly and annually by specialists



Page 12-3

PROGRAMME TIMEFRAME AND FREQUENCY* REPORTING* water Quarterly (water qualities) Annually to DWS Air All project phases

Monthly (fall-out dust and PM10) Quarterly and annually by specialist Annually to the DMR and DEA

Noise From the start of construction to the end of decommissioning Annually as a minimum (dependant on stakeholder complaints)

Annually by specialist

Blasting During operation of the mine Every blast

Monthly by specialist

Traffic aspects

As required (dependant on stakeholder complaints)

As required

Internal auditing of EMP

From start of construction to end of closure On-going

As required, in line with EMS requirements

External auditing of EMP

From start of construction to end of closure Every two years

Every two years to DMR

* The requirements of any water use license and/or air emissions license take precedence over these timeframes.



Page 13-1

13. TECHNICAL SUPPORTING INFORMATION

Technical and supporting information included as appendices to this report are listed below.

• soils and land capability report (Appendix E);

• biodiversity report (Appendix F);

• hydrological report (Appendix G)

• geo-hydrological specialist report (Appendix H);

• air quality specialist report (Appendix I);


• visual impact report (Appendix K)

• cultural-heritage study (Appendix L)

• paleontological specialist report (Appendix M);

• traffic specialist report (Appendix N);

• socio-economic report (Appendix O);

• economic report (Appendix O);

• engineering design report (Appendix P); and

• closure liability calculations (Appendix Q).



Page ii

SECTION 2 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME



Page 14-1

14. ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES AND SPECIFIC GOALS FOR CLOSURE

14.1 ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS THAT DESCRIBE THE PRE-MINING ENVIRONMENT

Environmental aspects that describe the pre-mining environment as informed by the baseline description

(Section 1) are listed below. This list serves to guide the setting of environmental objectives for mine

closure.

• relatively flat topography;

• pre-mining soils supporting grazing and wilderness land capabilities and/or uses. Closure

objectives around land capability and use must be informed by consensus with relevant

stakeholders.

• a functioning ecosystem;

• non-perennial drainage patterns;

• poor quality groundwater as a result of elevated fluoride concentrations; and

• quiet rural environment.

14.2 MEASURES REQUIRED FOR CONTAINMENT OR REMEDIATION

Measures required to contain or remedy any causes of pollution or degradation or migration of pollutants,

both for closure of the mine and post-closure are listed below:

• implement a waste management procedure for the on-site management and disposal of

general and hazardous wastes throughout the mine life;

• ensure immediate clean-up of any spills as per the emergency response procedure

(Section 20);

• implement a procedure for the handling and storage of hazardous substances. Procedure to

include specifics regarding the containment of pollutants at source by storing and handling

potentially polluting substances on impermeable substrates, within bunded areas and with the

capacity to contain spills.

• establish and maintain dirty stormwater control measures in line with regulatory requirements,

until such time as potentially polluting areas are rehabilitated;

• design, construct and/or operation of TSF with decant and drainage systems and runoff

control measures;

• design, construct and operate the waste rock dumps with runoff control measures;

• rehabilitate the site in line with a detailed closure plan to be developed during the operational

phase at least five years prior to decommissioning.

Further detail on the action plans and mitigation measures is included in Section 19.



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15. ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES AND SPECIFIC GOALS FOR MANAGEMENT OF IDENTIFIED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS

The environmental objectives and specific goals for the management of identified environmental impacts

are detailed in this section.

15.1 IMPACTS THAT REQUIRE MONITORING PROGRAMMES

Impacts that require monitoring include:

• hazardous excavations and structures (water dams, TSF and WRDs);

• physical destruction and general disturbance of biodiversity;

• loss of wate resources as an ecological driver;

• dewatering impacts on third party users;


• pollution of surface water;

• increase in air pollution;

• increase in disturbing noise levels;

• blasting hazards; and

• traffic increase and road use.

15.2 ACTIVITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE

The source activities of potential impacts which require management are detailed in Section 2.3 and

listed below.

• site preparation • power supply infrastructure

• earthworks • transportation systems

• civil works • non-mineralised waste management

• open cast and underground mining • general site management

• mineral processing • demolition

• tailings storage facility (TSF) • rehabilitation

• waste rock dumps (WRDs) • maintenance and aftercare

• water supply infrastructure • monitoring

15.3 MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES

Management activities which will be conducted to control the project actions, activities or processes

which have the potential to pollute or result in environmental degradation are detailed in Section 19.



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15.4 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The key personnel to ensure compliance to this EMP report will be the board appointed Senior Executive,

the Environmental Department Manager and the Stakeholder Engagement Manager. As a minimum,

these roles as they relate to the implementation of monitoring programmes and management activities

will include:

• Senior Executive and Environmental Department Manager to:

o ensure that the monitoring programmes and audits are scoped and included in the annual

mine budget;

o identify and appoint appropriately qualified specialists/engineers to undertake the

programmes;

o appoint specialists in a timeously manner to ensure work can be carried out to acceptable

standards;

• Stakeholder Engagement Department:

o liaise with the relevant structures in terms of the commitments in the SLP;

o ensure that commitments in the SLP are developed and implemented in a timeously fashion;

o establish and maintain good working relations with surrounding communities and

landowners;

o facilitate stakeholder communication, information sharing and grievance mechanism.



Page 16-1

16. ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES AND SPECIFIC GOALS FOR SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS

16.1 ASPECTS OF THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS

The socio-economic conditions in the vicinity of the mine are described in Section 1.3.

16.2 OBJECTIVES AND GOALS

Specific environmental objectives and goals to control, remedy or stop potential impacts emanating from

the mine which may impact on communities and IAPs are described below. The information is presented

in tabular format (Table 89).

TABLE 89: ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES AND GOALS – SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS ASPECT ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVE GOALS Land uses To prevent unacceptable impacts on

surrounding land uses and their economic activity

To co-exist with existing land uses To negatively impact existing land uses as little as possible

Blasting To minimise the potential for third party damage and/or loss

To protect third party property from project-related activities, where possible Where damage is unavoidable, to work together with the third parties to achieve a favourable outcome To ensure public safety

Traffic To reduce the potential for safety and vehicle related impacts on road users and road capacity and infrastructure

To ensure the mine’s use of public roads is done in a responsible manner

Socio-economic To enhance the positive economic impacts and limit the negative economic impacts

To work together with existing structures and organisations

Informal settlements

To limit the impacts associated with inward migration

To establish and maintain a good working relationship with surrounding communities, local authorities and land owners

Relocation To prevent the risk of harm and injury to people and animals and the damage of associated buildings

To work together with existing structures and organisations To establish and maintain a good working relationship with surrounding communities and land owners

Evacuation To prevent to potential of third party harm and injury

To protect third parties and property from harm and injury as a result of the project-related activities To ensure public safety



Page 17-1

17. ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES AND SPECIFIC GOALS FOR HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL ASPECTS

Environmental objectives and goals in respect of historical and cultural aspects are listed in the table

below (Table 90).

TABLE 90: ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES AND GOALS – HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL ASPECTS ASPECT ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVE GOALS Heritage and cultural To prevent unacceptable loss of heritage

resources and related information To protect heritage resources where possible If disturbance is unavoidable, then mitigate impact in consultation with a specialist and the SAHRA and in line with regulatory requirements



Page 18-1

18. APPROPRIATE TECHNICAL AND MANAGEMENT OPTIONS CHOSEN FOR EACH IMPACT

All activities associated with the mine (including project changes) have the potential to cause pollution or

environmental degradation. These are described in Section 2 of this EIA and EMP report.

18.1 TECHNICAL AND MANAGEMENT OPTIONS

Appropriate technical and management options chosen to modify, remedy, control or stop any action,

activity or process associated with the mine which will cause significant impacts on the environment,

socio-economic conditions and historical and cultural aspects are listed in the table below (Table 91) and

described in detail in Section 7 In addition to these, the mine will implement an environmental

management system to assist in the implementing and monitoring of commitments included in this EIA

and EMP report.

TABLE 91: TECHNICAL AND MANAGEMENT OPTIONS POTENTIAL IMPACT TECHNICAL AND MANAGEMENT OPTIONS Loss and sterilization of mineral resources

Mine workings will be developed and designed taking cognisance of potential ore reserves Extraction of all possible minerals prior to final disposal

Hazardous excavations and infrastructure

Construction of berms, fencing, barriers and access control Warning signs Sealing of shafts Implement monitoring programme Implement an emergency response procedure

Loss of soil resources and land capability through pollution

Implement hazardous waste, dirty water and mineralised and non-mineralised waste management procedures Permanent infrastructure designs to take long term soil prevention, land function and confirmatory monitoring into account

Loss of soil and land capability through physical disturbance

Implementation of a soil management plan Limiting disturbance of soil to what is necessary Stripping, storing, maintenance and replacement of topsoil in accordance to soil management procedures


Implementation of the biodiversity management plan Restrict project footprint Limit disturbance on highly sensitive biodiversity areas Implementation of monitoring programmes Rehabilitate disturbed areas

Loss of water resources as an ecological driver

Appropriate design of polluting facilities and pollution prevention facilities (by qualified person) Implement and maintain storm water controls that meet regulatory requirements Implement site-specific soil management plan Implementation of the biodiversity management plan Restrict project footprint Limit disturbance on highly sensitive biodiversity areas Implementation of monitoring programmes Rehabilitate disturbed areas



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POTENTIAL IMPACT TECHNICAL AND MANAGEMENT OPTIONS General disturbance of biodiversity

Prevention of the killing of animal species and harvesting of plant species Implementation of dust control measures Pollution prevention measures (water and soil) Prevention of the disturbance of ecosystems

Pollution of surface water resources

Appropriate design of polluting facilities and pollution prevention facilities (by qualified person) Implement and maintain storm water controls that meet regulatory requirements Implement site-specific soil management plan Implement a monitoring programme (water use, process water quality, surface water quality, rainfall-related discharge quality) Implement emergency response procedure Implementation and maintenance of licence requirements

Alteration of natural drainage lines

Implement and maintain storm water controls that meet regulatory requirements

Contamination of groundwater

Appropriate design of pollution facilities Correct handling of hazardous wastes, mineralised and non-mineralised wastes Compensation for loss Implement and maintain terms and conditions of regulatory requirements Implementation of a monitoring programme Implement emergency response procedure Implementation and maintenance of licence requirements

Dewatering Compensation for loss Implementation of monitoring programme

Air pollution Implementation of air quality management plan Implementation an air quality monitoring programme Control dust plumes Implementation of an air complaints procedure Maintenance of abatement equipment Implement an emergency response procedure Authorise all scheduled processes (if required) Compliance with relevant licence requirements (if required)

Noise pollution Maintenance of vehicles and equipment in good working order Implementation of a noise complaints procedure Reducing operational hours Education and awareness training of workers Equip machinery with silencers Construction of noise attenuation measures Relocate people experiencing unacceptable increase in ambient noise

Blasting damage Implementation of a blast management plan Pre-mining crack survey Communication of planned blasting times with stakeholders (for surface and near-surface blasts) Pre-blast warning (for surface and near-surface blasts) Monitoring blasts Audit and review to adjust blast design were necessary Investigate blast related complaints Rectify damage to third party structures Implementation of a blasting complaints procedure Implement emergency response procedure Implement an evacuation plan



Page 18-3

POTENTIAL IMPACT TECHNICAL AND MANAGEMENT OPTIONS Traffic increase Implementation of a traffic safety programme

Implement speed allaying measures where appropriate e.g. speed humps Ensure dust is effectively controlled on unpaved road so as not to reduce visibility Education and awareness training of workers Use of pedestrian crossing by pedestrians Placement of signage to create awareness Maintenance of the transport systems Implementation of a traffic complaints procedure Implement emergency response procedure

Visual impacts Limit the clearing of vegetation Limit the emission of visual air plumes Use of screening berms Concurrent rehabilitation Painting infrastructure to compliment the surrounding environment where possible Implementation of a closure plan Management through care and aftercare

Heritage and cultural

Limit project infrastructure, activities and related disturbances as far as practically possible Project specific heritage studies will be conducted to identify any resources should the project footprint change Education and awareness training of workers Apply for the relevant permits to remove or destroy heritage resources Exhumation and relocation of graves where required according to legal requirements Implement emergency response procedure Maintain communication channels with the NWPTB regarding the conceptual Heritage Park and align the mine’s future planning accordingly

Economic impact Hire people from closest communities To extend the formal bursary and skills development to closest communities Implement a procurement mentorship programme Local procurement of goods and services as far as possible Compensation for loss of land use Closure planning to make consideration for skills, economic consideration and the needs of future land use

Inward migration Good communication in terms of recruitment, procurement and training Number of temporary and permanent new job opportunities and procurement will be made public Employment and procurement opportunities provided to closest communities as far as practically possible No recruitment at the mine gate Notify unsuccessful job seekers Encourage formal housing of employees and implement contractual requirement for contractors to ensure formal housing for workers, both temporary and permanent Maintain a skills profile for the nearest communities Monitor and prevent the development of informal settlements through the interaction with neighbours, local authorities and law enforcement officials Implement a health policy on HIV/AIDs and tuberculosis to promote awareness and training Addressing social service constraints and social problems relating to education, health, water supply, solid waste management, sanitation and housing Implement emergency response procedure

Relocation Conduct any required relocation in accordance with the principles and requirements of the World Bank International Finance Corporation Resettlement Action Plan guideline Ensure transparent communication with the affected people and the BBKTA

Land use Implementation of EMP commitments that focus on environmental and social impacts Take necessary steps to prevent negative impact on surrounding land Closure planning to incorporate measures to achieve future land use plans



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19. ACTION PLANS TO ACHIEVE OBJECTIVES AND GOALS

Action plans to achieve the objectives and goals set out in Section 15 (bio-physical environment),

Section 16 (socio-economic conditions) and Section 17 (historical and cultural) above, are listed in

tabular format together with timeframes for each action. The action plans include the timeframes and

frequency for implementing the mitigation measures as well identifies the responsible party.



Page 19-2

TABLE 92: ACTION PLAN – LOSS AND STERILISATION OF MINERAL RESOURCES

PHASE OF OPERATION ACTIVITIES (SEE TABLE 66) SIG TECHNICAL AND MANAGEMENT OPTIONS

ACTION PLAN

TIMEFRAME FREQUENCY RESPONSIBLE PARTIES UM M Construction Civil works

Earth works Mineralised waste management and disposal Non-mineralised waste management

H M • Incorporate cross discipline planning structures for development of proposed project.

