PUBLIC MEETING FOR THE SCOPING PHASE OF THE COAL MINING RIGHT APPLICATION BY UNIVERSAL COAL DEVELOPMENT II (PTY) LTD Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, 2002 (Act 28 of 2002) (MPRDA) DMR Ref No: LP 30/5/1/2/2 (10131) MR LP 30/5/1/2/3/2/1 (10131) EM Date: 8 October 2016 Time: 11:00am Venue: Waterpoort Farmers Association Hall Presented by JOMELA CONSULTING
AGENDA • Opening & Welcome • Attendance Register • Introductions • Presentation • Question & Answer • Way Forward • Closure 2
ETIQUETTE • Make sure to complete register and provide useful contact details • Cell phones off / silent • Avoid causing undue disturbance and noise • Raise hand to be given chance to speak • One speaker at a time • Introduce yourself when asking question, giving input or making comment • Respect for one another – everyone’s input counts 3
APPLICANT DETAILS Universal Coal Development II (Pty) Ltd NAME OF APPLICANT Minah Moabi CONTACT PERSON +27 12 460 0805 TEL NO: m.moabi@universalcoal.com EMAIL: PO Box 2423 Brooklyn Square POSTAL ADDRESS: 0075 467 Fehrsen Street Cnr Muckleneuk Str, Brooklyn PHYSICAL ADDRESS: Pretoria 0181 LP 30/5/1/2/2 (10131) MR FILE REFERENCE NUMBER DMR: LP 30/5/1/2/3/2/1 (10131) EM 4
OBJECTIVES OF CONSULTATION • Interested and affected Parties (I&APs) consultation is a legal requirement in terms of the NEMA and the MPRDA on any matter that might or will affect I&APs (stakeholders) • To inform stakeholders of the mining right application by Universal Coal • To obtain I&AP views and concerns regarding potential impacts of the proposed mining operation – The views and concerns will inform the Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Management Plan/Programme • To obtain I&AP input towards remedies to be incorporated into EMP • Stakeholders to provide specific comments on environmental issues and indicate whether or not they support the application and give reasons thereto 5
Previous Application • An application for Environmental Authorisation in term of Section 16 of the NEMA EIA 2014 regulations was initially submitted to the DMR on 4 th of December 2015 and subsequently accepted on the 8 th of December 2015. • This application lapsed due to failure to meet the public consultation timeframes as not all specialist reports where made available for at least 30 days to interested and affected parties. • A new application was submitted on the 2 nd of September 2016 in terms of NEMA and MPRDA for the mining right plus environmental authorisation. • Follow up on a written request from I&AP’s for the regional study to present to DMR. 6
BACKGROUND • The applicant intends to establish an opencast coal mining operation, located in the Limpopo Province of South Africa, some 120 kilometres (km) to the north of Polokwane and to the east of the settlement of Alldays. • The Project may be reached via an all-weather gravel road that branches off from the tar road, the R584, between Alldays and Waterpoort. The Project Area is approximately (~) 50 km by road from Alldays and about 30 km by road from Waterpoort. • The nearest sizeable town is Makhado (Louis Trichardt) some 80 km by road to the southeast. The nearest accessible railway siding is at Waterpoort, ~ 30 km southeast. 7
Baseline Environment The Project Area is located in an area which is relatively flat lying with the incision of the Brak River Valley towards the north of the area, at a surface elevation of 690 metres (m) to 735 m above sea level. 8
Baseline Environment Summer temperatures of the project area range from 29.3 ºC to over 31 ºC with minimum winter temperature >17 ºC. 9
Climate 10
Climate 11
Soils The project area land types include Mispah, Glenrosa, Hutton and Clovelly soils, all having grazing land capabilities, with the Mispah and Hutton soils tending towards wilderness status when shallow and rocky 12
Soils The proposed mining area has a low to moderate agricultural land use capability. This is largely due the combination of land use stressors associated with soil structures and the general regional climate. Land in Class V; (d) grazing of natural pastures or, at the same level, woodland. 13
Biodiversity The proposed Berenice Opencast Coal Mine site is located on approximately 7761 hectares of Dry Sweet Bushveld in the Waterpoort District between the Soutpansberg Mountain Range and the Limpopo River 14
Biodiversity 15
Heritage 16
