Mining in Mana Pools/Sapi/Chewore: Report on stakeholders meeting – 31 August 2012
Report on stakeholders meeting – 31 August 2012
On 31st August 2012, The Zambezi Society attended a stakeholders meeting at the invitation of Impact Assessment Consultancy IMPACO (www.impaco.org ) on behalf of Habbard Investments, to discuss the Environment Impact Assessment for heavy minerals exploration in the Chewore and Rukomechi Rivers in Northern Zimbabwe. This was a follow up to the company’s press publication in July 2012, inviting stakeholder inputs.
The invitation stated: “ Habbard Investment is required by law, to undertake a series of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs). These assessments seek to establish the likely impacts of mineral exploration activities and to recommend how proposed operations should minimize such impacts. Habbard Investments also organized consultation meetings to provide awareness of the techniques it intends to use; resistivity survey and the sonic drill rig. IMPACO was appointed to undertake this work in an impartial manner and produce a report and recommendations for field operations, which Habbard Investments will be obliged to follow. To this end IMPACO has employed a team of consultants in various fields of expertise to successfully complete this EIA. I therefore encourage you to voice any concerns on behalf of your organization. There is a time constraint, in that the EIA must be finalized by September.”
Attendance
The meeting was professionally conducted and well attended by about 50 stakeholders from the public and private sectors. Habbard Investments was represented by Mr Paul Chimbodza and Mr Lloyd Hove and by IMPACO, the consultancy employed by them to conduct the EIA.
The Zambezi Society was represented by, Richard Maasdorp (Strategic Director), Peter Musto (Projects Co-ordinator), Des Matete (Legal Advisor), Nyasha Madziva (MIT student and Youth representative), and Wonder Matemaska (Mining engineer advisor).
Background
Habbard Investments explained that they have acquired Special Grants for Exploration for Heavy Minerals Sands in the Zambezi Valley under Section IX of the Zimbabwe Mines and Minerals Act as follows: –
SG 5553 Rukomechi (45ha)
SG 5554 Chewore (65ha)
Why the Zambezi Valley?
According to Habbard Investments, the rivers in the Zambezi Valley have been chosen for the following reasons:
- Favourable geology
- High grade metamorphic belt of the Zambezi escarpment contains source rocks for Heavy Mineral Sands
- All drainage is into the valley offering a natural mineral sorting mechanism
- Geologically known and mapped fluvial fan is of geologic interest
- Reduction in gradient from escarpment into the Valley encourages deposition of heavies
- Potential multi-million dollar revenue earner
The EIA process & stakeholder consultation
They are statutorily required to seek approval from the Environment Management Agency (EMA) via an Environmental Impact Assessment EIA process for exploration only for heavy mineral sands at this stage. They explained that if their explorations are successful, they will have to seek separate approvals. This EIA process requires the involvement of the following stakeholders:
- — Ministry of Mines and Mining Development
- — Parks and Wildlife Authority
- — National Museums and Monuments
- — Chamber of Mines
- — Local Authorities, Council and Chiefs
- — Local Business
- — Special Interest Groups
- — Individuals
Exploration Process
They described their exploration process as follows:
- Excavation of 1-metre-deep pits in the sand of the rivers,
- Drilling of augur holes every 1km down the centre of the riverbeds
- Trucking of samples out of the area and driving of vehicle through the access roads of the National Park/Safari Areas.
- An exploration team consisting of a team of 5 people using a mobile camp. T
They estimate that the exploration will take two months per river.
Future Mining
Habbard Investments did not give details of their possible future mining operation, should explorations be successful, saying they need the exploration result first. However, it is clear that their intentions, subject to viability, are to mine. IMPACO said that they would be making a request from their client for the possible mining methods, and these would then be circulated. They insisted that in all their operations they would take all reasonable measures to protect the environment, including, if necessary sanitising certain areas. They made much of the “positive” economic and social benefits of mining in this area, and urged that Zimbabweans need to engage each other in finding “home-brewed solutions towards sustainable exploitation of resources.. without the influence of external forces”.
