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Abstract
Manganese will be mined on a 6300-hectare (ha) area in the Northern Cape Province of
South Africa. The area around the mine is utilized for a variety of purposes, including a
game reserve and cattle grazing. The purpose of the EIA is to provide information on the
Kalahari project's environmental effects to decision-makers and the general public. We
will be able to determine the potential consequences of this project on the local and
global environment, including the effects on water, air, and land, via the EIA report and the
EIA process. We've also been requested to learn about the KMF's plans to deal with these
consequences. Because we've been studying quality and environmental management as
part of the EIA process, this will help to emphasize the importance of environmental
management and its quality, as well as the solutions given by KR for preserving
environmental quality.
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Table Of Contents
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i. Introduction
Kalahari Resources (Pty) Ltd (KR) proposes to set up a brand new manganese mine on
three (3) adjoining farms in South Africa`s Northern Cape Province, particularly Umtu 281,
Olive Pan 282, and Gamma 283, which general round 6300 hectares (ha). The
environmental consequences of the proposed improvement have been cautiously tested
during the EIA segment of the system. Specialists assessed the hassle from the onset,
anticipated the repercussions, and created control answers as needed. Management
measures evolved through the EIA system assist to keep away from terrible effects even
as maximizing fantastic outcomes, as mentioned withinside the Environmental
Management Programme (EMP). Through a thorough examination of the EIA report, we
discovered the environmental implications of KR's manganese mining on water, air, and
land, as well as the efforts are taken by KMF to limit or mitigate those impacts.
ii. EIA Process of manganese mining
Having begun out with mineral ore discovery and finishing with the post-closure stage,
the KR mining undertaking is separated into several phases. The following are the ranges
of a proposed mining undertaking. The environmental impacts of each step of the
extraction and processing are different. Kalahari Resources (Pty) Ltd (KR) utilised an
environmental impact assessment (EIA) to get a licence from the local authorities to
collect manganese.
● Exploration
This section additionally consists of surveys, and discipline investigations, inclusive of
drilling taking a look at boreholes, and different exploration digs. Large regions of
vegetation (normally in lines) can be eliminated throughout the exploratory section to
offer large cars equipped with drilling devices direct exposure. Many nations want a
wonderful EIA for the experimentation level of a mining mission for the reason that
effects is probably severe, and similarly, mining degrees might be terminated if discovery
fails to discover sufficient high-grade mineral ore deposits.
● Development
The challenge proponent can also additionally start making plans for the mine`s
improvement if the mineral ore exploration segment discovers a huge sufficient mineral
ore deposit with a suitable grade. This degree of the mining method includes many main
components.
Construction of access roads
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Access roads, whether or not created to deliver heavy systems and resources to the mine
or to deliver processed metals and ores out, might also additionally have critical
environmental repercussions, specifically in the event that they tour via environmentally
touchy areas or are evolved close to formerly remoted settlements. The assignment`s
environmental effect assessment (EIA) needs to encompass an in-depth take look at of
the roads' environmental and social effects if the KR mining assignment includes the
development of any get admission to roads.
Site preparation and clearing
If mining is placed in a remote, undeveloped area, the venture proponent might also
additionally want to start via way of means of clearing land for staging regions to house
venture employees and equipment. Well earlier than any land is mined, operations
inclusive of web website online training and clearing might also additionally have an
extensive environmental impact, specifically if they may be close to or internal
ecologically touchy regions. In the EIA, the results of web website online improvement
and cleanup ought to be analyzed separately.
● Active mining
All energetic mining approaches consist of extracting and concentrating (or
beneficiation) of steel from the earth. The proposed approach for extracting and
concentrating metal ore varies loads relying at the mining operation.
Open-pit mining
Because it frequently entails the elimination of obviously vegetated areas, open-pit
mining is one of the maximum ecologically unfavorable approaches of mining, mainly in
tropical forests. Because open-pit mining extracts ore from deep underground sources, it
commonly includes the development of a pit underneath the groundwater table. In this
circumstance, groundwater ought to be tired out of the pit earlier than mining can begin.
Placer mining
Placer mining is performed whilst steel of hobby is determined in a flow mattress or
floodplain with silt. Bulldozers, dredges, or water jets are used to retrieve the ore (a way
regarded as "hydraulic mining").
Underground mining
Only a touch quantity of overburden is eliminated in underground mining to get admission
to the mineral deposit. Although underground mining is much less environmentally
adverse than strip mining, together with open-pit mining, its miles are frequently extra
highly priced and have extra protection risks. Despite the truth that maximum large-scale
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mining operations use open-pit mining, numerous big underground mines are in operation
throughout the globe.
