NKOMATI ANTHRACITE (PTY) LIMITED - Sentula Mining

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Environmental Impact Assessment Report: Nkomati Anthracite (Pty) Limited, Madadeni Opencast Mining Project Page 76 the fact that the mined areas can be rehabilitated to proximate the pre-mining land uses reduces the significance of the cumulative impacts. 6.5.4 Na t u r a l V e g e t at i o n Due to the high arable potential of the area within the Madadeni Opencast mining area, extensive agricultural practices (grazing and crop production) has resulted in the removal of vast areas of natural vegetation. In view of the above, the natural vegetation of the area has been severely affected by the previous farming activities. The presence of mining activities would add to the already impacted environment. Rehabilitation of the mining area (opencast) would in a sense mitigate against these impacts. However this could not be guaranteed since the land may be reverted back to agriculture (grazing or crop production) provided good rehabilitation is undertaken. 6.5.5 S u r f ac e w a t e r Mining has over the past decades had detrimental effects on the surface water environment. This could be attributed to previous environmentally unfriendly mining practices. The presence of several mining activities within one catchment may have severe effects on the surface water environment. However, due to new technologies and environmental awareness that has been promoted over the last decade, mining can be undertaken such that the impacts on the surface water environment are significantly minimised and controlled. The quality of the water in the Komati River which drains the current Nkomati Anthracite opencast mining area is testimony to this. Agriculture, which currently dominates the area, can have a detrimental impact on surface water. Nkomati Anthracite (Pty) Limited will, in view of the seriousness of the potential impacts, continue to undertake the necessary measures to ensure that the current and proposed mining operations do not contribute to the identified impacts on surface water environment. 6.5.6 G r o u n d w a t e r During the impact assessment it was identified that groundwater will not be polluted during the operational phase since water will be pumped out of the groundwater aquifer. It is only after mining, when groundwater flow conditions has been re-instated that the polluted water can migrate away from the rehabilitated areas. The expansion of the plume is predicted to be very slow due to the low hydraulic conductivity and the low gradients in the area. When groundwater returns to equilibrium conditions, movement of the plume will commence due to an outward directed hydraulic gradient: o Movement of the plume could be expected to be mostly easterly towards the Komati River. o However, movement will very slow due to the low hydraulic conductivity and very low gradients in the area. o From the results of the modelling, the plume is predicted to virtually stagnant for all practical purposes. o From the results of the modelling it is thus not expected that the groundwater pollution will ever impact negatively on any current groundwater users or on the Komati River. 6.5.7 Ai r Q u a l i t y Potentially air pollution may arise from mining activities as a result of particulates entering the atmosphere. These particulates arise as dust from haul roads, on overburden stockpiles and coal stockpiles. Mining activities at the proposed Madadeni Opencast area will occur on surface through NKOMATI ANTHRACITE (PTY) LIMITED COMPILED BY GEOVICON ENVIRONMENTAL (PTY) LTD
Environmental Impact Assessment Report: Nkomati Anthracite (Pty) Limited, Madadeni Opencast Mining Project Page 77 opencast mining and thus this activity and its associated infrastructure may have an impact on surface air quality. Air quality within the region is mainly affected by the generation of dust during the windy season. Veld fires and the practical burning of sugar cane fields also give rise to the deterioration of air quality on a local scale. Due to the lack of industrial development within the area the air quality is generally of a high standard and will not be affected cumulatively. NKOMATI ANTHRACITE (PTY) LIMITED COMPILED BY GEOVICON ENVIRONMENTAL (PTY) LTD
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NKOMATI ANTHRACITE (PTY) LIMITED - Sentula Mining

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