zo-37-part-2-2265a088f6acf652.pdf

This terrestrial ecology EIA report, produced by Simon Todd Consulting in June 2017, assesses the ecological impacts of expanding the Tormin mineral sands mine operated by MSR. The project involves expanding beach mining across ten discrete beaches and implementing inland strip mining on farm Geelwal Karoo 262, alongside infrastructure expansions including a Mineral Separation Plant and a 22 kV powerline.

• The proposed project includes mining VHM deposits on ten discrete beaches north of the Tormin Mine, with mining occurring between the low-water mark and the toe of dunes or cliffs, maintaining a 10 m buffer.
• Inland mining will target a strand line area approximately 4.8 km long and 100-300 m wide, utilizing strip mining where topsoil is removed to a depth of 50 cm and ore is mined to a maximum depth of 30 m.
• The study area is located within the Succulent Karoo Biome, a global biodiversity hotspot characterized by dwarf leaf-succulent shrubs and high endemism, including 6,356 plant species, 26% of which are strict endemics.
• Vegetation at the site is primarily Namaqualand Strandveld, which the report divides into three communities based on soil and moisture: Short Strandveld (on fine-textured soils), Moderately Tall Strandveld (the most affected area), and Tall Strandveld (in deep sand and valleys).
• Camera trapping identified 22 terrestrial mammal species, dominated by Steenbok, Common Duiker, and Cape Porcupine, with African Wild Cat and Cape Fox as the most common predators.
• The report identifies 11 reptile species confirmed present, including West Coast endemics such as the Southern Blind Legless Skink, Austen's Gecko, and the Western Dwarf Chameleon.
• Avifaunal surveys recorded 60 bird species, including red-listed raptors such as the Endangered Ludwig's Bustard, Black Harrier, and Martial Eagle, as well as the Near Threatened Kori Bustard.
• The majority of the affected area falls within Critical Biodiversity Areas (CBAs), and the development poses a potential threat to biodiversity patterns and ecological processes, particularly regarding coastal fauna dispersal.
• The inland mining and plant expansion will result in the loss of approximately 150 ha of Strandveld habitat, which is considered a local impact rather than one of broader significance.
• Rehabilitation of the arid West Coast environment is noted as difficult due to seawater use in processing, unfavorable subsoil chemistry, and harsh wind conditions, making effective topsoil management critical.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (n.d.). zo-37-part-2-2265a088f6acf652.pdf. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/ZO-37-Part-2.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. zo-37-part-2-2265a088f6acf652.pdf. n.d. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/ZO-37-Part-2.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=zo-37-part-2-2265a088f6acf652.pdf |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/ZO-37-Part-2.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centreforenvironmentalrightsndzo37part22265a088f6acf652pdf, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{zo-37-part-2-2265a088f6acf652.pdf}}, institution = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/ZO-37-Part-2.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }