Union Carbide South Africa (Proprietary) Limited

The Union Carbide South Africa (Proprietary) Limited (UCSA) Bon Accord vanadium mine was operational from 1962 to 1983 as a surface mining and refining operation. During operations, vanadium was recovered as vanadium pentoxide from the titaniferous magnetite by a sodium chloride roast process.

UCSA intends to remediate the site located approximately 1.5 km west of the Apies River and 2 km north of the Bon Accord Dam on portion 25 of the farm Honingnestkrans 269 JR and portion 167 of De Onderstepoort 300 JR.

An Integrated Regulatory Process for an Environmental Authorisation, a Waste Management Licence and an Integrated Water Use Licence for the proposed remediation is being undertaken in terms of the 2014 Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) regulations (as amended in 2017) in terms of Section 24 of the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA), Act 107 of 1998 (as amended); the National Water Act (NWA), Act 36 of 1998 (as amended); and the National Environmental Management Waste Act (NEM:WA), Act 59 of 2008 (as amended). The Competent Authority for the Environmental Authorisation and the Waste Management Licence is the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) (previously known as the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA)) and the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) will be responsible for the evaluation of the Integrated Water Use Licence Application.

The following activities will potentially be triggered by the proposed rehabilitation activities:

Jones & Wagener (Pty) Ltd Engineering & Environmental Consultants (J&W) has been appointed by UCSA to undertake the Integrated Regulatory Process for the proposed remediation of the UCSA Bon Accord site.

The Consultation Basic Assessment Report (BAR), Waste Management Licence Application Report (WMLAR) and Environmental Management Programme (EMPr) were made available for public review from 3 November 2021 to 3 December 2021.The Integrated Water Use Licence Application (IWULA) and Integrated Water and Waste Management Plan (IWWMP) reports were made available for public review from 3 November 2021 to 23 January 2022.

Comments received during the public review period have been taken into consideration in the finalisation of these reports, which are being made available here.

Should IAPs wish to make additional comments on the Final BAR, EMPr, IWULA and IWWMP reports, they can direct the comments to the DFFE and/or DWS case officers mentioned below. Please ensure that you include the relevant reference number in your correspondence. Kindly send a copy of your comments to the J&W public participation office.

COMMENTS CAN BE FORWARDED TO:

Attachments:

Final Basic Assessment Report

• Final Basic Assessment Report (including Figures)

APPENDICES

Appendix A – EAP Details

• Appendix A.1  Curriculum Vitae of the EAP
• Appendix A.2  EAP declaration of Interest

Appendix B – Remediation Plan & Remediation Order Issued

• Appendix B.1  Geohydrological Site Assessment at the Union Carbide Bon Accord Site (Report No: JW118/15/E1170
• Appendix B.2  Bon Accord Site Remediation Plan (Report No: J&W001/16/F187)
• Appendix B.3  Department of Environmental Affairs Remediation Order (Reference Number: 14/11/15/LR158/3)

Appendix C – Authority Correspondence

• Appendix C.1  Pre-application Consultation Meeting Minutes
• Appendix C.2  Integrated Environmental Authorisation application
• Appendix C.3  Correspondence from GPDRT

Appendix D – Specialist Reports

• Appendix D.1  Air quality Impact Assessment
• Appendix D.2  Noise Impact Assessment
• Appendix D.3  Visual Impact Assessment
• Appendix D.4  Heritage Impact Assessment
• Appendix D.5  Paleontological Exemption Letter
• Appendix D.6  Surface water Impact Assessment
• Appendix D.7  Wetland Impact Assessment
• Appendix D.8  Hydrogeology Impact Assessment
• Appendix D.9  Soils, land use and land capability Impact Assessment
• Appendix D.10  Biodiversity Impact Assessment

Appendix E – Public Participation Documents

• Appendix E.1  Stakeholder Database
• Appendix E.2  Background Information Document
• Appendix E.3  Announcement – Media Advertisements
• Appendix E.4  Site Notices
• Appendix E.5  Public Review of Consultation Documents – Notification Emails
• Appendix E.6  Public Review of Consultation Documents – Media Advertisements 
• Appendix E.7  Public Review – Public Meetings
• Appendix E.8  Comments and Response Report
• Appendix E.9  Authority Correspondence
• Appendix E10. Stakeholder Correspondence

Appendix F – Environmental Management Programme

Appendix G – Waste Management Licence Application Supporting Documents

• Appendix G.1  Waste Assessment Report
• Appendix G.2  End Land-use / Closure Plan Report including Design Drawings
• Appendix G.3  Quality Assurance Plan for Construction
• Appendix G.4  Emergency Preparedness Plan

Appendix H – Regional Locality Map

Appendix I – Locality + Sensitivity Map

Appendix J – Financial Provision

Final Integrated Water Use Licence Application Report

• Final Integrated Water Use Licence Application

APPENDICES

Appendix A – Remediation Plan & Remediation Order Issued

• Appendix A.1 Bon Accord Site Remediation Plan (Report No: J&W001/16/F187)
• Appendix A.2 Department of Environmental Affairs Remediation Order (Reference Number: 14/11/15/LR158/3)
• Appendix A.3 Geohydrological Site Assessment Report (Report No: JW118/15/E117)

Appendix B – Specialist Studies

• Appendix B.1 Surface water Specialist Report
• Appendix B.2 Groundwater Specialist Report
• Appendix B.3 Wetland Specialist Report
• Appendix B.4 Waste Classification and Assessment Report

Appendix C – WUL Submission Documentation (To be submitted via the eWULAAS)

Appendix D – Public Participation

• Appendix D.1 Stakeholder Database
• Appendix D.2Announcement – Media
• Appendix D.3 Site Notice 
• Appendix D.4 Background Information Document
• Appendix D.5 Public review – notification emails 
• Appendix D.6 Stakeholder correspondence
• Appendix D.7 Comments and Response Report 

Appendix E – Dow Social Initiatives and Community Development Projects

Appendix F – Authority Correspondence

Appendix G – Integrated Water and Waste Management Plan 

Appendix H – Design Report (Report No.: JW188/20/E541 – Rev 0)

• Master Plan Layout

Appendix I – Financial Provision