At start Once off Mine Resource Manager

Operation Open pit mining Underground mining Mineralised waste management and disposal Civil works

• Extraction of mineral resources prior to final disposal. • Extraction of chrome resources from the UG2 tailings stream during

favourable market conditions. • Optimisation of metallurgical processes

On-going As required On-going


Metallurgical Process Manager Metallurgical Process Manager

Decommission Mineralised waste

management Rehabilitation Civil works

Closure Maintenance and aftercare of final land forms and rehabilitated areas



Page 19-3

TABLE 93: ACTION PLAN – HAZARDOUS STRUCTURES / EXCAVATIONS AND SURFACE SUBSIDENCE


ACTION PLAN

TIMEFRAME FREQUENCY RESPONSIBLE PARTIES UM M Construction Earthworks

Civil works Mineralised waste management and disposal Non-mineralised waste management

H M • The TSF, WRDs and associated return water storage facilities will be designed, constructed, operated and closed in a manner to ensure that stability and related safety risks to third parties and animals are addressed. It will furthermore be monitored according to a schedule that is deemed relevant to the type of facility by a professional engineer. If any infrastructure needs to be moved following the geotechnical survey a new site will need to be investigated and the EIA and EMP report (if approved) will need to be revised.

On-going On-going Professional engineer

Operation Open pit Shafts Mineral processing facilities Mineralised waste management and disposal Water supply and storage infrastructure Power supply infrastructure Transport infrastructure Rehabilitation

• In addition, a detailed geotechnical survey will be undertaken prior to the establishment of any infrastructure, particularly the TSF and WRDs, to ensure the foundations of the proposed site are suitable.

Prior to construction

Once-off Professional Engineer

• Sedibelo will survey area to be disturbed by the proposed project footprint and update its surface use area map on a routine basis to ensure that the position and extent of all potential hazardous excavations, hazardous infrastructure and subsidence is known. It will furthermore ensure that appropriate management measures are taken to address the related safety risks to third parties and animals.

On-going On-going Senior Operational Manager

Decommission Demolition Mineralised waste management Water supply and storage infrastructure Power supply infrastructure Rehabilitation

• The safety risks associated with identified hazardous excavations, subsidence and infrastructure will be addressed through one or more of the following: o fencing, berms, barriers and/or security personnel to prevent

unauthorized access; o warning signs in the appropriate languages (s) Warning pictures

can be used as an alternative; o underground support to be designed by a suitable qualified and

experienced professional in order to prevent falls of ground potentially associated surface subsidence; and

o underground mining conditions will be continually monitored by a qualified mining engineer and geologist.

As required Once-off Senior Operational Manager

• Professional civil engineer to monitor dams with safety risk. On-going As required Professional Engineer • During decommissioning planning of any part of the mine, provision

will be made to address long term safety risks in the decommissioning and rehabilitation phases.

As required As required Senior Operational Manager Closure Maintenance and aftercare

of final land forms and rehabilitated areas. • At closure the hazardous structures and excavations and risk of

subsidence will be dealt with as follows: o the open pit will be backfilled and rehabilitated; o the potential for surface subsidence will be

addressed by applying a bulking factor to the backfilling the pit;

As required As required Senior Operational Manager



Page 19-4


ACTION PLAN

TIMEFRAME FREQUENCY RESPONSIBLE PARTIES UM M o any remaining land forms such as the TSF and

WRDs, will be decommissioned and rehabilitated in a manner that they do not present long-term safety and/or stability risks;

o the remaining WRD side slopes will be flattened to 1V:4H general slope, and will be re-vegetated using indigenous species to mimic the vegetation cover of natural topographical features in the area;

o shaft openings will be properly sealed with an engineered plug and rehabilitated;

o the potential for surface subsidence will have been addressed by providing underground support in mined out areas;

o monitoring and maintenance will take place to observe whether the relevant long-term safety objectives have been achieved and to identify the need for additional intervention where the objectives have not been met

• Where Sedibelo has caused injury or death to third parties and/or animals, appropriate compensation will be provided


• In case of injury or death due to hazardous excavations, follow emergency response procedure in Section 20 will be followed.




Page 19-5

TABLE 94: ACTION PLAN – LOSS OF SOIL RESOURCES AND LAND CAPABILITY THROUGH POLLUTION


ACTION PLAN

TIMEFRAME FREQUENCY RESPONSIBLE PARTIES UM M Construction H L • In the construction, operation and decommissioning phases Sedibelo

will conduct all potentially polluting activities in a manner that they do not pollute soils. This will be implemented through a procedure(s) covering the following: o pollution prevention through basic infrastructure design; o pollution prevention through education and training of workers

(permanent and temporary); o implementation of engineering controls to ensure proper and

routine inspection and maintenance of equipment; o correct off-loading, storage and handling procedures for the

hazardous substances; o utilising water of acceptable water quality for dust suppression

of roads; o pollution prevention through education and training of

permanent and temporary workers; o steps to enable fast reaction to contain and remediate pollution

incidents. In this regard the remediation options include in situ treatment or disposal of contaminated soils as hazardous waste. The former is generally considered to be the preferred option because with successful in situ remediation the soil resource will be retained in the correct place. The in situ options include bioremediation at the point of pollution, or removal of soils for washing and/or bio remediation at a designated area after which the soils are replaced;

o hazardous and non-hazardous waste storage and disposal practices as outlined in Table 78 and

o specifications for post rehabilitation audit criteria will be developed as part of detailed closure planning to ascertain whether the remediation has been successful.


Operation Transport systems Open pit mining Mineral processing facilities Mineralised waste management and disposal Non-mineralised waste management Water supply infrastructure Power supply infrastructure Site management

Decommission Demolition Transport systems Mineralised waste management Non-mineralised waste management Water supply infrastructure Power supply infrastructure Rehabilitation Site management

• The designs of any permanent and potentially polluting structures (such as the proposed TSF and WRDs) will take account of the requirements for long term soil pollution prevention, land function and confirmatory monitoring.


• In case of any major spillage incidents the emergency response procedure in Section 20 will be followed.


Closure Maintenance and aftercare

of final land forms and rehabilitated areas Site management



Page 19-6

TABLE 95: ACTION PLAN – LOSS OF SOILS AND LAND CAPABILITY THROUGH PHYSICAL DISTURBANCE


ACTION PLAN


Civil works Site management Transport systems Mineralised waste management and disposal Non-mineralised waste management

H M • In the construction, operation and decommissioning phases a soil management plan, with the following key components, will be implemented: o limit the disturbance of soils to what is absolutely necessary both in

terms of site clearing and in terms of on-going project development and use of vehicles;

o construct the facilities and associated infrastructure on the less sensitive soil groups;

o where soils have to be disturbed the soil will be stripped, stored, maintained and replaced in accordance with the specifications of the soil management principles in Table 79 ;

o restrict vehicle movement over unprotected or sensitive areas; o erosion control; o soil amelioration (rehabilitated and stockpiled) to enhance the

growth capability of the soils and sustain the soils ability to retain oxygen and nutrients, thus sustaining vegetative material during the storage stage; and

o soil replacement and the preparation of a seed bed to facilitate and accelerate the re-vegetation program and to limit potential erosion on all areas that become available for rehabilitation; and

o implementation of a soil monitoring programme.


Operation Site management Transport systems Open pit mining Mineralised waste management and disposal Non-mineralised waste management Water supply infrastructure Power supply infrastructure

Decommission Demolition Site management Transport systems Mineralised waste management Non-mineralised waste management Water supply infrastructure Power supply infrastructure Rehabilitation

• As part of the agricultural initiative, no plant species that are classified as Category 1, 2 or 3 weeds in terms of the Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act, 43 of 1983, will be cultivated.


Closure Maintenance and aftercare of final land forms and rehabilitated areas Site management

• As part of closure planning, the designs of any permanent landforms (e.g. mineralised waste facilities) will take into consideration the requirements for land function, long term erosion prevention and confirmatory monitoring




Page 19-7

TABLE 96: ACTION PLAN – PHYSICAL DESTRUCTION OF BIODIVERSITY


ACTION PLAN

TIMEFRAME FREQUENCY RESPONSIBLE PARTIES UM M Construction Site preparation


H M-H • In the construction, operation and decommissioning phases the following will be implemented: o limit the disturbance of habitats to what is absolutely necessary both

in terms of site clearing and in terms of on-going project development and use of vehicles;

o surface layout plan to include and maintain an open space plan which protects small patches of indigenous vegetation which will allow small faunal species, particularly birds to ‘island-hop’ from one patch to another;

o implement storm water control measures as outlined in Section 2.8.2;

o compile and implement an integrated Biodiversity Management and Action Plan (BMAP) for Sedibelo in consultation with PPM and Richtrau, that provides direction for management of the land, including existing impacts and the creation of an Alien Invasive Programme;

o a nursery will be established on-site to ensure successful rehabilitation in the long term;

o any faunal species identified during the plant collection/removal must also be moved with the intention to relocate to a safe but similar habitat in the near vicinity. Emphasis should be placed on all reptile, frog and small mammal species;

o establish a regional conservancy to ensure the protection of corridors during the life of the mine, thus sustaining the viability of the Heritage Corridor concept;

o a senior staff member residing onsite must be trained in the capture, handling and release of snakes;

o habitat and site specific faunal niches such as large hole-bearing trees, nests, dens and hibenaria such as termataria or rock piles must be avoided where possible;

o grazing capacity of the natural vegetation within the mining rights area must be evaluated, and livestock numbers kept within acceptable limits to reduce bush encroachment and effects on floral and faunal communities;

o rehabilitation efforts must involve planting of locally sourced indigenous plant species;

o biodiversity education and awareness training for all staff (temporary and permanent) employed by Sedibelo or on their behalf. Sightings or findings of fauna must be reported to the environmental officer; and

o the management of the Giant Bullfrog will include: o confirmation of breeding populations and monitoring of breeding

populations by a suitably qualified specialist;




Page 19-8


ACTION PLAN

TIMEFRAME FREQUENCY RESPONSIBLE PARTIES UM M o the protection of ephemeral and buffer zones; o preventing adult bullfrogs from returning to breeding sites which may

have been impacted upon; o erecting temporary fences around areas where these frogs

congregate at the start of the rainy season, to prevent re-dispersal back into areas of the property where construction or excavation is to take place;

o containing frogs within the wetland corridors; and o releasing of unearthed buried Giant Bullfrogs on the site. This is

most likely happen during the winter months when the frogs are hibernating. When a Giant Bullfrog is found on the mining or any construction site, it should be carefully captured, removed and released within the buffer zone temporary fence. Hibernating specimens need to be retained in captivity and only released after the summer rains have commenced;

Operation Site management Transport systems Open pit mining Underground mining Mineral processing Mineralised waste management and disposal Non-mineralised waste management Water supply infrastructure Power supply infrastructure

• If on-going monitoring indicates that irreplaceable species and/or associated ecosystem functionality associated with core conservation or linkage areas will be permanently lost and restoration is not possible, a biodiversity offset project will be investigated. Issues that will be considered in the investigation are as follows: o the size of the potentially affected area; o the conservation/sensitivity status of the potentially affected area; o the offset ratio (in terms of the required size of the offset site) to be

applied; o evaluation of alternative offset sites on the basis of: no net

biodiversity loss, compensation for the mine’s negative impact on biodiversity, long term functionality, long term viability, contribution to biodiversity conservation including linkages to areas of conservation importance, acceptability to key stakeholders, distances from other mines and development activities in relation to cumulative impacts, and biodiversity condition scores as compared to that at the mine site;

o land ownership now and in the future; o status/security/sustainability of the offset site, i.e. will it receive

conservation status; o measures to guarantee the security, management, monitoring and

auditing of the offset; o capacity of the mine to implement and manage the offset; o identification of unacceptable risks associated with the offset; and o the start-up and on-going costs associated with the offset for the life

of the project.

On-going On-going Environmental Department Manager

Decommission Demolition Site management Transport systems Non-mineralised waste management Mineralised waste management Water supply infrastructure Power supply infrastructure Rehabilitation

Closure Maintenance and aftercare of final land forms and

• The designs of any permanent structures (mineralised waste facilities) will take into consideration the requirements for the establishment of long term




Page 19-9


ACTION PLAN

TIMEFRAME FREQUENCY RESPONSIBLE PARTIES UM M rehabilitated areas species diversity, ecosystem functionality, aftercare and confirmatory

monitoring



Page 19-10

TABLE 97: ACTION PLAN – LOSS OF WATER RESOUCRES AS AN ECOLOGICAL DRIVER


ACTION PLAN



H M • In the construction, operation and decommissioning phases the following will be implemented: o with the exclusion of WRD1 and WRD3, construct the facilities and

associated infrastructure outside riparian habitats (including buffer); o stormwater control measures will be implemented as outlined in

Section 7.3.9; o erosion protection measures to be implemented along the

Wilgespruit and Bofule systems, to prevent erosion occurring, after the riparian vegetation is removed;

o adequate dust control strategies should be implemented to minimise dust deposition and at the same time minimise associated water use;

o adequate sedimentation control measures at river crossings, when excavating in or disturbing riverbanks, or the riverbed takes place to minimise sedimentation within the semi-ephemeral systems;

o due to the sensitive nature of the hydromorphic soils, ensure that compaction is minimised, in this regard, utilise only existing roads where possible, minimise the road network, minimise the frequency of driving within the riparian zones and utilize only light equipment for access and deliveries into areas of unstable soils, in areas where erosion is evident, and at stream and river embankments; and

o monitor the aquatic environment of all potentially affected surface water resources and use the results of the monitoring to implement any other surface water related interventions as deemed appropriate to achieve the mitigation objectives.

• Regarding the management of the impacts on the endorheic pans

(‘pannetjies’) and springs: o drill a monitoring borehole in the vicinity of the pans and springs.

The function of this borehole will be to monitor the level of ground water assumed to supply water the pans and springs

o in the event that the water levels in the borehole, the springs and pans are not affected by the project, no action will be taken, this will also be the case in the scenarios where the borehole water level does not drop but the spring water level drops and when the borehole level drops but the spring water level is not affected

o in the instance where the water in the borehole and the springs drop the following action will be taken:

o additional water supply borehole/s will be drilled in the vicinity;

o water will be pumped from this borehole/s at the same rate it is currently supplied from the springs and allowed to feed into the pans in a manner that simulates current


Operation Site management Transport systems Open pit mining Underground mining Mineral processing Mineralised waste management and disposal Non-mineralised waste management Water supply infrastructure Power supply infrastructure

Decommission Demolition Site management Transport systems Non-mineralised waste management Mineralised waste management Water supply infrastructure Power supply infrastructure Rehabilitation





Page 19-11


ACTION PLAN

TIMEFRAME FREQUENCY RESPONSIBLE PARTIES UM M spring fed flows.

