Minerals Report - International Seabed Authority
Minerals Report - International Seabed Authority Minerals Report - International Seabed Authority
including current velocities, oxygen levels, and sediment structure and benthic communities within the Atlantic 1 Mining License Area. Effective environmental management required that this had to be developed. DBM commissioned the Environmental Evaluation Unit of the University of Cape Town to conduct an independent initial baseline study in 1991 although this was not required under Namibian law at the time. This study was completed during 1996, and the results incorporated into an Environmental Impact Assessment that contained the results in a legally required Environmental Management Programme Report, submitted to the government of the Republic of Namibia in 1997. The team that conducted the project was comprised of thirteen specialists. A further 16 researchers from the departments of Geology, Zoology, Oceanography, Environmental and Geographical Science and the Centre for Marine Studies at the University of Cape Town, the JLB Smith Institute of Ichthyology at Rhodes University, and Resource and Environmental Services cc, the Two Oceans Aquarium and the Institute for Maritime Technology in Simon’s Town assisted. The key specialist studies investigated the effects of mining on all potentially affected areas: � The surrounding sea – the influence on seawater of discharging sediment produced from the mining process overboard, and on the bottom waters resulting from the activity of mining tools; � The seabed and resident biological communities – the effect of removing and returning seabed sediments, and the consequences for the communities of organisms living in these sediments; � Fish and marine mammals – the presence of mining operations on their distribution and behaviour; � Birds in the Orange River estuary – the consequences of frequent flights over the area. INTERNATIONAL SEABED AUTHORITY 628
3.1 Brief Summary of Results from the Environmental Impact Assessment The following provides an overview of the principle findings from the initial baseline work [11,12] and also incorporates some subsequent findings. 3.1.1 Effects on the surrounding sea water A plume of fine-grained suspended sediment is generated through the discharge of sediment overboard from mining vessels. This plume is visible from vessels and it is present for the duration of active mining. Due to its buoyancy, most of the plume descends to mid-water below the biologically productive zone. All of the major concerns raised by scientists [13] were investigated. It was found that outside the immediate vicinity of a mining vessel (
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3.1 Brief Summary of Results from the Environmental Impact<br />
Assessment<br />
The following provides an overview of the principle findings from<br />
the initial baseline work [11,12] and also incorporates some subsequent<br />
findings.<br />
3.1.1 Effects on the surrounding sea water<br />
A plume of fine-grained suspended sediment is generated through<br />
the discharge of sediment overboard from mining vessels. This plume is<br />
visible from vessels and it is present for the duration of active mining. Due<br />
to its buoyancy, most of the plume descends to mid-water below the<br />
biologically productive zone. All of the major concerns raised by scientists<br />
[13] were investigated. It was found that outside the immediate vicinity of<br />
a mining vessel (
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