Final EIAR - Aurecon AME Environmental | Environmental Projects

Proposed Wind and Solar (Photovoltaic) Energy Facilities on Kangnas Farm near Springbok in the Northern Cape: Final EIR 119
to be site specific, very low to medium magnitude and long term and therefore of very low to
medium (-) significance, with or without mitigation. No difference in significance would result
from the proposed solar alternatives.
c) Mitigation measures
Mitigation measures for the wind energy facility
• ‘Orange Hill’ and its surrounds should be considered a no-go area and a buffer as shown
in Figure 4.32 should be implemented. The buffer is approximately 700 m diameter.
• ‘SMS Hill’ and its surrounds should be considered a no-go area and a buffer as shown in
Figure 4.33 should be implemented. The buffer is approximately east/west and 1.9 km
north/south (approximately 450 m from all recorded heritage sources).
• ‘Gobees se Pan’ and its immediate surroundings should be considered a no-go area and
a buffer as shown in Figure 4.34 should be implemented. The buffer is approximately
1.2 km east/west and 1.3 km north/south (approximately 350 m from all recorded
heritage sources).
• ‘Springbokvlei’ and its immediate surroundings should be considered a no-go area and a
buffer as shown in Figure 4.35 should be implemented. The buffer is approximately
9 00 m east/west and 1 000 m north/south (approximately 200 m from all recorded
heritage sources).
4.4.6 Impact on palaeontology
The study area is largely underlain by ancient Precambrian metamorphic and igneous basement
rocks of the Namaqua-Natal Metamorphic Province that crop out as low, rocky inselbergs. In the
intervening flatter, low-lying areas where the wind and solar energy facilities are likely to be
constructed older basement rocks are extensively mantled with geologically young superficial
deposits (Quaternary to Recent sandy alluvium, colluvium, soils, wind-blown sand, calcrete
hardpans etc) that are generally of low to very low palaeontological sensitivity. However, small
but significant areas of older fossiliferous sediments have been recorded in the subsurface
within the general area and have yielded scientifically important vertebrate and plant fossil
material. A large scale development such as the proposed project could have a negative impact
on the palaeontological resources by damaging or destroying such material or by requiring the
material to be removed and stored in situ. As such a Palaeontology Impact Assessment (PIA)
was therefore undertaken by Dr John Almond. The assessment was based on a desktop review
of the paleontological aspects in the project. The PIA is included in Annexure H. The findings
and recommendations of the study is summarised below.
Furthermore two areas were pointed out by a landowner, Mr van Niekerk, that he believes are
meteorite impact sites / craters. Meteorite impact sites are considered to be rare geological
features and as such are protected under the National Heritage Resources Act (No. 25 of 1999)
(NHRA) (ACO, 2012). Professor Chris Harris of the University of Cape Town’s (UCT)
Department Of Geological Sciences undertook a site visit to investigate the two sites on 2 April
2012 (the site visit report is included in Annexure H.
© Aurecon (2012) No unauthorised reproduction, copy
or adaptation, in whole or in part, may be made.
P:\Projects\108495 Kangnas WEF & PV EIA's\3 Project Delivery\4 Reports\FEIR\FEIR 210213 Final.doc