• With regards to the management of the FEPA area, Sedibelo will in

accordance with the relevant FEPA guidelines: o maintain the flow regime and hydrology of the Bofule FEPA River to

ensure it is maintained in a B ecological category. This means that: o no change in flow regime that will lead to deterioration in

the current condition (B ecological category) of a river FEPA; and

o no change in the natural hydrology (baseflows and floods) from ephemeral to seasonal.

o maintain the water quality of the Bofule FEPA River to ensure it is maintained in a B ecological category. This means that:

o no changes in water quality which will lead to the deterioration of the current condition of the Bofule; and

o no change in the seasonal variability in water quality

On-going

On-going

Environmental Department Manager



Page 19-12

TABLE 98: ACTION PLAN – GENERAL DISTURBANCE OF BIODIVERSITY


ACTION PLAN


Earthworks Civil works Transport system Site management Mineralised waste management and disposal Non-mineralised waste management

H M-L • In the construction, operation and decommissioning phases the mine will ensure that: o the use of light is kept to a minimum, and where it is required, yellow

lighting is used where possible; o vertebrates should be kept away from the illuminated areas with

appropriate fencing where feasible; o internal power lines may be equipped with bird deterrent measures

to prevent bird kills where deemed necessary; o there is training for workers on the value of biodiversity and the need

to conserve the species and systems that occur within the proposed project areas, in particular the Giant Bullfrog;

o there is zero tolerance of the killing or collecting of any biodiversity by anybody working for or on behalf of the mine;

o traffic calming measures to be implemented in order to reduce the incidence of road kills;

o strict speed control measures are used for any vehicles driving within surface use areas;

o noisy and/or vibrating equipment will be well maintained to control noise and vibration emission levels;

o all permanent water dams will be fenced off to prevent access by larger animals;

o dust control measures will be implemented (see section 7.3.12); o soil management plan to be implemented as outlined in Section

7.3.3; o soil contamination and litter prevention measures will be

implemented (see sections 7.3.3 and 7.3.8) and o alien plant species proliferation, which may affect floral and faunal

diversity, will be controlled in accordance with legislation and in a manner that no additional loss of indigenous plant species occurs. Implementation of an alien/invasive/weed management programme to control the spread of these plants onto and from disturbed areas through active eradication, establishment of natural species and through on-going monitoring and assessment. In this regard, the use of herbicides will be limited and will only be used under strict controls if alternative less intrusive eradication methods are not successful..


Operation Site management Transport system Open pit mining Underground mining Mineral processing Mineralised waste management and disposal Non-mineralised waste management Water supply infrastructure Power supply infrastructure Fencing

H M-L

Decommission Demolition Site management Transport system Mineralised waste management Non-mineralised waste management Water supply infrastructure Power supply infrastructure

H M-

L On-going On-going Environmental Department Manager


H M-

L • As part of closure planning, the designs of any permanent and potentially polluting structures (TSF and WRDs) will take consideration of the requirements for long term pollution prevention and confirmatory monitoring.




Page 19-13

TABLE 99: ACTION PLAN – POLLUTION OF SURFACE WATER RESOURCES


ACTION PLAN


Civil works Transport systems Site management Mineralised waste management and disposal Non-mineralised waste management

H M • In all phases, infrastructure associated with the proposed projects will be constructed, operated and maintained so as to comply with the provisions of the NWA and R704 or any future amendments thereto. In this regard: o clean water systems are separated from dirty water

systems; o the size of dirty areas are minimised and dirty water is

contained in systems that allow the reuse and/or recycling of this dirty water;

o discharges of dirty water may only occur in accordance with authorisations that are issued in terms of the relevant legislation specifications and they must not result in negative health impacts for downstream surface water users. The relevant legislation specifications comprises any applicable authorisation/exemption, the National Water Act (36 of 1998) and Regulation 704, or any future amendment thereto;

o the site wide water balance is refined on an on-going basis with the input of actual flow volumes and used as a decision making tool for water management and impact mitigation.


Operation Open pit Underground mining Transport systems Mineral processing Mineralised waste management and disposal Site management Water supply infrastructure Non-mineralised waste management

Decommission Open pit Underground mining Transport systems Mineral processing Mineralised waste management Site management Water supply infrastructure Non-mineralised waste management

• In the construction, operation and decommissioning phases the mine will ensure that all mineralised wastes and non-mineralised wastes are handled in a manner that they do not pollute surface water. This will be implemented through a procedure(s) covering the following: o pollution prevention through basic infrastructure design

pollution prevention through maintenance of equipment; o pollution prevention through education and training of

workers (permanent and temporary); o pollution prevention through appropriate management of

hazardous materials and waste; o the required steps to enable containment and remediation

of pollution incidents; and o specifications for post rehabilitation audit criteria to

ascertain whether the remediation has been successful and if not, to recommend and implement further measures.





Page 19-14


ACTION PLAN

TIMEFRAME FREQUENCY RESPONSIBLE PARTIES UM M • The designs of any permanent and potentially polluting

structures will take account of the requirements for long term surface water pollution prevention. In addition, where these facilities are associated with groundwater plumes that could impact the quality of surface water resources, Sedibelo will implement mitigation measures for as long as is needed to eliminate the risk and achieve the stated mitigation objectives. An example of such a solution is to pump and treat the polluted groundwater so that it does not impact surface water resources


• The designs of any permanent and potentially polluting structures will take account of the requirements for long term surface water pollution prevention. In addition, where these facilities are associated with groundwater plumes that could impact the quality of surface water resources, Sedibelo will implement mitigation measures for as long as is needed to eliminate the risk and achieve the stated mitigation objectives. An example of such a solution is to pump and treat the polluted groundwater so that it does not impact surface water resources.

Design phase On-going Senior Operational Manager

• The intake of superfluous freshwater will result in the unnecessary contamination of clean water. Sedibelo therefore will monitor bulk water intake and recycled/reused water on an on-going basis through the installation of flowmeters and related instrumentation. This information will feed into the site wide water balance. Instrumentation will be calibrated on a regular basis in line with manufacturer’s operating manuals.


• Sedibelo will establish a water management committee to ensure that water consumption, recycling and re-use targets are established, monitored and optimised on quarterly basis. This committee should furthermore identify and implement synergies and initiatives across the operations to minimise bulk water intake.


• Sedibelo will monitor the water quality (refer to Section 21) in all potentially affected surface water resources and use the monitoring results to implement appropriate mitigation measures to achieve the surface water quality objectives. Where monitoring results indicates that third party water supply has been polluted by the operations, Sedibelo will ensure that appropriate compensation such as an alternative equivalent water supply will be provided.




Page 19-15

TABLE 100: ACTION PLAN – ALTERATION OF DRAINAGE PATTERNS TO BE REVIEWED ONCE REPORT IS AVAILABLE


ACTION PLAN


Civil works Transport systems Site management Mineralised waste management and disposal Non-mineralised waste management

H M • Sedibelo will comply with the terms and conditions of water authorisations/licenses that are granted.

Pre-construction Once off Senior Operational Manager

• In all phases, project related infrastructure will be constructed, operated and maintained so as to comply with the provisions of the NWA and R704 or any future amendments thereto. Key related issues are: o clean water systems are separated from dirty water

systems; and o the size of dirty areas are minimised and clean run-off and

rainfall water is diverted around dirty areas and back into its normal flow in the environment.

Operation Open pit mining Underground mining Earthworks Civil works Transport systems Mineralised waste management and disposal Non-mineralised waste management Water supply infrastructure Power supply infrastructure Rehabilitation

Decommission Demolition Site management Transport systems Mineralised waste management Non-mineralised waste management Water supply infrastructure Power supply infrastructure Rehabilitation

• The WRD2 will be raised above natural ground levels to limit flood related damage.

Construction On-going Senior Operational Manager


H L • At closure, the objective will be to rehabilitate all remaining facilities to establish a functionality that eliminates or materially reduces the need for dirty water systems. The open pit will be backfilled and profiled to allow for functional surface run-off and to minimise infiltration.

Decommissioning Once-off Senior Operational Manager

• In addition, and as included in the approved EIA/EMP (KP, 2007), a safety measure must be put in place by repairing the




Page 19-16


ACTION PLAN

TIMEFRAME FREQUENCY RESPONSIBLE PARTIES UM M Moswafole Dam and carrying out routine monitoring at this site on a biannual basis in order to monitor water quality leaving the site.



Page 19-17

TABLE 101: ACTION PLAN – REDUCTION OF GROUNDWATER LEVELS / AVAILABILITY


ACTION PLAN

TIMEFRAME FREQUENCY RESPONSIBLE PARTIES UM M Construction Open pit construction

Shaft sinking H L • During the construction and operational phases, Sedibelo will:

o ensure all potentially affected third party boreholes are included in the ground water monitoring program to ensure that changes in water depths can be identified, where possible;

o provide alternative water, of equivalent quality, to third parties if it is found and proved that neighbouring water levels and yields are affected;

o establish a joint water monitoring forum between the local mining companies where data is shared and impacts on third party groundwater users are addressed;

o ensure geophysical surveys are conducted to locate and characterise the inferred dyke near the Pilanesberg springs. Additional shallow and deep drilling as well as aquifer testing with isotope analyses should be conducted to determine the permeability of the inferred dyke. The numerical model should be update accordingly;

o undertake additional packer tests to characterise this deep fracture systems and the model should be updated accordingly;

o undertake a study to determine the extent of the mines impact on the springs. If the mine is impacting on the springs, alternative water should be supplied to the location of the springs (pannetjies) to service the ecosystems supported by the springs;

o update the groundwater model every two years; o undertake a survey of local villages to determine which

ones are serviced by Magalies water and which has access to piped water. The aquifer classification to be updated accordingly. Records should be kept on bulk water supply efficiency as to correctly classify aquifers i.e. groundwater use in and around villages;

o ensure dewatering boreholes are drilled around the Sedibelo open pit should it be found that the seepage from groundwater into the open pit is reaching high volumes. Cover drilling and depressurising of the advancing phase in the underground mines at Sedibelo should be implemented;

o ensure the procedures are implemented for the sealing of discrete fractures to reduce the ingress of groundwater in the underground mines;

o ensure the volume of groundwater seeping into the open pit and underground mines are licensed and used in the


Operation Open pit Underground mining



Page 19-18


ACTION PLAN

TIMEFRAME FREQUENCY RESPONSIBLE PARTIES UM M mine circuit; and

Decommission Dewatering ceases • Post operational phase, Sedibelo will update the groundwater flow model with the detailed post closure underground mine voids and the time to flood the underground mine voids should be simulated. A detailed geochemical assessment should be conducted to determine the water quality in the flooded underground mines.


Closure Dewatering ceases



Page 19-19

TABLE 102: ACTION PLAN – CONTAMINATION OF GROUNDWATER RESOURCES


ACTION PLAN


Civil works Transport systems Site management Non-mineralised waste management

H L • All infrastructure that has the potential to pollute groundwater resources will be designed and implemented in a manner that pollution is addressed post closure.

Pre-construction Once off Senior Operational Manager

• In the construction, operation and decommissioning phases the mine will ensure that all mineralised wastes and non-mineralised wastes are handled in a manner that they do not pollute groundwater. This will be implemented through a procedure(s) covering the following: o pollution prevention through basic infrastructure design; o pollution prevention through education and training of

workers (permanent and temporary); o pollution prevention through appropriate management of

materials and non-mineralised waste; o the required steps to enable containment and remediation

of pollution incidents; and o specifications for post rehabilitation audit criteria to

ascertain whether the remediation has been successful and if not, to recommend and implement further measures;

o monitor surface water quality and levels in the stretch of Bofule River in which the FEPA is located; and

o conduct isotope analyses on water seeping into the underground mine areas and undertake a comparison to the shallow aquifer water sampled from local boreholes. This will indicate the origin of the seepage water and enhance the monitoring of the local aquifer systems.


Operation Site management Transport systems Open pit mining Underground mining Mineral processing Mineralised waste management and disposal Non-mineralised waste management Water supply infrastructure

Decommission Demolition Site management Transport systems Mineralised waste management Non-mineralised waste management Water supply infrastructure Power supply infrastructure

• Infrastructure that has the potential to cause groundwater contamination will be identified and included in a groundwater pollution management plan which will be implemented as part of the operational phase. This plan has the following principles: o determine potential pollution sources; o determine the extent of potential contamination plumes; o design and implement intervention measures to prevent,

eliminate and/or control the pollution plume. In terms of the TSF this may include: measures to reduce ponding and remove water from the dam, interception trenches along the perimeter of the dam, scavenger wells, and a pump and treat system, and final capping amongst others. In terms of the WRDs this may include: measures to contain seepage, measures to contain runoff and final capping;

o monitor all potential impact zones to track pollution and




Page 19-20


ACTION PLAN

TIMEFRAME FREQUENCY RESPONSIBLE PARTIES UM M mitigation impacts; and

o where monitoring results indicate that third party water supply has been polluted by the operations, Sedibelo will ensure that an alternative equivalent water supply will be provided.


• Post operational phase, Sedibelo will: o ensure that were logistically possible, monitoring

boreholes are established at the end of mining in the backfilled open pit to determine the water quality and water levels. These boreholes should be drilled to final pit depth.

o continue with the monitoring of water quality in the neighbouring boreholes and monitoring boreholes drilled for the purpose of open pit water quality and level measurements post closure for at least 12 months; and

o clad the TSF and WRD’s to limit water ingress due to precipitation on these facilities.

Groundwater monitoring should continue post closure to assess the migrations of any groundwater contamination (nitrates and sulphates amongst other parameters) originating from the permanent on-site facilities i.e. TSF and WRDs. If contamination is detected additional measures will be taken to address the contamination conerns.

On-going On-going

On-going On-going

Environmental Department Manager Environmental Department Manager



Page 19-21

TABLE 103: ACTION PLAN – AIR POLLUTION


ACTION PLAN


Civil works Transport systems Site management Non mineralised waste facilities

H M-L • During the construction, operation and decommissioning phases an air quality management plan comprising the following main components will be implemented: o development and implementation of an emissions

inventory and ranking system based on source quantity and impact;

o setting and implementation of emissions control targets. General emission control targets include:

o vehicle entrainment on roads – 80% and higher control efficiency through chemical suppression or use of conveyor belts;

o materials handling operations - 50% control efficiency through effective water sprays;

o crushing and screening activities - 80% and higher control efficiency through effective water sprays;

o reduction of emissions from unpaved roads within the mine site through measures aimed at reducing the extent of unpaved roads which will include:

o traffic control measures aimed at reducing the entrainment of material by restricting traffic volumes and reducing vehicle speeds;

o measures aimed at binding the surface material or enhancing moisture retention, such as wet suppression and chemical stabilization;

o tarring or gravel cover of permanent roads which are frequently used, especially by heavy vehicles;

• reduction of emissions from material handling, crushing and screening activities and windblown dust through the implementation of engineering controls and wet suppression techniques;

• if fumes occur after a blast then the immediate vicinity of the blast area will be kept clear until these have dissipated. The wind direction and conditions must also be kept in mind to ensure that the fumes do not impact further afield;

• maintenance of all vehicles and equipment to achieve optimal exhaust emissions;

• erosion control; and • identification and monitoring of key performance indicators.


Operation Transport systems Site management Open pit and underground mining Mineral processing Materials handling Non mineralised waste facilities Mineralised waste management and disposal Rehabilitation

• PM10 monitoring will be undertaken at Ngweding for a full year once the mine and processing plant become operational to assess the contribution of these sources to measured levels




Page 19-22


ACTION PLAN

TIMEFRAME FREQUENCY RESPONSIBLE PARTIES UM M Decommission Site management

Demolition Transport systems Site management Non mineralised waste management Mineralised waste management Rehabilitation

recorded at these nearby communities. Dust fall-out will be monitored at the closest sensitive receptors at locations specified by an air quality specialist. An air quality specialist to review the results on an annual basis and make recommendations with regards to the appropriateness and effectiveness of the monitoring programme and to determine the need for additional mitigation actions and related monitoring.

• Where farmers (crop and livestock) will be unable to carry out their farming activities as a direct result of the mining activities (i.e. on the farm Wilgespruit 2 JQ) they will be relocated, as included as a commitment in the approved EIA/EMP (KP, 2007), to the equivalent land (i.e. access, proximity, infrastructure, productivity) off site.

• As part of closure planning the designs of any permanent and potentially polluting structures (particularly the mineralised waste facilities) will, on the basis of impact modelling, incorporate measures to address long term pollution prevention and confirmatory monitoring.

On-going On-going Environmental Department Manager Closure Maintenance and aftercare

of final land forms and rehabilitated areas




Page 19-23

TABLE 104: ACTION PLAN – INCREASE IN NOISE DISTURBANCE


ACTION PLAN


Earthworks Civil works Site management Transport systems

M L • Blasting during the construction phase and open pit mining will be scheduled to take place in the afternoons and will be limited to week days if possible.

On-going

On-going

Senior Operational Manager

• All vehicles and equipment will be maintained in good working order to restrict noise emissions. Regular scheduled maintenance must include the checking and replacement, if necessary, of intake and exhaust silencers.

• The sound of reverse hooters will be engineered in such a manner to limit audibility in the surrounding environment.

• Noise and safety berms will be constructed between the pit and communities closest to the operations to mitigate noise impacts.

On-going On-going At start

On-going On-going Once-off

Senior Operational Manager Senior Operational Manage Senior Operational Manage

Operation Site management Transport systems Open pit and underground mining Mineral processing Materials handling Mineralised waste management and disposal Rehabilitation

Decommission Site management Demolition Transport systems Rehabilitation

• Ventilation equipment will be designed in such a manner to minimise the generation of noise and will be fitted with silencer systems.

• All noise complaints will be documented, investigated and reasonable efforts made to address the area of concern. Options available for reducing noise impacts include but are not limited to: o changing operating hours; o equipping noise sources with silencers; o construction of noise attenuation measures; and o consulting a noise specialist for mitigation advice.

At start On-going

Once-off On-going

Senior Operational Manager Senior Operational Manager

• Regular noise monitoring will be undertaken by an independent contractor as outlined in Section 20.


Closure N/A - - • Should any livestock herders be present within the high impact zone their dwellings will be relocated outside the zone.

Before construction

Once-off Senior Operational Manager



Page 19-24

TABLE 105: ACTION PLAN – VISUAL IMPACTS


ACTION PLAN


Earthworks Civil works Site management Transport system

H M • In the construction and operation phases the following visual mitigation techniques will be implemented:


o limit the clearing of vegetation; o limit the emission of visual air emission plumes (dust

emissions);

Operation Transport system Site management Open pit mining Underground mining Mineral processing Mineralised waste management and disposal Non-mineralised waste disposal and management Water supply infrastructure Power supply infrastructure

o use of visual screening berms in areas where there are sensitive visual receptors;

o the use of lighting will be limited to project requirements and measures will be implemented to limit light pollution impacts on surrounding areas. In this regard, night lighting will be fitted with fixtures to prevent light spillage and focus the light on precise mine activities and infrastructure, fitted as low to the ground as is practicable, and most security lights will be activated with movement sensors;

o on-going vegetation establishment on rehabilitated areas and the TSF side slopes that reflects the natural vegetation of the area.

o Sedibelo will develop the rehabilitation and closure plan in close partnership with the NWPTB to ensure that visual impacts on the proposed Heritage Park are minimised as far as possible.

Decommission Demolition Transport system Site management Mineralised waste management Non-mineralised waste management Water supply infrastructure Power supply infrastructu

• Sedibelo will implement its closure plan which involves the removal of infrastructure, and the rehabilitation and re-vegetation of cleared areas and any final landforms that will remain post closure. These final landforms should be rehabilitated in a manner that achieves both landscape functionality (particularly with regards to the proposed Heritage Park Corridor) and limits and/or enhances the long term visual impact. The following general design guidelines are proposed to aid in the development of a sustainable final landform design for the TSF and waste rock dumps: o final shaping and dumping should be implemented such

that the sides of the dumps are articulated in a fashion that create areas of light and shadow interplay;

o harsh, steep engineered slopes should be avoided if at all possible as these could impose an additional impact on the landscape by contrasting with existing topographic forms. The dumps are the only surface infrastructure that will remain after decommissioning and it is important that a long-term view of their integration with the surrounding landscape be taken;




Page 19-25


ACTION PLAN

TIMEFRAME FREQUENCY RESPONSIBLE PARTIES UM M o the remaining WRD side slopes will be flattened to

1V:4H general slope, and will be re-vegetated using indigenous species to mimic the vegetation cover of natural topographical features in the area;

o the rehabilitated landscape can be no more stable than the adjacent undisturbed landscape; therefore, it can be assumed that the reclaimed areas will be less stable and must be designed accordingly, with gentler slopes, higher density drainage and smaller drainage basins;

o maintain the final landform height and slope angles for the dumps as low as possible;

o where slopes compatible with the surrounding landscape can be achieved, an attempt should be made to visually soften stepper areas by avoiding straight engineered ridges and sharp changes of angle; and

o the preferred slope design is a concave or complex (convex-concave) profile. The use of terraces or contoured banks should be avoided. Hill-slope-curvature can be obtained using a series of linear slopes or slope facets.


H L • At closure, final landforms will be managed through an aftercare and maintenance programme to limit and/or enhance the long term post closure visual impacts.




Page 19-26

TABLE 106: ACTION PLAN – HERITAGE (INCLUDING CULTURAL) AND PALEONTOLOGICAL RESOURCES


ACTION PLAN


Earthworks Civil works Transport systems Site management

M L • Sedibelo will ensure that all workers (temporary and permanent) are educated about heritage and cultural resources that may be encountered and about the need to conserve these.

On-going On-going Senior Operations Manager

• In the event that new heritage and/or cultural and/or paleontological resources are discovered, the mine will follow a chance find emergency procedure, which includes the following:

As required As required Senior Operations Manager Operation Site preparation

Earthworks Transport systems Site management Water supply infrastructure Power supply infrastructure

o all work at the find will be stopped to prevent damage o an appropriate heritage specialist will be appointed to

assess the find and related impacts;

o permitting applications will be made to SAHRA, if required

• In the event that any graves are discovered during the construction, operational or decommissioning phases, these will be avoided and preserved as a first priority. If damage is unavoidable, prior to damaging or destroying any identified graves, permission for the exhumation and relocation of graves must be obtained from the relevant descendants (if known) and the relevant local and provincial authorities. The exhumation process must comply with the requirements of the relevant Ordinance on Exhumations, and the Human Tissues Act, 65 of 1983. If the graves are older than sixty years SAHRA must issue a permit for the exhumation of the graves whilst a social consultation process and 60-day statutory waiting period have to be followed before the graves can be exhumed.

As required As required Senior Operations Manager Decommission Demolition

Site management Transport systems

Closure Not applicable - - - - - -



Page 19-27

TABLE 107: ACTION PLAN – BLASTING HAZARDS


ACTION PLAN


Open pit Establishment of shaft portals

H

L

Sedibelo will implement a blast management plan which has the following key principles:

• identifying pre mining structures and conducting crack surveys of structures within the potential impact zone;

• a peak particle velocity (PPV) and air blast at third party structures which is below the damage causing threshold. As a general rule this is 12 mm/sec and 125dB respectively for structures that have been built in accordance with relevant building standards and 2.0mm/sec and 130dB for structures that have not been built in accordance with relevant building standards;


• for each blast, Sedibelo will observe the following procedural safety steps: o the fly rock danger zone of 500m associated with each

blast is delineated and people and animals are cleared from this zone before every blast, including road users;

o an audible warning is given at least three minutes before the blast is fired;

o blast debris falling on the road surface could potentially damage these surfaces, therefore debris must be cleared and the surface repaired as required;

• blast times will mainly be restricted to afternoons. No blasting will take place on public holidays and weekends;

• fly rock will be contained to within 500m of the blast site; • Sedibelo will respond immediately to any blast related

complaints. These complaints and the follow up actions will be dated, documented and kept as records for the life of mine.

• Where the mine has caused blast related damage it will provide appropriate compensation or fix the damage within 24 hours;

• detailed blast records will be kept: o date, time and blast location; o unusual occurrences such as collapsing holes, runaway

explosives, fumes, fly rock; o prevailing weather conditions, wind speed and direction;

and monitoring will be conducted using industry standard seismographs (ground vibration and air blast to be measured simultaneously). Seismographs will be positioned at selected sensitive receptors.

Operation Open pit Decommission Demolition

Closure N/A - - - - - -



Page 19-28

TABLE 108: ACTION PLAN – TRAFFIC CAPACITY AND ROAD ACCESSIBILITY


ACTION PLAN


Earthworks Civil works Transport systems

H L • The following is proposed to upgrade the intersection at the P50-1 and D511 roads: o south bound traffic along the D511 to be stop controlled

at the intersection with the P50-1 (as is the current practise);

o east and west bound traffic along the P50-1 will be free-flow (as is the current practise); and

o dedicated right and left turns to be established on the P50-1 for vehicles turning onto the D511.

Construction Once-off Senior Operational Manager

Operation Site management Transport systems Open pit mining

Decommission Demolition Site management Transport systems Earth works

• The following recommendations are made in terms of the detailed design phase: o detailed design drawings should be submitted by the

Roads Design Engineer of the project to the relevant road authorities for approval purposes, and where necessary the required way leaves should be obtained in order to conduct the required road improvements;

o detailed investigations should be conducted in conjunction with the relevant road authorities in terms of the existing quality and potential life span of the existing road surface layers (asphalt and gravel) where consumables and workers will be transported; and

o a road maintenance plan needs to be prepared in conjunction with the relevant road authorities on public roads where trucks and buses will operate.

Construction Once-off Senior Operational Manager




Page 19-29

TABLE 109: ACTION PLAN – TRAFFIC: ROAD SAFETY


ACTION PLAN


Earthworks Civil works Transport systems

H M • In the construction, operation and decommissioning phases Sedibelo will implement a transport safety programme to achieve the mitigation objectives. Key components of the programme include education, training, awareness, and transport system maintenance.


Operation Site management Transport systems Open pit mining

Decommission Demolition Site management Transport systems Earth works

• Sedibelo will implement the measures listed below during the construction phase in order to provide safe access to the site for all project phases. These measures will be maintained for the life of the project: o traffic and information signs and road markings will be

provided where relevant; o traffic calming measures will be implemented; o dedicated pedestrian routes will be identified and

implemented; o dedicated public transport loading and offloading area will

be provided on the property; o road traffic safety will be included in the general

awareness training programmes for employees, which includes contractors;

o evaluate the relevant intersections and road sections on a regular basis as part of the risk and safety management process;

o mine and contractor vehicles to be inspected on a regular basis for roadworthiness;

o vehicles must use established access and haul roads; o no off road driving will be allowed; and o all drivers to adhere to the site speed limits


• Should sections of the D511 be upgraded to paved road for mine access in the future, a dedicated right turn lane for north bound traffic must be provided as part of the intersection layout.

As required Once-off Senior Operational Manager




Page 19-30

TABLE 110: ACTION PLAN – LAND USE IMPACTS: AGRICULTURAL, RESIDENTIAL, CONSERVATION AND/OR ECOTOURISM LAND USES PHASE OF

OPERATION ACTIVITIES (SEE TABLE 66) SIG TECHNICAL AND MANAGEMENT OPTIONS

TIMEFRAME ACTION PLAN

UM M TIMEFRAME FREQUENCY RESPONSIBLE PARTIES Construction All activities - Agricultural

and residential land use H L • Prior to the commencement of construction activities,

Sedibelo will ensure the relocation of affected parties (i.e. farmers, families and farm hands) and their movable assets as outlined in Section 7.3.23

Pre-construction Once-Off Senior Operational Manager

All activities - Conservation and/or ecotourism

H M • During the operational phase, Sedibelo will: o undertake concurrent rehabilitation of areas no longer

required for mining activities, including the open pit, with a particular focus on establishing indigenous vegetation cover;

o develop the rehabilitation and closure plan in close partnership with relevant specialists, NWPTB, MKLM, BBKTA, surrounding land owners/users and surrounding communities to ensure that impacts on the end land use are minimised as far as possible; and

o engage with the NWPTB regarding the HPC dangerous game corridor and an alternative alignment.


Operation All activities - Agricultural and residential land use

H L • During decommissioning all surface infrastructure will be removed, with the exception of the waste rock dumps and tailings storage facility, and the entire site will be rehabilitated to land capabilities agreed to by relevant stakeholders and in accordance with the approved closure plan



H M

Decommission All activities - Agricultural and residential land use

H L


H M

Closure All activities - Agricultural and residential land use

H L


H M



Page 19-31

TABLE 111: ACTION PLAN – CONTRIBUTION TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY AS A RESULT OF EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

PHASE OF OPERATION ACTIVITIES (SEE TABLE 66)

SIG TECHNICAL AND MANAGEMENT OPTIONS TIMEFRAME

ACTION PLAN

UM M TIMEFRAME FREQUENCY RESPONSIBLE PARTIES

Construction All activities M+ H+ Sedibelo will ensure the following with regards to recruitment, procurement and training:

Operation • recruitment and procurement, by Sedibelo and its contractors, will be preferentially provided to people in the communities where possible, that are closest to the proposed project. In order to be in a position to achieve this, a skills register of people within the closest communities will be maintained;

As required As required Human Resources Manager/ Procurement Manager

Decommission • no ad hoc hiring of temporary casual labour will be allowed. A sign clearly indicating that there will be no recruitment at the construction site will be erected at the entrance to the site. Also, a list of available temporary workers in the area will be drawn up and kept by Sedibelo in the event that temporary labour is required;

Construction On-going Human Resources Manager

• the precise number of job opportunities (permanent and temporary) will be made public together with the required skills and qualifications. The duration of temporary work should be clearly indicated and employees provided with regular reminders and revisions throughout the employment period;

On-going On-going Stakeholder Engagement Department

• good communication with all job seekers will be maintained throughout the recruitment process. The process must be seen and understood to be fair and impartial by all involved;

As required As required Stakeholder Engagement Department

• urge people to get all their documents and certificates, including valid driving licenses, in order prior to recruitment;

• notifying unsuccessful job seekers once the recruitment process is complete;


• disclose any social investment plans for the area that may lead to jobs; and


• investigate skills development opportunities and needs in preparation for mine closure to sustain employees post mine closure.




