NAMAGROEN EMPR Amendment.pdf - DLIST Benguela

Addendum to EMPR for Concessions 8(a), 9(a) and 8(b) 143.2.2 Discharge to LandDredged sediments will be discharged to land through a 1-km long sinkerline, which has beenrun out through the surf-zone to 10 m depth (ca. 500 m offshore). This pipeline, which consistsof steel sections of 0.8-m diameter welded together, will be constructed on land, and duringpositioning, will be towed offshore by a tug, whilst dozers push the land-ward end into thesurf. Once in position, the pipeline will be flooded and the flexible end-section required fordredger coupling will be attached. The flexible connecting portion is buoyed. The pipelinewill also have an approximately 300-m long section onshore. A service strip approximately20 m wide will be required from the beach along the length of the onshore section of thepipeline (approximately 100 m) to reclamation area to accommodate an access path andbooster pump. The remaining 200 m will extend the length of the reclamation area. Beyondthe low water mark, the pipeline will not be buried below the seabed, but is likely to buryitself up to ¾ of the way in sandy substrate as a result of the longshore sediment drift. Shouldbreakage or kinking occur, the line would be salvaged by pulling it back onto the shore withdozers.During discharge operations, the dredger will need to enter shallow water (10 m depth) toconnect to the discharge pipeline, and remains there whilst discharging gravel. Consequently,an approach passage to the seaward end of the discharge pipeline is required for navigation ofthe dredger. Coupling of the dredger to the floating portion of the sinkerline will require swellconditions not exceeding 1.8 m. The dredger has powerful thrusters, which enables it toremain dynamically positioned whilst operating in a cross current. Two bow anchors and onestern anchor are typically deployed during hook-ups.The discharged dredged material will be stockpiled in a reclamation area or settling pondlocated eastwards of the beach road between the police station and the Trans Hex contractors’Hostel on the outskirts of the town of Hondeklipbaai. This area falls within the non-operationalHondeklipbaai Mine property managed by the Trans Hex Group. The reclamation area will beprepared by stripping and stockpiling the topsoil for later use during rehabilitation. An area of200 m x 600 m will be cleared. Dry earth moving equipment will be used to slightly excavatethe compact sandy sediments below, heaping them around the perimeter of the reclamationarea thereby forming an approximately 3 m high retaining wall around the site. The earthmovingequipment used will consist of:• D6 bulldozers for leveling of the reclamation area and preparation of the retaining walls,• CAT 330 excavators for support and preparatory works, and ultimately for stockpiling ofmarine sediments, and• CAT 966 wheel-loader for placing of the pipelines.The reclamation area can receive several hopper-loads as well as any diverted sediments,should an emergency situation arise requiring the dredger to undergo unscheduleddisconnecting procedures whilst discharging. The total capacity of the reclamation area islarge enough to receive all extracted material. Essentially the overcapacity of the reclamationarea will cover a 48-hour interruption of operations of the primary screens at the processingplant. The required infrastructure will be constructed in a previously disturbed area (Figure 5).Namagroen Prospecting & Investments October 2008