De Beers Consolidated Mines (Pty) Ltd - Basic Assessment for a Prospecting Right Application for South African Sea Areas 4C and 5C, West Coast, South Africa

On 22 November 2022, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) accepted an application lodged by De Beers Consolidated Mines (Pty) Ltd (DBCM) for a prospecting right to undertake offshore diamond prospecting activities in South African Sea Areas 4C and 5C, off the West Coast of South Africa (see Figure 1). The application was lodged in terms of Section 16 of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, 2002 (No. 28 of 2002; MPRDA) (as amended).

In terms of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations, 2014 (as amended), promulgated in terms of the National Environmental Management Act (No. 107 of 1998; NEMA), an application for a prospecting right requires Environmental Authorisation (EA) from the competent authority, the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy (or delegated authority), to carry out the proposed prospecting activities. An application for EA, in terms of NEMA, was submitted to the DMRE at the same time as the prospecting right application. In order for DMRE to consider an application for EA, a Basic Assessment (BA) process must be undertaken.

SLR Consulting (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd (SLR) has been appointed by De Beers Marine (Pty) Ltd (DBM) on behalf of DBCM, as the independent Environmental Assessment Practitioner (EAP) to meet the relevant requirements of NEMA and the EIA Regulations, 2014 (as amended) and undertake an application for EA.

Status

On behalf of De Beers Consolidated Mines (Pty) Ltd (De Beers), notice is hereby given that on 3 July 2023 the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) granted an Environmental Authorisation for the above-mentioned project in terms of the National Environment Management Act, 1998 (No. 107 of 1998) (NEMA) and the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations 2014.This provides De Beers with authorisation to undertake the proposed Prospecting Activities in offshore Sea Areas 4C and 5C, West Coast.

A copy of the EA is available for download and outlines the reasons for the decision.

Your attention is drawn to your right to lodge a formal appeal against the decision in terms of the National Appeal Regulations, 2014. An appellant must, within 20 calendar days from the date that the notification of the decision was sent to Interested and Affected Parties (I&APs) (i.e. 20 days from 7 July 2023) lodge an appeal. Details of the appeal process if included in the Notification letter available for download below.