Page 19-32

TABLE 112: ACTION PLAN – ECONOMIC IMPACTS PHASE OF



UM M TIMEFRAME FREQUENCY RESPONSIBLE PARTIES Construction All activities M+ H+ • Sedibelo (and its contractors) will hire local people from the

closest communities where possible. As required As required Human Resources Manager

Operation • Sedibelo will extend its formal bursary and skills development programmes to the closest communities to increase the number of local skilled people and thereby increase the potential local employee base

As required As required Human Resources Manager

Decommission • Sedibelo will procure local goods and services from the closest communities where possible

On-going On-going Procurement Manager

Closure • Sedibelo will implement a procurement mentorship programme which provides support to local business from the enquiry to project delivery stages


• Where farming and/or livestock grazing land is lost to mining, the affected farmer(s) will be provided with alternative suitable land by facilitating discussions with the State and the BBKTA. If this is not feasible alternative compensation will be provided


• Sedibelo will assist with the development of the proposed Heritage Park initiative


• Sedibelo will incorporate economic considerations into its closure planning from the outset. These closure planning considerations will cover the skilling of employees for the downscaling, early closure and long term closure scenarios


• Sedibelo will identify and develop sustainable business opportunities and skills, independent from mining, for members of the local communities to ensure continued economic prosperity beyond the life of mine




Page 19-33

TABLE 113: ACTION PLAN – INWARD MIGRATION PHASE OF



UM M TIMEFRAME FREQUENCY RESPONSIBLE PARTIES Construction All activities H M-H • Sedibelo will ensure the following with regards to recruitment,

procurement and training: Operation All activities Decommission All activities o good communication with all job and procurement

opportunity seekers will be maintained throughout the recruitment process. The process must be seen and understood to be fair and impartial by all involved. The personnel in charge of resolving recruitment and procurement concerns must be clearly identified and accessible to potential applicants;

As required As required Human Resources Manager

o the precise number of new job opportunities (permanent and temporary) and procurement opportunities will be made public together with the required skills and qualifications. The duration of temporary work will be clearly indicated and the relevant employees/contractors provided with regular reminders and revisions throughout the temporary period;


o recruitment and procurement, by Sedibelo and its contractors, will be preferentially provided to people in the communities where possible, that are closest to the proposed project. In order to be in a position to achieve this, a skills register of people within the closest communities will be maintained. Sedibelo will also preferentially provide bursaries and training to people that reside in these closest communities;


o there will be no recruitment or procurement at the gates of the proposed project. All recruitment will take place off site, at designated locations in the closest communities. All procurement will be through existing, established procurement and tendering processes that will include mechanisms for empowering service providers from the closest communities.


• Sedibelo will work with its neighbours, local authorities and law enforcement officials to monitor and prevent the development of informal settlements near the proposed project area and to assist where possible with crime prevention within surrounding area.


• Sedibelo will implement a health policy on HIV/ADS and tuberculosis. This policy will promote education, awareness and disease management both in the workplace and in the home so that the initiatives of the workplace have a positive impact on the communities from which employees are recruited. Partnerships will be formed with local and provincial authorities to maximise the off-site benefits of the policy.


• Sedibelo will work closely with the local and regional On-going On-going Stakeholder Engagement



Page 19-34



ACTION PLAN UM M TIMEFRAME FREQUENCY RESPONSIBLE PARTIES

authorities, the BBKTA and other mines/industry in the area to be part of the problem solving process that needs to address social service constraints.

Department

• Sedibelo will implement a stakeholder communication, information sharing and grievance mechanism to enable all stakeholders to engage with Sedibelo on both socio-economic and environmental issues. In this regard, quarterly stakeholder meetings will be held with surrounding communities and IAPs.




Page 19-35

TABLE 114: ACTION PLAN – RELOCATION PHASE OF



UM M TIMEFRAME FREQUENCY RESPONSIBLE PARTIES Construction Operational Decommissioning

All activities H L • The process of relocating the affected individuals will be primarily driven by PPM, with input from the Sedibelo team. If the projects are approved and the affected cattle herders are to be resettled there are two scenarios that will apply: o in the case that the BBKTA takes responsibility for the

resettlement action plan then PPM has no further responsibility and the mitigation measures outlined below do not apply; however

o in the scenario where the BBKTA does not take responsibility for the resettlement action plan then Sedibelo together with PPM, will implement the mitigation measures indicated below.

Pre-construction Once-off Stakeholder Engagement Department

• the mine will appoint a resettlement professional to design and implement a resettlement action plan. Prior to the design of this plan the responsible party will carry out a social survey and census of the affected site to determine the number of people and livestock and to identify all associated infrastructure


• The resettlement will take place prior to the components of the operational phase that will necessitate resettlement and the plan must cover the relevant components from the following list, which has been extracted from the World Bank Operational Directive on Involuntary Resettlement. The decision on which components to include in the plan will be made by the appointed professional: o clear statement on organisational responsibilities with

mechanisms for the affected parties to be involved from the outset with their own professional representation;

o community participation and impacts on/integration with host populations;

o an updated socio-economic survey; o a legal framework; o alternative sites; o valuation of and compensation for lost income and

assets; o land tenure, acquisition and transfer; o access to training, employment and credit; o shelter, infrastructure and social services; o environmental protection and management; and o implementation schedule, monitoring and evaluation.


• Establish a relocation committee, comprising representatives from PPM, Sedibelo, DRDLR, BBKTA and MKLM to monitor the relocation process.




Page 19-36



ACTION PLAN UM M TIMEFRAME FREQUENCY RESPONSIBLE PARTIES

• If the BBKTA takes responsibility for the development and implementation of the relocation plan, the mine will monitor the process to ensure is it is line with acceptable standards and requirements.

Pre-construction On-going Stakeholder Engagement Department



Page 20-1

20. EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROCEDURES

20.1 ON-GOING MONITORING AND MANAGEMENT MEASURES

The on-going monitoring as described in Section 21 will be undertaken to provide early warning systems

necessary to avoid environmental emergencies.

20.2 PROCEDURES IN CASE OF ENVIRONMENTAL EMERGENCIES

Emergency procedures apply to incidents that are unexpected and that may be sudden, and which may

potentially lead to serious danger to the public and/or potentially serious pollution of, or detriment to the

environment (immediate and delayed). Procedures to be followed in case of environmental emergencies

are described in the table below (Table 115) and should ideally be incorporated into the Sedibelo

Environmental Management System.

20.2.1 GENERAL EMERGENCY PROCEDURE

The general procedure that should be followed in the event of all emergency situations is as follows.

• applicable incident controller as defined in the emergency plans and supervisor must be notified of an

incident upon discovery;

• area to be cordoned off to prevent unauthorised access and tampering of evidence;

• undertake actions defined in emergency plan to limit/contain the impact of the emergency;

• if mineralised waste facilities, stormwater storage, stormwater diversions, etc., are partially or totally

failing and this cannot be prevented, the emergency siren is to be sounded (nearest one available).

After hours, the Operational Engineer on standby must be notified;

• incident controller to take photographs and samples as necessary to assist in investigation;

• supervisor of the section to report the incident immediately to the environmental department for

emergencies involving environmental impacts or to the safely department in the case of injury;

• the environment department to ensure compliance with Section 30 of the National Environmental

Management Act (107 of 1998) such that:

o depending on the nature of the emergency, the environment department to immediately

notify the Director-General (DWS and DEA, DMR and Inspectorate of Mines as

appropriate), the South African Police Services, the relevant fire prevention service, the

provincial head of DREAD, the head of the local municipality, the head of the regional

DWS office and any persons whose health may be affected of. Information to be

reported included:

- nature of the incident;

- any risks posed to public health, safety and property;

- toxicity of the substances or by-products released by the incident; and



Page 20-2

- steps taken to avoid or minimise the effects of the incident on public health and the

environment.

• the environment department must as soon as is practical after the incident:

o ensure that all reasonable measures are taken to contain and minimise the effects of the

incident including its effects on the environment and any risks posed by the incident to

the health, safety and property of persons;

o ensure that the relevant clean up procedures followed;

o ensure that the effects of the incident remedied through the implementation of corrective

actions;

o ensure preventative measures are developed and implemented;

o assess the immediate and long term effects of the incident (environment and public

health); and

o within 14 days the Environment department must report to the Director-General DWS

and DEA, the provincial head of DREAD, the regional manager of the DMR, the head of

the local and district municipality, the head of the regional DWS office such information

as is available to enable an initial evaluation of the incident, including:

- nature of the incident;

- substances involved and an estimation of the quantity released;

- possible acute effects of the substances on the persons and the environment (including the

data needed to assess these effects);

- initial measures taken to minimise the impacts;

- causes of the incident, whether direct or indirect, including equipment, technology, system or

management failure; and

- measures taken to avoid a recurrence of the incident.

20.2.2 IDENTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY SITUATIONS

The site wide emergency situations that have been identified together with specific emergency response

procedures are outlined in Table 115.

20.3 TECHNICAL, MANAGEMENT AND FINANCIAL OPTIONS

Technical, management and financial options that will be put into place to deal with the remediation of

impacts in cases of environmental emergencies are described below in Table 115. With regards to

technical, management and financial options for Sedibelo, the following apply:

• The applicant will appoint a competent management team with the appropriate skills to develop and

manage a mine of this scale and nature.

• To prevent the occurrence of emergency situations, the mine will implement as a minimum the mine

plan and mitigation measures as included in this EIA and EMP report.



Page 20-3

• The mine will implement an environmental management system to ensure that environmental

incidents are formally identified, reported, investigated, addressed and closed out.

• As part of its annual budget, the mine will allow a contingency for handling of any risks identified

and/or emergency situations.

• Where required, the mine will seek input from appropriately qualified people.



Page 20-4

TABLE 115: EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROCEDURES ITEM EMERGENCY SITUATION RESPONSE IN ADDITION TO GENERAL PROCEDURES

1 Spillage of chemicals, engineering substances and waste

Where there is a risk that contamination will contaminate the land (leading to a loss of resource), surface water and/or groundwater, Sedibelo will: Notify residents/users downstream of the pollution incident. Identify and provide alternative resources should contamination impact adversely on the existing environment. Cut off the source if the spill is originating from a pump, pipeline or valve (e.g. Tailings delivery pipeline, refuelling tanker)

and the infrastructure ‘made safe’. Contain the spill (e.g. construct temporary earth bund around source such as road tanker). Pump excess hazardous liquids on the surface to temporary containers (e.g. 210 litre drums, mobile tanker, etc.) for

appropriate disposal. Remove hazardous substances from damaged infrastructure to an appropriate storage area before it is removed/repaired.

2 Discharge of dirty water to the environment

Apply the principals listed for Item 1 above. To stop spillage from the dirty water system the mine will: Redirect excess water to other dirty water facilities where possible; Pump dirty water to available containment in the clean water system, where there is no capacity in the dirty water system;

and Carry out an emergency discharge of clean water and redirect the spillage to the emptied facility. Apply for emergency discharge as a last resort.

3 Pollution of surface water Personnel discovering the incident must inform the Environment department of the location and contaminant source. Apply the principals listed for Item 1 above. Absorbent booms will be used to absorb surface plumes of hydrocarbon contaminants. Contamination entering the surface water drainage system should be redirected into the dirty water system. The Environment department will collect in-stream water samples downstream of the incident to assess the immediate risk posed by contamination.

4 Groundwater contamination Use the groundwater monitoring boreholes as scavenger wells to pump out the polluted groundwater for re-use in the process water circuit (hence containing the contamination and preventing further migration). Investigate the source of contamination and implement control/mitigation measures.

5 Burst water pipes (loss of resource and erosion)

Notify authority responsible for the pipeline (if not mine responsibility). Shut off the water flowing through the damaged area and repair the damage. Apply the principals listed for Item 1 above if spill is from the dirty/process water circuit.

6 Flooding from failure of surface water control infrastructure

Evacuate the area downstream of the failure. Using the emergency response team, rescue/recover and medically treat any injured personnel. Temporarily reinstate/repair stormwater diversions during the storm event (e.g. emergency supply of sandbags). Close the roads affected by localised flooding or where a stormwater surge has destroyed crossings/bridges.

7 Risk of drowning from falling into water dams

Attempt rescue of individuals from land by throwing lifeline/lifesaving ring. Get assistance of emergency response team whilst attempting rescue or to carry out rescue of animals and or people as



Page 20-5

ITEM EMERGENCY SITUATION RESPONSE IN ADDITION TO GENERAL PROCEDURES

relevant. Ensure medical assistance is available to recovered individual.

8 Veld fire Evacuate mine employees from areas at risk. Notify downwind residents and industries of the danger. Assist those in imminent danger/less able individuals to evacuate until danger has passed. Provide emergency firefighting assistance with available trained mine personnel and equipment.

9 Overtopping or failure of the tailings dam

Sound the alarm to evacuate danger area. Pump water from top of dam and follow redirection of water as indicated in Item 2 above. Stop pumping tailings to the tailings. Recover casualties resulting from dam failure using the emergency response team. Make the remaining structure safe. Apply the principles of Item 1 above.

10 Falling into hazardous excavations

Personnel discovering the fallen individual or animal must mobilise the emergency response team to the location of the incident and provide a general appraisal of the situation (e.g. human or animal, conscious or unconscious, etc.). The injured party should be recovered by trained professionals such as the mine emergency response team. A doctor (or appropriate medical practitioner)/ambulance should be present at the scene to provide first aid and transport individual to hospital.

11 Road traffic accidents (on site)

The individual discovering the accident (be it bystander or able casualty) must raise the alarm giving the location of the incident. Able personnel at the scene should shut down vehicles where it is safe to do so. Access to the area should be restricted and access roads cleared for the emergency response team. Vehicles must be made safe first by trained professionals (e.g. crushed or overturned vehicles). Casualties will be moved to safety by trained professionals and provided with medical assistance. Medical centres in the vicinity with appropriate medical capabilities will be notified if multiple seriously injured casualties are expected. A nearby vet should be consulted in the case of animal injury

12 Development of informal settlements

The mine will inform the local authorities (municipality and police) that people are illegally occupying the land and ensure that action is taken within 24hrs.

