Colt Resources Phosphate Ore Prospecting
Overview:
Colt Resources (Pty) Ltd have submitted a draft Basic Assessment Report (BAR) and Environmental Management Programme for prospecting rights on the West Coast, South Africa. The environmental authorization applied for is to prospect for phosphate ore on 145 farm portions along the West Coast. Exigent Environmental have been appointed to conduct the Environmental Authorization process for the proposed prospecting application.
Location:
The location of the prospecting rights application is situated across 145 farms along the West Coast, spanning an area of 92000ha within three municipalities, namely: the Matzikama Local Municipality, the Cedarberg Local Municipality, and the West Coast District Municipality (see Figures 1 and 2). The study site is located Northeast of Elands Bay, and Southeast of Strandfontein. The consultants advise that no prospecting will take place within 1km of the coastline although the exact boundaries of this area are not defined.
In addition to non-invasive activities, Colt Resources (Pty) Ltd will perform invasive activities in this region. These invasive activities include drilling and trenching. Colt Resources (Pty) Ltd plans on drilling 390 boreholes to ascertain the existence of minerals, thickness and distribution. Each borehole will vary in depth between 2m and 100m and impact approximately 500m2 of land which will disturb the local vegetation. This invasive drilling will make use of various technologies such as Soil Sampling, Auger Drilling, Reconnaissance Drilling, Trenching, Resource Drilling and Feasibility Drilling. Additionally, trenches will be dug to obtain large sample volumes. Colt Resources (Pty) Ltd plans to dig 20 trenches of varying lengths, with a maximum depth of 2m.
Much of the prospecting area has a medium to high ecological sensitivity (see Figure 3) and falls within the Fynbos and Succulent Karoo Biome which is a recognized biodiversity hotspot. This region of the succulent Karoo is one of the richest and most threatened reservoirs of flora and fauna. The Ecosystem Threat Status of National Biodiversity Assessment states that the prospecting area is located within the Vulnerable Leipoldtville Sand Fynbos, Least Threatened Namaqualand Strandveld, Least Threatened Lamberts Bay Strandveld, and Least Threatened Namaqualand Strandveld, Vulnerable Graafwater Sandstone Fynbos, and Least Threatened Cape Estuarine Salt Marshes. The majority of the study area is situated in the Vulnerable Leipoldtville Sand Fynbos which is identified by WCBSP as Endangered.
All comments on the Basic Assessment Report (BAR) need to be submitted by email to coltresources@exigent.co.za or faxed to 086 614 7327 by close of business on 24 June 2022. Comments can be submitted in a simple word document or email.
Download Documentation here:
Figure 1: Locality Map showing farm portions of the proposed prospecting license application.
Figure 3: Map showing Sensitivity of the area.
Figure 2: Locality Map of the proposed prospecting license application.