EIA-REP-325d-12 _BB_ - 201.09.14.pdf - SAHRA

The Scoping exercise concluded that the main aspects which required further investigation were the potential
impacts on:
Water Resources:
• Increase in watercourse sedimentation, erosion and general pollution of surface water resources;
• The quantity of groundwater resources used;
• The impact of mining operations (opencast and underground) on identified wetlands on site;
• Depletion of the underground aquifer; and
• Pollution of groundwater resources due to seepage from open cast coal mining activities.
Air Quality:
• Dust levels and related health impacts from the generation of dust during blasting and opencast mining.
Destruction of Sensitive Flora and Fauna:
• The ecological status quo of the Usutu area;
• Wetlands on site and in the surrounding area;
• The dispersal of existing flora and fauna on site by means of existing water channels; and
• Spill-over impacts, which may occur on adjacent ecological systems.
Soils and Land-use Capability:
• Loss of soil resources for agricultural land uses;
• Soil degradation as a result of mining activities; and
• The utilisation of soil resources for inappropriate land uses such as backfilling cut areas.
Noise vibration and shock:
• Increase in the ambient noise level as a result of blasting activities;
• The disruption of current ambient noise levels; and
• The disruption of sensitive receptors by means of increased noise and vibration.
Socio-economic:
• The determination of the extent to which the current social status quo will be altered and if so, the manner
in which such changes will occur.
Visual Impact:
• The visual character of the area as a result of the establishment of mining infrastructure such as a coal
ore dump.
EIA-REP-325d-11
October 2012
xviii