13 Injury from fly rock The person discovering the incident will contact the mine emergency response personnel to recover the injured person or animal and provide medical assistance. Whilst awaiting arrival of the emergency response personnel, first aid should be administered to the injured person by a qualified first aider if it is safe to do so.

14 Uncovering of graves and sites

Personnel discovering the grave or site must inform the Environment department immediately. Prior to damaging or destroying any of the identified graves, permission for the exhumation and relocation of graves must be obtained from the relevant descendants (if known), the National Department of Health, the Provincial Department of Health, the Premier of the Province and the local Police. The exhumation process must comply with the requirements of the relevant Ordinance on Exhumations, and the Human



Page 20-6

ITEM EMERGENCY SITUATION RESPONSE IN ADDITION TO GENERAL PROCEDURES

Tissues Act, 65 of 1983. 15 Unearthing of Giant Bull

frogs Personnel discovering the frogs must inform the Environment department immediately. Responsible environmental officer to capture, remove and release the frog within the temporary fenced buffer zone area. Retain hibernating specimens in captivity and only release after the summer rains have commenced. In this a regard, the assistance of a specialist will be required.



Page 21-1

21. PLANNED MONITORING AND EMP PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT

21.1 PLANNED MONITORING OF ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS

Environmental aspects requiring monitoring are listed below.

• Soils – see Section 21.1.1 for details

• Water resources – see Section 21.1.2 for details

• Air – see Section 21.1.3 for details

• Biodiversity – see Section 21.1.4 for details

• Blasting – see Section 21.1.5 for details

• Tailings dam, waste rock dumps and other water dams – see Section 21.1.6 for details

21.1.1 SOILS

Nutrient requirements reported herein are based on the monitoring and sampling of the soils at the time

of the baseline survey. These values will alter during the storage stage and will need to be re-evaluated

before being used during rehabilitation. On-going evaluation of the nutrient status of the growth medium

will be needed throughout the life of the mine and into the rehabilitation phase.

During the rehabilitation exercise preliminary soil quality monitoring should be carried out to accurately

determine the fertilizer requirements that will be needed. Additional soil sampling should also be carried

out annually until the levels of nutrients, specifically magnesium, phosphorus and potassium, are at the

required levels for sustainable growth. Once the desired nutritional status has been achieved, it is

recommended that the interval between sampling is increased. An annual environmental audit should be

undertaken. If growth problems develop, ad hoc, sampling should be carried out to determine the

problem.

Monitoring should always be carried out at the same time of the year and at least six weeks after the last

application of fertilizer.

Soils should be sampled and analysed for the following parameters:

• pH (H2O);

• Phosphorus (Bray I);

• Electrical conductivity (mS/m);

• Calcium (mg/kg);

• Cation exchange capacity

• Sodium (mg/kg);

• Magnesium (mg/kg);

• Potassium (mg/kg)

• Zinc (mg/kg);



Page 21-2

• Clay

• Organic matter content (C %)

21.1.2 WATER RESOURCES

Sedibelo has an existing groundwater and surface water monitoring programme that was developed in

consultation with a qualified groundwater specialist, although a number of additional monitoring points

were recently added. Table 117 and Figure 30 set out groundwater and surface water monitoring points.

Table 116 sets out the parameters that are monitored. The parameters may be modified on the basis of

input from an appropriate specialist and DWS. It is also possible that the programme will be modified as

part of the integrated water license process.

TABLE 116: MONITORING PARAMETERS FOR ANALYSIS AND REPORTING

SAMPLE TYPE FIELD MEASUREMENTS LABORATORY ANALYSIS: CHEMICAL LAB ANALYSIS:

MICROBIOLOGICAL

Groundwater pH, EC, temperature

NO2 - N; NO3 - N; Cl; SO4; PO4-P; CO3; HCO3; Na; K; Ca; Mg; T Alk; NH4; Zn; F; Cr; Fe; Mn; Cu; Cd; Co; Pb; Ni; Al; Cr VI; pH; EC; TDS; T Hard; LSI; Total Anion; Total Cation, Cations & Anions Balance

Springs pH, EC, temperature


Total coliforms & E. coli

Surface Water pH, EC, temperature



Potable Water pH, EC, temperature



If monitoring indicates a mine-related decrease in groundwater supply to third parties or groundwater

quality at third party boreholes, appropriate measures will be taken to prevent the decrease from

occurring or rectify the contamination situation, and/or to provide the affected third parties with an

alternative equivalent water supply.

Process water

Process water from dirty water dams will be monitored according to the parameters in Table 116.

Rainfall related discharges are monitored as required according to the parameters in Table 116 . If the

quality of the monitored discharge is above acceptable levels, additional measures will be identified and

implemented to prevent the future potential for surface water related pollution.

Water balance

The water balance will be updated on a monthly basis from recorded flow measurements and production

figures. This will be done by an appropriately qualified person. The water balance will be used to check

on an on-going basis that the capacity of the dirty water holding facilities is adequate.



Page 21-3

TABLE 117: MONITORING NETWORK AND FREQUENCY

SAMPLE NAME TYPE SAMPLING METHOD

WATER LEVEL MONITORING FREQUENCY

SAMPLING FREQUENCY LATITUDE LONGITUDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

SWS1 Surface Water Grab - Monthly -25.121540 27.017590 Upstream



SWS4 Surface Water Grab - Monthly -25.044280 27.045410 Downstream




BRS1 Surface Water Grab - Quarterly -25.150480 27.007300 Spring at Black Rhino




MBH34 Borehole Pump Monthly Quarterly -25.147270 27.097890 Submersible pump installed

SEDMON1 (BH32) Borehole Pump Monthly Quarterly -25.137330 27.071790 Submersible pump installed

SEDMON2 (BH30) Borehole Bail Monthly Quarterly -25.133460 27.054290

BH29 Borehole Pump - Quarterly -25.14100 27.03642 Hand pump - cannot measure water level

RBH14 Borehole Bail Monthly Quarterly -25.142610 27.027420

SEDWRD01 Borehole Pump Monthly Quarterly -25.102550 27.025700 Submersible pump installed

SEDKPBH04 Borehole Bail Monthly Quarterly -25.066060 27.045940



BH14 Borehole Pump Monthly Quarterly -25.08340 27.10448 Windpump

SEDWET01 Borehole Bail Monthly Quarterly -25.100700 27.050500

SEDWET02S Borehole Bail Monthly Quarterly -25.105620 27.049550

SEDWET02D Borehole Bail Monthly Quarterly -25.105640 27.049470

SEDWET03S Borehole Bail Monthly Quarterly -25.106560 27.046810

SEDWET03D Borehole Bail Monthly Quarterly -25.106600 27.046760



Page 21-4

SAMPLE NAME TYPE SAMPLING METHOD

WATER LEVEL MONITORING FREQUENCY

SAMPLING FREQUENCY LATITUDE LONGITUDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

TDFMon1 Borehole Bail Monthly Quarterly -25.075339 27.020010 New borehole to be established



WRDMon1 Borehole Bail Monthly Quarterly -25.067664 27.035383 New borehole to be established





Page 21-1

21.1.3 AIR QUALITY

Sedibelo has an existing dust fall-out monitoring programme in place. The dust buckets have been be

placed on the boundaries of the mining right area and immediately downwind of potentially significant

dust generating sources. It is recommended that dust fall out monitoring at these four locations be

continued. The current network will be expanded to include an additional dust bucket as well as a PM10

monitor at Ngweding. An additional dust bucket will be located in close proximity to Legkraal (Figure 16).

21.1.4 BIODIVERSITY MONITORING PROGRAMME

On-going monitoring

Prior to the construction of any projects, detailed baseline studies of selected fauna and flora groups

within the impact zone will be undertaken. During operation and decommissioning, Sedibelo will

implement a monitoring programme which will be aimed at monitoring selected indicator species. This

monitoring, which will include the species selection (include giant bull frog) and determination of

monitoring intervals, will be performed by a specialist.

Aquatic bio-monitoring has been undertaken in the area by Knight Piesold since 2007 on a routine basis.

Bio-monitoring will continue to be undertaken twice a year at the monitoring points specified in Figure 30.

The parameters may be modified on the basis of input from an appropriate specialist and DWS. It is also

possible that the programme will be modified as part of the integrated water license process.

BIO MONITORING LOCATIONS No Site_ID Latitude Longitude Type Frequency Existing

(Y/N) 1 BSED1 -

25.139866 27.015839 Surface Water Bi-annual Y

2 BSED2 -25.081940

27.036550 Surface Water Bi-annual Y

3 BSED3 -25.091460


4 BSED4 -25.070170


5 BSED5 -24.913580




Page 21-2

FIGURE 30: ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING POSITIONS



Page 21-3

Alien invasive species programme

During operation, decommissioning and closure Sedibelo will implement an alien/invasive /weed

management programme to control the spread of these plants onto and from disturbed areas. This will

be achieved by active eradication and the establishment of natural species and through on-going

monitoring and assessment. The use of herbicides will be limited and focussed and will only be used

under strict controls. Herbicides will be selected to ensure least residual harm. Herbicides will be

administered by suitably qualified people.

Continued monitoring will be undertaken to ensure that the alien invasive species have been eradicated

and are controlled for both controlled sites as well as rehabilitated areas. Repeat surveys should be

carried out annually for at least the first three years post-rehabilitation.

Rehabilitation

For each area requiring rehabilitation specific landscape functionality objectives will be set with expert

input and the associated targets and monitoring program will follow accordingly.

21.1.5 BLASTING

Prior to the construction phase of any projects, Sedibelo will undertake a pre-blast baseline survey as

detailed in the action plan (Section 7.6.15).

Monitoring of each surface blast will take place for the duration of blasting activities. Points for off-site

vibration and airblast monitoring will be identified in consultation with surrounding landowners and a blast

monitoring specialist. The monitoring results will be documented and maintained for record-keeping and

auditing purposes.

21.1.6 MINERALISED WASTE FACILITIES AND WATER DAMS

In addition to the abovementioned environmental monitoring programmes, all mineralised waste facilities

and water dams will be monitored to ensure stability, safety and prevention of environmental impacts.

The frequency of the monitoring and the qualification of the monitoring personnel will be determined on

an infrastructure specific basis.

The findings will be documented for record-keeping and auditing purposes and addressed where relevant

to achieve the stated objectives.

21.2 AUDITING AND PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENTS

The Environmental Department Manager will conduct internal management audits against the

commitments in the EMP. These audits will be conducted on an on-going basis until final closure. The



Page 21-4

audit findings will be documented for both record keeping purposes and for informing continual

improvement. In addition, and in accordance with mining regulation R527, an independent professional

will conduct an EMP performance assessment every 2 years. The site’s compliance with the provisions

of the EMP and the adequacy EMP report relative to the on-site activities will be assessed in the

performance assessment.

21.3 FREQUENCY FOR REPORTING

As a minimum, the following documents will be submitted to the relevant authorities from the start of

construction until mine closure:

• EMP performance assessment, submitted every two years to DMR;

• updated closure and rehabilitation cost estimate, submitted to the DMR in accordance to

DMR requirements;

• water monitoring reports, submitted to DWS in accordance with water use license

requirements; and

• detailed plan for decommissioning/closure, submitted in accordance to DMR requirements.



Page 22-1

22. FINANCIAL PROVISION

The information in this section was sourced from the closure cost calculation study completed by SLR

(Appendix Q). Since no detailed Closure Plan for Sedibelo Platinum Mine has been developed and/or

approved by the relevant authorities, the step-by-step ‘rule-based’ DMR approach for calculating closure

liability was followed. It is important to note that the DMR opencast rehabilitation closure component

(including final voids and ramps) does not allow for backfilling of the void, but only makes provision for

the sloping of the pit walls to 1V:3H i.e. making the voids safe for humans and domestic animals, which is

in contradiction to the closure objective of backfilling the pit.

22.1 PLAN SHOWING LOCATION AND AERIAL EXTENT OF PROPOSED OPERATION

A plan showing the location and aerial extent of the operation is provided in Figure 20.

22.2 ANNUAL FORECASTED FINANCIAL PROVISION

The annual forecasted financial provision for the first 10 years of the mine, as well as the scheduled

closure amount is provided in Table 118 below.

TABLE 118: FINANCIAL PROVISION (SLR, 2014) DATE YEAR FINANCIAL LIABILITY

INCURRED DURING THE YEAR (INCL. VAT)

PROGRESSIVE FINANCIAL LIABILITY (INCL. VAT)

PROGRESSIVE LIABILITY AS A % OF LOM LIABILITY

Dec. 2015 Year 1 R 82,304,630 R 82,304,630 30.6 % Dec. 2016 Year 2 R 59,990,327 R 142,294,957 52.9 % Dec. 2017 Year 3 R 35,542,117 R 177,837,074 66.1 % Dec. 2018 Year 4 R 6,515,299 R 184,352,373 68.5 % Dec. 2019 Year 5 R 60,215,320 R 244,567,693 90.8 % Dec. 2020 Year 6 R 2,428,310 R 246,996,003 91.8 % Dec. 2021 Year 7 R 2,428,309 R 249,424,312 92.7 % Dec. 2022 Year 8 R 2,960,146 R 252,384,458 93.8 % Dec. 2023 Year 9 R 2,652,876 R 255,037,334 94.7 % Dec. 2024 Year 10 R 2,652,877 R 257,690,211 95.7 % Dec. 2055 LOM R 11,509,773 R 269,199,984 100.0 %

22.3 CONFIRMATION OF AMOUNT TO BE PROVIDED

The amount that needs to be provided for the Sedibelo Platinum Mine is R269 199 984 (including VAT)

and excludes a provision to backfill the open pit. It does inlucde a provision for the sloping of the pit walls

to 1V:3H.

22.4 METHOD OF PROVIDING FINANCIAL PROVISION

The financial privision will beprovided in line with the requirements of the MPRDA.



Page 23-1

23. ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS PLAN

This section includes an environmental awareness plan for the mine. The plan describes how employees

will be informed of environmental risks which may result from their work, the manner in which the risk

must be dealt with in order to avoid pollution or degradation of the environment and the training required

for general environmental awareness and the dealing of emergency situations and remediation measures

for such emergencies.

All contractors that conduct work on behalf of Sedibelo will be bound by the content of the EMP and a

contractual condition to this effect will be included in all such contracts entered into by the mine. If

contractors are used, the responsibility for ensuring compliance with the EMP will remain with Sedibelo.

