More time for Nyl submissions

As the period for public comment on the proposed
Volspruit mine in the Nyl floodplain south of Mokopane was supposed to draw to a close this week, Andersen Geological Consulting raised a new issue that could litterally blow the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) team’s clay layer theory of the water.
According to the appointed environmental impact practitioner, Theo Fischer of E-Science Associates, there is no risk of the mining activities impacting on the highly sensitive floodplain. The EIA report argues that the above is not possible because: “A large volume of empirical evidence and academic research exists that indicates the presence of a clay layer over the wetland floor that acts to hydraulically separate it from the underlying aquifer.” It is believed that this argument is based on the Volspruit clay layer survey by Prof. A. Claassens for the project.
But in his comment, Niel Andersen of Andersen Geological Consulting says this is possibly the most important point to be addressed. He argues that mining operations, de-watering of the Open Pit and in particular the blasting will open up existing fractures as the sudden energy release of the blast will propagate down the fracture systems and could disrupt the clay layer forming the hydraulic barrier underneath the wetland. This, he says, would result in the dewatering of the wet land.
On Wednesday, Fischer told Northern News that his firm is working on a response to Andersen’s concerns. He says it is unlikely that the clay would fracture to the extent that it no longer separates the surface and groundwater, likening the clay to a spunge in a bucket full of water. “Even if we punch a hole in the bottom of the bucket as will effectively happen at Volspruit, the water will drain out, but the spunge will remain wet,” Fisher explained adding that wet clay is probably the best thing to absorb any shock from explosives.
Fischer is confident that his team has done sufficient research to address all the concerns weighing in against the continuation of the mine. He says he is aware that the local communities do not want the mine to go ahead, but says unfortunately SA’s economic policy is mineral resource-driven and this project in his opinion tick the boxes for national, provincial, district and local government.
Andersen, however, says the EIA does not mention that according to the Waterberg District EMF the Mookgophong Local Municipality, which borders on the Mokgalakwena Local Municipality, has a dominant agricultural sector, which the Municipality hopes to expand and strengthen according to the Agricultural Development Strategy of 2005. Mokgalakwena makes up 12% of the district area. The area contributes 11% to the district GGP with 10, 4% of the local economy attributed to agriculture. "The Waterberg SDF and the Limpopo Growth and Development Strategy of 2005 identify the Nylsvley Ramsar Site and the downstream wetland area that includes the project as a high intensity area for tourism related to bird watching."
Fischer conceded that the conservation value of the Nyl system and the planned mine is a highly contentious issue. For this reason E-Science has submitted both the Impact Assessment and the Ground Water Study for Peer Review. These peer comments will be available to the public on 20 February. The closing date for submission of public comments is now 28 February.