● Disposal of overburden and waste rock
Only a touch quantity of overburden is eliminated in underground mining to get entry into
the mineral deposit. Although underground mining is much less environmentally
unfavorable than strip mining, together with open-pit mining, its miles are regularly
greater high-priced and has greater protection risks. Despite the reality that maximum
large-scale mining operations use open-pit mining, numerous large underground mines
are in operation throughout the globe.
● Ore extraction
The mineral ore is recovered as soon as the overburden has been removed, the use of
specialized heavy systems and equipment which includes loaders, haulers, and sell-off
trucks, which ship the ore to processing centers thru haul roads. This pastime consists
of a completely unique set of environmental impacts, which includes fugitive dirt
emissions from haul roads, that have to be evaluated one after the other in an EIA for a
proposed mining project.
● Beneficiation
Examples of bodily and/or chemical separation methods consist of gravity concentration,
magnetic
separation,
electrostatic
separation,
flotation,
solvent
extraction,
electrowinning, leaching, precipitation, and amalgamation (frequently related to using
mercury). The outcomes of those procedures consist of waste rock dumps, tailings, heap
leach materials (for gold and silver operations), and unload leach materials (for copper
leach operations).
● Tailings disposal
Tailings can be generated in a comparable amount if a mining operation extracts some
hundred million metric tonnes of mineral ore. How a mining enterprise disposes of this
high-quantity risky waste fabric is one of the simple problems with a purpose to decide if
a proposed mining operation is environmentally acceptable. The number one long-time
period intention of tailings disposal and control is to save you the mobilization and launch
of environmentally dangerous tailings elements.
● Site reclamation and closure
Once energetic mining stops the mine infrastructure are recovered and shuttered. The
purpose of mine reclamation and closure have to usually be to go back to the as close to
as viable to its pre-mining form. Mines with a popularity for wreaking havoc on the
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surroundings regularly had a power handiest after energetic mining operations had been
completed. The outcomes would possibly expand for decades, if now no longer millennia.
As a consequence, each proposed mining project`s EIA should consist of an in-depth
dialogue of the mine reclamation and closure plan submitted through the mining
proponent.
iii. Evaluating potential and predicted environmental impacts for the KR mining project:
● Checklists
Checklists are provided with a list of unique physicochemical, sociological, and
accumulated that a project may have an impact on. Checklists have been shown to be
useful for KR and can be found in almost all EIAs. In most cases, checklists do not contain
direct cause-and-effect connections to project tasks.
Sources of potential environmental impacts
Phase of the project
Activity to be carried out
Construction
● Roads are being built for mineral transportation and
trash disposal.
● The place where the solid garbage will be deposited is
being prepared.
● Storage and disposal of leach waste from the
manufacturing facility
● Deviation channel construction.
● Foundations for the manufacturing factory are being
built.
● Area for heap leach preparation
● Removing and storing topsoil is a time-consuming
task.
● preparing a site for the dumping of household
garbage
● Preparation of the site for a household wastewater
treatment plant
● Campgrounds, offices, workshops, and storage
facilities are all being constructed.
● Open-pit area preparation
Operation
● Open pits are being exploited.
● Mineral transportation to the leach pad
● The leach pad is being expanded and elevated.
Leaching of minerals
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● Materials transportation and disposal in landfills
● Mineral reception and storage in the manufacturing
plant
● Solution management in the manufacturing facility
● Ground mineral storage at the manufacturing facility
● At the production facility, the mineral recovery
process is carried out.
● Disposal of waste from the manufacturing facility
● Industrial and household wastewater management
● Hazardous materials management
Closure and
postclosure
● Pits that have been left open for a long time must be
closed.
● Solid garbage mounds must be demolished.
● Heap leach pads are being closed.
● Backfilling trash dumps Storage facilities are being
shut down.
● Sources of water and power have been shut off.
● Reclamation of land
● Internal roads have been restored.
● Revegetation
● KR mining EIA on local and global environment
On water sources/quality
➢ The outcomes of the KR mining venture on the water great and availability of water
assets in the venture vicinity are the maximum critical impacts.
➢ One of the maximum tremendous risks to water assets posed with the aid of using
mining is acid mine drainage. Acid mine drainage from the KR mine has the ability
to have a long-time period of poor results on rivers, streams, and aquatic life.
