Section 133, The Mines and Minerals Act, 2009

(1) In addition to any requirements set out in the Environment Protection Act, an environmental impact assessment prepared by a small-scale or large-scale mining licence applicant shall be based on environmental baseline assessment work, and shall contain the types of information and analysis reflecting international mining best practice which shall include- (a) a detailed description of the environment backed up with applicable measurements (air quality, water quality, etc.) to present a detailed documentation of the licence area environment prior to any mining operations; (b) a detailed description of the project including all phases of development, operations, reclamation and closure including but necessarily limited to: (i) data including detailed resource requirements and emissions; (ii) identification of the likely major environmental impacts, including but not limited to pollution; (iii) a review of residual and immitigable environmental impacts; (iv) a broad objective regarding each major environmental impact; (v) detailed objectives regarding each environmental impact so as to minimize or mitigate such impact; (vi) the means of achieving broad and detailed environmental and social objectives; (vii) the predicted or expected effect of each environmental mitigation activity; (viii) timetables for implementation; (ix) projected budget and budget timetable to achieve environmental objectives; (x) identification of employee position responsible for implementation of environmental mitigation; (xi) identification of the likely major social impacts; (xii) mitigation measures for each major Protection of natural resources to betaken into account. General duty to protect environment and minimize pollution. Environmental impact assessment. 100 101 Act No. 2 of 2000 negative social impact; (xiii) the person or agency responsible for monitoring, the methodologies to be used for monitoring of potential negative impacts and the effectiveness of mitigation, and the source of funding for monitoring; and (xiv) an environmental management programme. (2) Any mining licence applicant or mining licence holder required by this or any other law to submit an environmental impact assessment shall- (a) undertake to consult the public to introduce the project to the public and to verify possible impacts of the project from stakeholders’ perspectives, and (b) submit an updated environmental management programme for approval whenever required by any law, and whenever it proposes to make a change in its mining operations that would cause a need for a material change in such plan. (3) A copy of any environmental impact assessment and environmental management programme submitted by a mining licence applicant or a mining licence holder shall be considered nonconfidential and shall be made available to the public at the Mining Cadastre Office.