The purpose of the environmental awareness plan is to ensure that all personnel and management

understand the general environmental requirements of the site. In addition, greater environmental

awareness must be communicated to personnel involved in specific activities which can have a

significant impact on the environment and ensure that they are competent to carry out their tasks on the

basis of appropriate education, training and/or experience. The environmental awareness plan should

enable Sedibelo to achieve the objectives of the environmental policy.

23.1 ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

A copy of the mine’s environmental policy will be displayed prominently at the mine entrance and key

notice boards at the mine’s business units. The mine’s environmental policy is described below:

• to minimise the impact of the Sedibelo mining operations on the environment wherever possible;

• to comply with all applicable environmental legislation and the commitments contained in the

Sedibelo Environmental Management Programme (EMP) report.

• to ensure that all mine employees, contractors and sub-contractors:

• are aware of the impact of their activities on the environment;

• are informed about the measures required to prevent, mitigate and manage environmental

impacts; and

• apply these principles whilst carrying out their work.

• to establish and maintain a good relationship with surrounding communities, industries and other

interested and affected parties, with regard to the mine’s activities;

• to develop a localised environmental strategy with the local authority and nearby industries; and

• to provide relevant and constructive consultation/public participation on the management of the

potential environmental impacts posed by the mine in the future.



Page 23-2

23.2 STEPS TO ACHIEVE THE ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY OBJECTIVES

The mine’s environmental policy will be realised by setting specific and measurable objectives. It is

proposed that objectives are set and continually reviewed throughout the life of mine, but initial objectives

are as follows:

• Appointment of Senior Executive

The IBMR board to appoint a senior executive, who amongst other duties, will be responsible for

environmental management and will ensure that the necessary resources required for implementing and

maintaining the EMP commitments and an effective environmental management system are provided on

an operational level.

• Management of environmental responsibilities:

The mine will establish and environmental department and appoint an Environmental/SHE Manager

at senior mine management level, who will be provided with all necessary resources to carry out the

management of all environmental aspects of the site as a primary function, for example:

• compliance with environmental legislation and EMP commitments;

• implementing and maintaining an environmental management system;

• developing environmental emergency response procedures and coordinating personnel

during incidents;

• manage routine environmental monitoring and data interpretation;

• environmental trouble shooting and implementation of remediation strategies; and

• closure planning.

• Communication of environmental issues and information:

Meetings, consultations and progress reviews will be carried out, and specifically the mine will:

• set the discussion of environmental issues and feedback on environmental projects as an

agenda item at all company board meetings;

• provide progress reports on the achievement of policy objectives and level of compliance

with the approved EIA/EMP report to the Department of Mineral Resources;

• ensure environmental issues are raised at monthly mine management executive committee

meetings and all relevant mine wide meetings at all levels; and

• ensure environmental issues are discussed at all general liaison meetings with local

communities and other interested and affected parties.

• Environmental awareness training:

Sedibelo will provide environmental awareness training to individuals at a level of detail specific to the

requirements of their job, but will generally comprise:

• basic awareness training for all prior to granting access to site (e.g. short video presentation

requiring registration once completed). Employees and contractors who have not attended

the training will not be allowed on site;



Page 23-3

• general environmental awareness training will be given to all employees and contractors as

part of the Safety, Health and Environment induction programme. All non Sedibelo

personnel who will be on site for more than five days must undergo the environmental

induction training;

• specific environmental awareness training will be provided to personnel whose work activities

can have a significant impact on the environment (e.g. workshops, waste handling and

disposal, sanitation, etc.).

• Review and update the environmental topics already identified in the EMP which currently includes

the following issues:

• geology (sterilisation of mineral resource);

• topography (hazardous excavations and surface subsidence);

• soil management (loss of soil resource);

• land capability (loss of land with agricultural and conservation/ecotourism potential);

• surrounding land use (traffic management, agriculture, and damage from blasting);

• management of biodiversity (impacts on land and water related habitats and species);

• surface water management (alteration of surface drainage and pollution of surface water);

• groundwater management (reduction in groundwater levels/availability and groundwater

contamination);

• management of air quality (dust generation and PM10);

• noise (specifically management of disturbing noise);

• visual aspects (reduction of negative visual impacts);

• traffic impacts (road infrastructure and safety);

• heritage resources (management of archaeological, cultural, historical and paleontological

sites);

• socio-economic impacts (management of positive and negative impacts); and

• interested and affected parties.

• Contractors and employees will be contractually bound to participate in the achievement of

environmental policy objectives and compliance with the EIA and EMP report.

• All mine projects will be designed to minimise impact on the environment and to accomplish

closure/rehabilitation objectives.

• Sedibelo will maintain records of all environmental training, monitoring, incidents, corrective actions

and reports.

23.3 TRAINING OBJECTIVES OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS PLAN

The environmental awareness plan ensures that training needs are identified and that appropriate

training is provided. The environmental awareness plan should communicate:

• the importance of conformance with the environmental policy, procedures and other

requirements of good environmental management;



Page 23-4

• the significant environmental impacts and risks of individuals work activities and explain the

environmental benefits of improved performance;

• individuals roles and responsibilities in achieving the aims and objectives of the

environmental policy; and

• the potential consequences of not complying with environmental procedures.

23.3.1 GENERAL CONTENTS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS PLAN

To achieve the objectives of the environmental awareness plan the general contents of the training plans

are as follows:

• Module 1 – Basic training plan applicable to all personnel entering the site:

• short (15 minute) presentation to indicate the site layout and activities at specific business

units together with their environmental aspects and potential impacts.

• individuals to sign off with site security on completion in order to gain access to the site.

• Module 2 – General training plan applicable to all personnel at the site for longer than 5 days:

• general understanding of the environmental setting of the mine (e.g. local communities and

industries and proximity to natural resources such as rivers);

• understanding the environmental impact of individuals activities on site (e.g. excessive

production of waste, poor housekeeping, energy consumption, water use, etc.);

• indicate potential site specific environmental aspects and their impacts;

• Sedibelo’s environmental management policy;

• identifying poor environmental management and stopping work which presents significant

risks;

• reporting incidents;

• information regarding the Giant Bull Frog

• examples of poor environmental management and environmental incidents; and

• procedures for emergency response and cleaning up minor leaks and spills.

• Module 3 – Specific training plan:

• environmental setting of the workplace (e.g. proximity of watercourses, vulnerability of

groundwater, proximity of local communities and industries, etc.);

• specific environmental aspects such as:

o spillage of hydrocarbons at workshops;

o spillage of explosive liquids in the open pits;



Page 23-5

o poor waste management such as mixing hazardous and general wastes,

inappropriate storage and stockpiling waste large amounts of waste;

o poor housekeeping practices; and

o poor working practices (e.g. not carrying oil changes in designated bunded

areas).

• impact of environmental aspects, for example:

hydrocarbon contamination of local watercourses resulting in loss of resource to

downstream users;

groundwater contamination also resulting in loss of resource due to potential

adverse aesthetic, taste and health effects; and

dust impacts on local communities (nuisance and health implications).

• Sedibelo’s duty of care (specifically with respect to waste management); and

• purpose and function of Sedibelo’s environmental management system.

Individuals required to complete Module 3 (specific training module) will need to complete Modules 1 and

2 first. On completion of the Module 3, individuals will be subject to a short test (written or verbal) to

ensure the level of competence has been achieved. Individuals who fail the test will be allowed to re-sit

the test after further training by the training department.

The actual contents of the training modules will be developed based on a training needs analysis.

Key personnel will be required to undergo formal, external environmental management training (e.g. how

to operate the environmental management system, waste management and legal compliance).

In addition to the above Sedibelo will:

• conduct refresher training/presentations on environmental issues for mine employees

(permanent and contractors) at regular intervals.

• promote environmental awareness using relevant environmental topic posters displayed at

strategic locations on the mine. These topics will be changed monthly, and will be reviewed

annually by the Environmental Manager to ensure relevance.

• participate and organise events which promote environmental awareness, some of which will be

tied to national initiatives e.g. National Arbour Week, World Environment Day and National Water

Week.



Page 24-1

24. TECHNICAL SUPPORTING INFORMATION

The following specialist studies are attached as appendices to this report:

• soils and land capability study (Appendix E);

• biodiversity study (Appendix F);

• hydrological study (Appendix G);

• geohydrological study (Appendix H);

• air quality study (Appendix I);


• cultural-heritage study (Appendix L);

• palaeontology study (Appendix M);

• traffic study (Appendix N);

• socio-economic report (Appendix O);

• mineralised waste facilities engineering design report (Appendix P); and

• calculation of financial closure liability report (Appendix Q).


SLR Africa Project 710.02001.00003 Report No.1 July 2015

Page 25-1

25. CAPACITY TO MANAGE AND REHABILITATE THE ENVIRONMENT

This section outlines the applicant’s capacity to rehabilitate and manage negative impacts on the

environment.

25.1 AMOUNT REQUIRED TO MANAGE AND REHABILITATE THE ENVIRONMENT

Information in this section was provided by Sedibelo and was extracted from the budget that was

compiled as part of the mine works programme (MWP). This budget will be updated on an annual basis.

As indicated in the MWP, IBMR has provided for the financial contribution as indicted in Table 119

towards its environmental and socio-economic budget. This budget will be updated on an annual basis.

TABLE 119: ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC BUDGET AS PER MWP (US$ EXCHANGE RATE – R10.37)

ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND

MAINTENANCE

SOCIO-ECONOMIC TOTAL

Year 1 R4 148 200 R16 488 300 R20 636 500 Year 2 R4 148 200 R16 488 300 R20 636 500 Year 3 R4 148 200 R16 488 300 R20 636 500 Year 4 R4 148 200 R16 488 300 R20 636 500 Year 5 R4 148 200 R2 696 200 R6 844 400 Year 6 R3 007 300 R2 696 200 R5 703 500 Year 7 R3 007 300 R2 696 200 R5 703 500 Year 8 R3 007 300 R2 696 200 R5 703 500 Year 9 R3 007 300 R2 696 200 R5 703 500 Year 10 R3 007 300 R2 696 200 R5 703 500

25.2 AMOUNT PROVIDED FOR

The relevant amount required for environmental management and rehabilitation as per the above budget

will be provided for during the respective Sedibelo budgeting periods.



Page 26-1

26. UNDERTAKING SIGNED BY APPLICANT

I,..................................................................................................................................................... the undersigned and duly authorised thereto by ................................................................................................………………………………………* undertake to adhere to the requirements and to the conditions set out in the approved EMP with the exception of the exemption(s) and amendment(s) agreed to be relevant by the Regional Manager: North West Province. Signed at: ................................…….………. On: ...................................................... Signature: …………………....………………. Designation: ……………………...……………. *NOTE: On 13 February 2014, Ministerial consent was granted in terms of section 11 of the MPRDA, ceding the remainder of the Itereleng Bakgatla Minerals Resources (Pty) Ltd (IBMR) Mining Right (Sedibelo Platinum Mine), to Pilanesberg Platinum Mines (Pty) Ltd (PPM) PPM.

REGIONAL MANAGER: NORTH WEST REGION In terms of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, 2002 (Act 28 of 2002) this document of ………………………………….…………………………. is approved subject to the conditions as set out in the letter of approval. Signed at: .........................………………... On: ................................................. Signature: ………………………………….. Designation: ………………………………….. REGIONAL MANAGER: NORTH WEST

COMMITMENT/UNDERTAKING BY APPLICANT



Page 27-1

27. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT AND CONCLUSION

The project site was approved for mining and related activities in 2008. The mine is currently in the initial

stages of construction and some of the facilities have been established on site in line with the mine’s

approved EIA/EMP report (KP, 2007). This Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental

Management Programme (EIA and EMP) report has been compiled with the primary purpose of

incorporating the proposed changes to the Sedibelo Platinum Mine infrastructure and activities.

This document presents the proposed project plan as defined by the IBMR, presents findings of specialist

studies, identifies and assesses potential impacts on the receiving environment in both the unmitigated

and mitigated scenarios, including cumulative impacts, and identifies measures together with monitoring

programmes to monitor and mitigate potential impacts to acceptable levels.

The potential cumulative on-site environmental impacts associated with the approved as well as the

proposed changed infrastructure were identified by SLR in consultation with IAPs, regulatory authorities,

specialist consultants and the Sedibelo technical team and are summarised in Table 120.

TABLE 120: SUMMARY OF POTENTIALCUMULATIVE ON-SITE IMPACTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE APPROVED AS WELL AS THE PROPOSED CHANGED INFRASTRUCTURE



Geology Loss and sterilization of mineral resources (All phases)

H M

Topography Hazardous excavations and infrastructure (All phases)

H M


Loss of soil resources and land capability through pollution (All phases)

H L

Loss of soil resources and land capability through physical disturbance (All phases)

H M

Biodiversity Physical destruction of biodiversity (All phases) H M-H Loss of water resources as an ecological driver (All phases)

H M

General disturbance of biodiversity as a result of pollution (All phases)

H M-L

Surface water Contamination of surface water resources H M Alteration of natural drainage lines - (Construction, Operational and Decommissioning)

H M

Alteration of natural drainage lines - (Closure) H L Groundwater Dewatering (All phases) H L

Contamination of groundwater (All phases) H M



Page 27-2



Air quality Air pollution (All phases) H M-L Ambient Noise

Noise pollution (Construction, Operational and Decommissioning)

M L

Visual Visual impacts (Construction, Operational and Decommissioning)

H M

Visual impacts (Closure) H L Heritage, paleontological and cultural resources

Loss of heritage, paleontological and cultural resources (All phases)

M L

Land use Loss of agricultural and residential land use (All phases)

H L

Loss of conservation and ecotourism land use (All phases)

H M

Blasting Blasting impacts (Construction, Operational and Decommissioning)

H L

Traffic Road capacity and accessibility (Construction, Operational and Decommissioning)

M L

Road safety (Construction, Operational and Decommissioning)

H M

Socio-economic

Contribution to the local economy as a result of employment opportunities

M+ H+

Impact on economic development M+ H+ Inward migration H M-H Displacement of people H L

The assessment of the proposed project presents the potential for significant negative impacts to occur

(in the unmitigated scenario in particular) on the bio-physical, cultural and socio-economic environments

both on the project sites and in the surrounding area. With mitigation these potential impacts can be

prevented or reduced to acceptable levels. It should however be noted that the impact of physical

destruction on biodiversity in the mitigated scenario was rated as having a high to moderate significance

as some sensitive habitats such as the Red Pilanesberg Wash and riparian zones will be permanently

destroyed, impacting on several species of conservation importance, in particular the Giant Bullfrog. It

may therefore be necessary for the mine to consider a biodiversity off-set programme if monitoring results

indicate irreversible damage.