➢ The threat of soil and silt eroding into and compromising floor water great is an
extreme challenge for the KR mining venture.
➢ Water great can be critically impacted with the aid of using moist tailings
impoundments, waste rock, heap leach, and sell-off leach centers. Contamination
of groundwater and floor waterways beneath those sites are some of the
outcomes. Toxic compounds may also seep from those centers, soak via the
earth, and pollute groundwater, especially if the bottoms of those centers aren't
lined.
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➢ When mining sports are over, mine water elimination and control commonly cease,
ensuing withinside the buildup of mine water in rock fissures, shafts, tunnels, and
open pits, in addition to out of control discharges into the environment.
On-air/air quality
Airborne emissions arise at each step of the mining process, however specifically
throughout exploration, development, building, and operations. Large volumes of cloth
are mobilized throughout mining operations, and waste lots containing minute debris are
conveniently scattered with the aid of using the wind.
➢ Heavy automobiles utilized in excavation operations, cars that bring humans to the
mine site, and vehicles that supply mining merchandise are all examples of cell
assets of air pollutants. The quantity of pollutants emitted with the aid of using
those assets is decided with the aid of using the gas used and the situation of the
equipment.
➢ The number one reasserts of gaseous emissions encompass gas combustion in
electricity plants, in addition to drying, roasting, and smelting activities.
➢ Vehicle engines, loading and unloading of rock into metal dumpers, chutes,
electricity production, and different sorts of noise pollutants are all feasible
reasons for noise pollutants associated with mining. Shoveling, tearing, drilling,
blasting, shipping, crushing, grinding, and stockpiling all have cumulative
outcomes that could have a large effect on animals and nearby communities.
On land/soil quality
Mining has the capability to pollute soils over a sizable region. Agricultural operations
withinside the place of a mining hobby can be mainly impacted.
➢ When soils polluted with the aid of using chemical spills and residues at mining
sites are hired as fill materials, decorative landscaping, or soil supplements, they
will constitute a right away touch danger.
iv. Measures taken by KMF to reduce environmental impacts
● Protection of water resources
➢ Reducing the have an effect on herbal structures via regulating water usage,
stopping the depletion of water resources, and minimizing the effect on water
users.
➢ lowering wind and water publicity of sediment-generating materials (e.g., accurate
placement of soil and rock piles);
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➢ Runoff is diverted from undisturbed areas surrounding disturbed areas, which
includes graded, seeded, or planted areas. Sediment ought to be eliminated from
such drainage.
➢ Using settling ponds and silt limitations to lessen or save you off-web website
online sediment transfer;
➢ Stormwater drains, ditches and circulation channels ought to be included towards
erosion the use of a combination of suitable dimensions, slope restricting
measures, and rip-rap and lining.
● Protection of air quality and noise levels
➢ The KR ought to cope with air pollutants control methods, together with precise
steps to minimize fugitive dirt, noise, and vibrations withinside the ground.
➢ Dust suppression techniques for roadways and paintings areas (e.g., soaking
down, the usage of all-climate surfaces, the usage of agglomeration additives),
site visitors sample optimization, and velocity reduction;
➢ Revegetation or masking of exposed soils and different notably permeable
materials ought to be finished as quickly as possible.
➢ Only whilst in reality critical ought to new areas be wiped clean and opened up.
➢ When inactive, surfaces ought to be re-vegetated or in any other case made dirtfree.
➢ Dusty cloth garage ought to be enclosed or operated with powerful dirt
suppression structures in place.
➢ Materials ought to be loaded, transferred, and discharged with a minimum peak of
fall, and ought to be sheltered from the wind, and dirt suppression spray structures
ought to be considered.
➢ Conveyor structures for dusty items ought to be addressed, and cleansing go-back
belts ought to be included.
v. Conclusion
The conclusions of this EIA have given records on the sort and diploma of environmental
results because of the "Mining of Manganese withinside the Kalahari Manganese Field"
project. Mitigation techniques were installed in which appropriate withinside the EIA to
assure compliance with environmental legal guidelines and regulations. Overall, the EIA
Report for "Mining of Manganese withinside the Kalahari Manganese Field" predicts that
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once the deliberate mining and running degree mitigating modifications are applied, the
Project will adhere to all ecological norms and regulations. This EIA also proved that the
Project's residual consequences are acceptable, as well as the preservation of the
identified ecologically sensitive resources. Before and during manganese mining,
environmental monitoring and audit procedures have been proposed to check the
accuracy of the EIA projections and the efficacy of prescribed mitigation measures.
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