Objections
Strong objections to the proposed minerals exploration (and subsequent mining) were voiced by conservation NGOs and representatives of both the private and public sectors. The major objections raised had to do with the potential long term impacts of such a proposal on the cultural, biodiversity and tourism benefits of the Mana Pools/Sapi/Chewore area as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, National Park, Biosphere Reserve, International Bird Area, wetland and Trans-Frontier Conservation Area. Objections from the public sector came from The Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) (which expressed itself strongly opposed to alluvial mining in river beds, citing existing examples throughout Zimbabwe of the destabilisation of river systems through mining activities), from from the Zimbabwe Parks & Wildlife Management Authority, from the Department of Museums and Monuments which objects to mining activity but not necessarily exploration, and from the Ministry of Tourism which was concerned that the issue should not become an international one. It was pointed out by many that since the area is already internationally recognised as a World Heritage property, this is already a global issue and will unavoidably attract international publicity through the internet and be subject to pressure from the outside world.
Response to Objections
Habbard gave the following “Corrections” in response to some of the objections raised:
- Impaco (the EIA consultancy) is fully legitimate
- Exploration is not mining
- Habbard is not insensitive to the environment and fragile nature of Mana Pools
- EIA process is Habbard’s initiative
- Process not politically driven (they have received e-mails and verbal abuse to this effect)
- Mining activities can take place in World Heritage Sites (they gave examples of a $400 million uranium project in a Tanzanian game park; Mt Nimba Iron Ore Project-Cote d’Ivoire and Kangaluwi Copper project in Zambia by Australian owned Mwembeshi /Zambezi Resources.
World Heritage Sites threatened by Mining
According to the International Union of Conservation (IUCN), African natural World Heritage sites that are increasingly threatened by commercial mining and oil/gas projects include:
- Virunga National Park (DRC)
- Comoe National Park (Cote D’Ivoire)
- Mt Nimba Strict Nature Reserve (Cote D’Ivoire and Guinea)
- Dja Wildlife Reserve (Cameroon)
- Kahuzi-Biega National Park (DRC)
- Selous Game Reserve (Tanzania)
- Air and Tenere Nature Reserve (Niger)
- Manovo-Gounda Nature Reserves (Central African Republic)
- Mana Pools National Park, Sapi and Chewore Safari Areas (Zimbabwe).
This represents 24% of the 37 African natural and mixed World Heritage Sites, or one in four sites is threatened. This is an increase from 16% in 2009.
Outcomes
All stakeholders were asked by IMPACO to make formal written submissions and agreed to meet with as many of those present as possible on a one-to-one basis.
IMPACO informed the meeting that the EIA needed to be completed by September, but many present felt this was unrealistically short. No firm date was given.
Formal objection submissions
The Zambezi Society will seek an interview and then review and resubmit its objections.
We encourage other stakeholders to similarly submit responsible and considered objections ONLY via the following contact details:-
Impact Assessment Consulting (IMPACO)
185 Willow Creek, Good Hope, Harare, Zimbabwe
+263 775 884 176
[email protected] or [email protected]
Habbard Investments
51 Dunkeld Road, Mount Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe
+263 772 325 666
ZAMSOC says “No mining in Mana Pools World Heritage Site.”
Location Map of the Mana/Sapi/Chewore World Heritage Site with the Ruckomechi and Chewore Rivers.
The Zambezi Society wishes to publicly express its deep concern regarding the threat of mining exploration for Heavy Mineral Sands Deposits (and possibly other minerals) in major tributaries of the Zambezi River in the Mana Pools/Sapi/Chewore area of Northern Zimbabwe.
The Mana Pools/Sapi/Chewore region not only encompasses one of Zimbabwe’s largest National Parks and two Safari Areas, but is also internationally recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site with “Outstanding Universal Value”, a Biosphere Reserve, an international Important Bird Area (IBA), and a vital component of a proposed Trans Frontier Conservation Area (TFCA).