Page 27-3

As the project site was approved for mining and related activities in 2008 and given that the project

makes provision for changes to the layout, configuration and design of approved facilities as well as

some additional facilities within and/or adjacent to approved mine infrastructure, no other alternative land

use has been considered for the proposed project changes. Prior to the 2008 approval, an alternative to

the development of the mine would have been the continuation of pre-mining land uses. The economic

impact assessment concluded that the development of the project will have significant positive economic

impacts and confirmed that the proposed project is the preferred land use alternative.

In conclusion, effective implementation of the EMP in all project phases (including post closure) is

required if the project is to proceed in a manner that impacts are mitigated to an acceptable level.

Suan Mulder EAP Project Manager

Alex Pheiffer PrSciNat (Environmental Science)

Project Reviewer

Brandon Stobart EAPSA

Project Reviewer




Page 28-1

28. REFERENCES

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Report No. APP/11/MEE-01 Rev 1, April 2012.

Airshed, 2013a. Air Quality Impact for the Sedibelo and Magazynskraal Platinum Mines Report No

11MEE11 Rev 1.0, January 2013.

Airshed, 2013b. Air Quality Impact Assessment: Pilanesberg Platinum Mines Pit Extension Project

Report No.: Report 12SLR17, March 2013

Acusolve, 2012. Noise Study for Environmental Impact Assessment - Magazynskraal Platinum Mine.

Report G1017-R1. November 2012.

AGES, 2011. Magazynskraal / Sedibelo East: Geohydrological Preliminary Feasibility Study – Technical

Report AS-R-2011-09-01. September 2011.

AGES, 2012. PPM Individual and Integrated Environmental Site Water Balances. Technical Report:

G12/014-2012-04-26. April 2012.

AGES, 2013. Magazynskraal / Sedibelo East and Central: Hydrogeological specialist study. Report

reference: G12/076-2013-01-14. January 2013

AGES, 2014. Sedibelo Platinum Mine: Specialits investigation into the Freshwater Ecological Priority

Area on Wilgespruit 2JQ – Surface water /groundwater interaction study. G13/075-2014-05-14. May 2014

Barrick, 2008. Bankable Feasibility Study for the Sedibelo Platinum Project. Barrick Company. April

2008

Barrick, 2009. Bankable Feasibility Study for the Sedibelo Platinum Project – Stage 1 Open Pit

Feasibility Study. Barrick Company. May 2009.

Boonzaaier W.V, 2010. Heritage Park Revised Implementation Strategy for North West Parks and

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DEA, 1994. Department of Environment Affairs: Noise control regulations under the environment

conservation act, (Act No. 73 of 1989), Government Gazette No. 15423, 14 January 1994.

DEAT, 2002: Stakeholder Engagement, Information Series 3, Department of Environmental Affairs and

Tourism (DEAT), Pretoria. 2002.



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DEAT, 2005: Guideline 4: Public participation, in support of the EIA regulations. Integrated Environmental

Management Guideline Series, Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT), Pretoria.

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DWAF, 1996a. Department of Water Affairs and Forestry 1996. South African Water Quality Guidelines,

Volume 1: Domestic Use. 2nd Edition, The Government Printer, Pretoria, South Africa.

DWAF, 1996b. Department of Water Affairs and Forestry 1996. South African Water Quality Guidelines,

Volume 7: Aquatic Ecosystems. 2nd Edition, The Government Printer, Pretoria, South Africa.

DWAF, 1998. Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, Waste management series. Minimum

requirements for the Handling, Classification and Disposal of Hazardous Waste. 1998.

DWAF, 1999. Department of Water Affairs and Forestry. Resource Directed Measures for Protection of

Water Resources. Volume 4. Wetland Ecosystems Version 1.0 by H. MACKAY, A. DUTHIE, M. DE

LANGE, DWAF, Pretoria. 1999.

Epoch, 2011. Sedibelo East - Magazynskraal Pre-Feasibility Study- Design of Mine Residue Disposal

Facilities (Report No. 123-009-01 R0). Epoch Project 123-009. July 2011.

Epoch, 2014. Pilanesberg Platinum Mines Sedibelo South Waste Rock Dump (WRD1) Design Report

and Operating Guidelines (Report number 123-018-02 (R0). Epoch project number 123-018.

December 2014.

ESS, 2007. Sedibelo Platinum Mine- Pedological Investigation. Earth Science Solutions (Pty) Ltd (Report

No. KP.SPP.S.06.06.055). April 2007.

ESS, 2012. Environmental Assessment Programme: Specialist Soils and Land Capability Baseline

Studies, Impact Assessment and Management Planning for the Sedibelo Project. Earth Science

Solutions (Pty) Ltd. Report No MEE.MK.S.11.05.111. July 2012.

FMAC, 2007. Noise Impact Study for the Sedibelo Platinum Project. Francois Malherbe Acoustic

Consultant, Report No 06/9/1B. April 2007.

KP, 2007. Itereleng Bakgatla Mineral Resources (Pty) Ltd – Sedibelo Platinum Project: Environmental

Impact Report. Knight Piesold Report 5118/40/05. December 2007.

KP, 2013. Itereleng Bakgatla Mineral Resources (Pty) Ltd – Sedibelo Platinum Project: Annual Monitoring

report, Project No 30100136/16. May 2013.



Page 28-3

Metago, 2009. Metago Environmental Engineers (Pty) Ltd.. Environmental impact assessment and

environmental management programme for the proposed closure of a provincial road and changes to

surface infrastructure at Pilanesberg Platinum Mine. April 2009

MTS, 2013. Managing Transformation Solutions (Pty) Ltd. Pilanesberg Platinum Mines, Itereleng

Bakgatla Mineral Resources and Richtrau No.123 (Pty) Ltd: Socio-economic impact assessment. January

2013.

NLA, 2012. Visual Impact Assessment for the Combined Platinum Mining Operation near the Pilanesberg

National Park, North West Province. Newtown Landscape Architects, Report No: 1292/E10NW.

December 2012.

NSS, 2013. Sedibelo East Platinum Mining Project – Biodiversity Assessment. Natural Scientific

Services CC, Reference no 2100. March 2015.

NSS, 2015. Specialist Bullfrog Assessment for mining north of Pilanesberg. Natural Scientific

Services CC, Reference no 1616. January 2013.

Ollis et al, 2013. OLLIS, D., SNADDON, K., JOB, N & MBONA, N. 2013. Wetland Classification using

the recently published Classification Systems for Wetlands: Inland Systems. SANBI, Pretoria. 2013

Peens & Associates, 2011. Magazynskraal Mine - Hydrological Specialist Report. June 2011.

Pistorius, 2012. A Phase I Heritage Impact Assessment Study for a Combined Platinum Mining

Operations near the Pilanesberg in the North-West Province: Changing the layout of mine infrastructure

for the approved open cast and underground operation at Sedibelo Platinum Mine. Julius Pistorius (Dr).

February 2012.

S4G, 2012. Alternative Land-use economic impact assessment. Strategy4Good. January 2013.

SANS,2006. SANS241:2006 Drinking Water Specification, Edition 6.1. 2006.

SANS 10328: Methods for environmental noise impact assessments.

SANS 10103: The measurement and rating of environmental noise with respect to land use, health,

annoyance and to speech communication.

SANS 10357:2000 The calculation of sound propagation by the Concawe method.

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the Pilanesberg. Siyazi Gauteng (Pty) Ltd. Reference no: 11057. November 2012.



Page 28-4

SLR, 2012. Scoping Report: Sedibelo Platinum Mine - changes to surface infrastructure, SLR Consulting

(Africa) (Pty) Ltd, Project reference no: B001-03. October 2012.

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2013. Project reference no: B001-03.

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reference no: B001-03. January 2013

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February 2014.

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Sedibelo Platinum Project, North West. Econ@UJ, University of Johannesburg, Report No: GO-013-07-

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Research, University of the Witwatersrand (WITS), November 2012.



Page A

APPENDIX A: STAKEHOLDER DATABASE



Page B

APPENDIX B: INFORMATION-SHARING WITH REGULATORY AUTHORITIES

• Relevant sections of the NEMA application submitted to DEDECT (26 October 2011)

• DEDECT acknowledged receipt of application (16 November 2011)

• Correspondence received from the DRDLR with regards to the BBKTA CPA (5 December 2011)

• Invitation to regulatory authorities meeting (9 February 2012)

• South African Heritage Resource Agency comments on the background information document

(29 February 2012)

• Authority scoping meeting minutes including attendance registers and presentation (6 March

• 2012)

• Correspondence from the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform regarding

potential land claims (7 June 2012)

• Moses Kotane District Municipality comments on Scoping Report (19 November 2012)

• Focussed meetings with DRDLR regarding the engagement of stakeholders (7 September 2012)

• Focussed meetings with DMR regarding the engagement of stakeholders (3 October 2012)

• Minutes from DEDECT site visit and meeting (6 March 2013)

• Scoping report submission to DMR (29 May 2013) -record

• DEDECT comments on Scoping Report (25 February 2014))

• SAHRA interim (15 March 2013) and final (11 February 2015) comments on project



Page C

APPENDIX C: INFORMATION-SHARING WITH IAPS • Initial focussed meeting minutes including attendance register and presentations:

o Kgosana Kobedi Pilane (12 December 2011)

o BBKTA and ward councillors (14 December 2011)

o Moses Kotane Mayoral Committee (21 December 2011)

• Proof of landowner notification to BBKTA and DRDLR (1 February 2012)

• Notification letter sent to IAPs in English and Setswana regarding the proposed projects and

public meetings (1 February 2012)

• Background Information Document (in English and Setswana) for information-sharing purposes

• Site notice in English and Setswana, and photographs showing the placement of site notices

• Newspaper advertisements placed in Rustenburg Herald and Sowetan (27 January 2012)

• Focused Scoping meeting minutes including attendance registers

o North West Ecoforum (29 February 2012)

o NWPTB, Heritage Park and surrounding industry (6 March 2012)

o Black Rhino Game Reserve (7 March 2012)

o Lesetlheng representatives (26 July 2012)

o Federation for a Sustainable Environment and Legacy Group (19 November 2012)

• Public Scoping meeting minutes including attendance registers

o Lesetlheng (5 March 2012)

o Moruleng (5 March 2012)

o Lekutung (6 March 2012)

o Manamakgoteng (6 March 2012)

o Mononono (7 March 2012)

o Kgamata- Lesobeng (8 March 2012)

o Legkraal- Bofule (9 March 2012)

o Ramasedi (9 March 2012)

o Mothlabe (10 March 2012)

o Ntswana-le-Metsing (10 March 2012)

o Ngweding (12 March 2012)

o Sefikile (12 March 2012)

o Magalane (13 March 2012)

o Magong (13 March 2012)

• Scoping meeting presentation delivered at focused and public meetings

• Written comments received from IAPs during the scoping consultation process

• Correspondence with representatives from the Lesetlheng community

• Written comments received from IAPs during the review of the draft and final scoping report



Page D

APPENDIX D: COMMENT AND RESPONSE REPORT



Page E

APPENDIX E: SOILS STUDY

Specialist report prepared by ESS, July 2012



Page F

APPENDIX F: BIODIVERSITY STUDIES

Specialist report prepared by NSS, June 2014



Page G

APPENDIX G: HYDROLOGICAL STUDY

Specialist report prepared by SLR, January 2013



Page H

APPENDIX H: GEOHYDROLOGICAL STUDY

Specialist reports prepared by AGES, January 2013

Also include 2014 study



Page I

APPENDIX I: AIR QUALITY STUDY

Specialist report prepared by Airshed Planning Professionals, January 2013



Page J

APPENDIX J: NOISE STUDIES

Specialist reports prepared by Acusolv, October 2012 and Francois Malherbe Acoustic Consultant, April

2007



Page K

APPENDIX K: VISUAL STUDY

Specialist report prepared by Newtown Landscape Architects, December 2012



Page L

APPENDIX L: CULTURAL-HERITAGE STUDY

Specialist report prepared by Dr Julius Pistorius, February 2012



Page M

APPENDIX M: PALAEONTOLOGY STUDY

Specialist report prepared by Professor Bruce Rubidge, November 2012



Page N

APPENDIX N: TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY

Specialist report prepared by Siyazi, June 2012



Page O

APPENDIX O: SOCIO-ECONOMIC STUDIES

Specialist report prepared by MTS /. S4G, November 2012



Page P

APPENDIX P: ENGINEERING DESIGN REPORT

Specialist report prepared by Epoch, July 2011



Page Q

APPENDIX Q: CLOSURE COST CALCULATION STUDY

Specialist report prepared by SLR, November 2012



Page R

APPENDIX R: WATER BALANCE (AGES, 2012)

Relevant sections of the specialist report prepared by AGES, April 2012.



Page i

RECORD OF REPORT DISTRIBUTION

Project Number: 710.02001.00003 Title: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

PROGRAMME FOR CHANGES TO SURFACE INFRASTRUCTURE AT SEDIBELO PLATINUM MINE

Report Number: 1 Proponent: Itereleng Bakgatla Mineral Resources (Pty) Ltd Name Entity No. of copies Date issued Issuer Obiseng Moholo Department of Rural, Environment and

Agricultural Development 2

Phumudzo Nethwadzi Department of Mineral Resources 7 Lethabo Rameshala Department of Water Affairs 1 Philip Hine South African Heritage Resources

Agency 1

Piet Theron Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

1

Jacqueline Nkosi Department of Rural Development and Land Reform

1

Hennie Niehaus Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport

1

Johnson Maoka North West Parks and Tourism Board 1 Moremi Lesejane Heritage Park 1 Sandra Mafisa Moses Kotane Local Municipality 2 Kagiso Morapedi Bojanala Platinum District Municipality 1 KP Pilane Bakgatla-Ba-Kgafela Tribal office 1 Chris Basson Black Rhino Game Reserve 1 Setshedi Rasepae Lesetlheng 1 Kgosana Ntshole Manamakgoteng 1 Motsitsi Pilane Lekutung 1 Tidimalo Kgatlhang Sefikile / Spitskop 1 D Molefe Mononono 1 Dan Segale Kgamatha / Lesobeng 1 Mac Deatswana Lekgraal / Bofule 1 Moses Mmankgaki Ramasedi 1 Meme Moeng Ntswana-le-Metsing 1 Kgosana Tlhabane Pilane

Motlhabe 1

Marks Mweletsi Ngweding 1 Masuku Mathithibala Magalane 1 Mr. Leoto Magong 1

COPYRIGHT

Copyright for these technical reports vests with SLR Consulting (Africa) (Pty) Ltd unless otherwise agreed to in writing. The reports may not be copied or transmitted in any form whatsoever to any person without the written

permission of the Copyright Holder. This does not preclude the authorities’ use of the report for consultation purposes or the applicant’s use of the report for project-related purposes.

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