Archaeological Sites • No Stone Age settlements, structures, features, assemblages or artefacts concentrations were recorded during the survey. Also, due to the nature of the topography and openness of the region no rock art sites were recorded. • A total of 15 sites were recorded ranging from a Late Iron Age cattle outpost several farm worker house complexes, four individual grave and graveyard sites, a historic trade store situated along an existing ox wagon trade route and to the more recent farmhouse complexes and associated infrastructure • Late Iron Age cattle kraal outpost was recorded (Site 9) workers house complexes were noted (Sites 1, 8, 12 and 15). Site 3 is a water furrow that was • used to irrigate the agricultural lands. Also note that a total of three farmhouse complexes were recorded (Sites 5, 10 and 11). A • total of four grave sites were also recorded (Sites 2, 6, 7and 14) 17
OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSED MINING OPERATION • The following is the summary of primary mining and processing activities that are expected to be undertaken by Universal Coal: – Establishment and Earthworks – Establish machinery and plant – Construction of haulage roads – Pre-stripping to remove vegetation and clear the pit area – stripping of topsoil and overburden to expose the ore – Excavating of ore – Loading and hauling of ore – Stockpiling and conveying – Crushing , washing and screening – Jigging – Disposal of waste rock and material in waste rock dump and tailings facility – Concurrent mine rehabilitation – Mine decommissioning and closure 18
OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSED MINING OPERATION SUMMARY OF PHASED MINING ACTIVITIES • CONSTRUCTION PHASE ACTIVITIES • The following construction activities are planned to take place during the first quarter of 2018 to 2020: • (a) selective clearing of vegetation in areas designated for surface infrastructure; • (b) stripping and stockpiling topsoil and sub-soil; • (c) digging of foundations and trenches; • (d) drilling and blasting associated with the development of boxcut; • (e) dewatering, if required; • (f) establishment of new access roads; • (g) construction of mine infrastructure; • (h) construction of plant infrastructure including processing plant, stockpile pads, tailings facilities, etc. • (i) construction of services including storm water management facilities, solid waste management facilities, sewage plant, water supply infrastructure, power supply infrastructure, etc. 19
OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSED MINING OPERATION The following is the summary of construction support services and associated activities that are expected to be undertaken by Universal Coal: contractors lay-down areas; temporary handling and storage are for construction materials (paints, solvents, oils, grease); temporary storage area for non-mineralized waste prior to removal by appropriated contractor; temporary water supply will be supplied by borehole and/or trucks; power supply will be by temporary diesel-powered electricity generator; workshops and wash bays; fuel handling and storage area; temporary offices and temporary chemical toilets. 20
OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSED MINING OPERATION • The mining reserve consists of three economically mineable opencast blocks. These blocks are named OC 1, OC 2, and OC 3. Mining will commence in OC 1 that will be mined for 20 years. This will be followed by mining OC 2 and OC 3 consecutively. • The mining reserves will be mined by utilising truck and shovel opencast method of mining due to the reserves being shallow. One box cut, located in the south and with an east to west orientation, has been designed in the mine layout for OC 1, with two proposed waste dump sites. • This design has ensured that the hauling of overburden material over excessive distances, even during the start-up period, will be largely minimised. Rollover of overburden material will be implemented after the first strip has been mined. Drilling and blasting will be undertaken for hard material. Rehabilitation will form an integral part of the mining process. 21
POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS • sterilization of mineral resources • hazardous excavations/structures/surface subsidence • loss of soil resources and land capabilities through contamination • loss of soil resources and land capabilities through physical disturbance • physical destruction of biodiversity • general disturbance of biodiversity • pollution of surface water resources • alteration of drainage patterns • contamination of groundwater • dewatering • air pollution • disturbing noise levels • visual impacts • impacts on heritage, cultural and paleontological resources • land use impacts • blasting impacts • project-related road use and traffic safety • economic impacts • inward migration 22
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