We believe that there should be NO MINING (prospecting or exploration included) in this area because of potential impacts on its biodiversity, wildlife and sensitive eco-systems, which are globally important, and on its wilderness areas which are valuable to international tourism.
Furthermore, World Heritage status is not awarded lightly. There are less than 200 sites worldwide on UNESCO’s ‘natural sites’ listing; and in the Society’s view, Zimbabwe’s national interests will be best served by maintaining the integrity of the area, and prohibiting activities such as mining that will result in its degradation and possible loss of its World Heritage status.
A media statement in early July 2012 issued by a Zimbabwe-based mining company, Habbard Investments (affiliated to Geo Associates) announced its intention to carry out an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for prospecting for Heavy Mineral Sand Deposits (HMSD) in the Ruckomechi and Chewore Rivers in northern Zimbabwe. It called for comments to be sent to an EIA consultancy company IMPACO by a deadline of 17th July 2012.
The Ruckomechi River – one of the major waterways of Mana Pools National Park and World Heritage Site, is now under threat from mining.
The Ruckomechi River lies within the Mana Pools National Park and the Chewore River forms the boundary between the Sapi & Chewore Safari Areas. Both rivers are within the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Biosphere Reserve and the Important Bird Area (IBA)boundaries (see BACKGROUND NOTES 2-4 downloadable at the end of this statement).
Prior to submitting an objection by the required date, The Zambezi Society met with Mr Paul Chimbodza, CEO of Geo Associates, the proponent of the project, who explained that in September 2011 his company had been issued two licences to undertake exploration activities for HMSDs in these rivers, covering an area from the escarpment to the Zambezi River (45km for Ruckomechi and 65km for Chewore). The licences are due to expire in September 2012, but are renewable (see BACKGROUND NOTE 5 downloadable at the end of this statement).
The HMSDs covered in the prospecting licence include copper, lead, zinc, manganese, tungsten, magnetite, tantalum, and titanium group minerals. If exploration was successful, the subsequent mining methods to extract these minerals from the riverbeds would include dredging and earth moving on a large scale, with sands being transported away in heavy machinery for processing at a nearby urban centre. The Zambezi Society questions why such heavy impact operations need to target ecologically-sensitive protected areas like the Zambezi Valley when there are alternative sources elsewhere, in less vulnerable areas.
The Zambezi Society’s investigations in July 2012 showed that the company, IMPACO , was not listed by Zimbabwe’s Environmental Management Agency as an “approved” consultancy to conduct EIAs.
The Zambezi Society has drawn the attention of UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee to this issue. This Committee has the power to list a World Heritage property as being “In Danger” if it is considered to be threatened by any of the following criteria: depletion of wildlife resources through poaching, deterioration of natural beauty through mining impacts, threats to its integrity through increased human encroachment, lack of an adequate or implemented management plan. In the opinion of The Zambezi Society, all of these apply. (For a more detailed list of the “World Heritage In Danger” criteria, see BACKGROUND NOTE 6 downloadable at the end of this statement).
The Society has also expressed its concern about this situation to its international contacts. Media reports and petitions against the threat are appearing in the local and international media. The international tourism industry is issuing statements of alarm. These could well impact upon next year’s meeting of the UNWTO being hosted by Zimbabwe and Zambia in Victoria Falls in August 2013. A social media Facebook community page called SAVE MANA POOLS has been launched to campaign against the mining threat at http://www.facebook.com/SaveMana. It is fast gaining momentum.
The message is clear for Mana Pools/Sapi/Chewore:
NO COMPROMISE. NO MINING IN A WORLD HERITAGE SITE!
MINING IN MANA – BACKGROUND NOTES: (Download a PDF file HERE)
- THE ZAMBEZI SOCIETY
- WORLD HERITAGE SITE
- BIOSPHERE RESERVE
- IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS
- PROSPECTING LICENCE FOR RUKOMECHI RIVER – Sept 2011
- WORLD HERITAGE IN DANGE