Wits Gold is committed to the responsible consumption and management of the natural resources under its Prospecting Rights. The Company has conducted Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and submitted comprehensive Environmental Management Plans (EMPs) that have been approved by the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR), and site visits and inspections are conducted regularly to verify that the EMPs are being adhered to.
Wits Gold considers the following environmental concerns to be of the greatest priority as it goes forward into development:
- Water management
- Waste management
- Materials use
- Emissions and climate change
- Land use and biodiversity
Water management
The Company strives to ensure that its operations have the minimum impact possible on water resources in the areas.
Wits Gold uses borehole water for drilling activities, accessed either through boreholes that we drill directly, or through the use of existing water boreholes for which we offer compensation to the relevant landowners.
Measures are taken to line the sump and any other water storage areas, either with the appropriate plastic material or concrete, to prevent seepage or any potential contamination of the surrounding biophysical environment.
Drill rigs operate a closed water system as far as is possible, where no water is discharged under normal operating conditions.
For safety reasons, completed boreholes are sealed and buried once drilling activities have ceased, in line with our site rehabilitation commitments and safety management plans.
While management of water remains a key consideration at each site, it is not always possible to accurately measure any water consumption due to the movement of water between the sump and the borehole during the project. However, this ingress and egress is monitored and managed as far as possible.
Drilling contractors living on site for the duration of the drilling project also use the borehole for potable water and site maintenance.
Waste management
Due to the relatively short time frame for drilling projects per site, very little waste is generated. No waste is buried underground or disposed of down the drill holes or boreholes. Drill holes are sealed following management inspection and covered on surface. Temporary structures such as fencing or staff accommodation are removed and re-used elsewhere, and the site is restored to its original state.
The EMPs contained in the application for Mining Rights require more detailed outlines with regards to the waste management strategy and this will be compiled according to the guidelines set by the relevant legislation.
Materials use
Wits Gold uses only biodegradable drilling and cutting fluids, certified by the South African Bureau of Standards as being environmentally friendly. Once drilling has been completed at each site, all chemical materials are removed with the sump to a recognized waste disposal centre and certificates of safe disposal are obtained by the contractor.
Emissions and climate change
The Company’s head office in Johannesburg, the regional exploration office and the core warehouse in the North West province all draw electricity from the national grid.
In addition, the Company operates a fleet of three vehicles to transport core samples to the warehouse.
The service providers use diesel generators on site to provide energy for the drill rigs, lighting and the electricity requirements of the employees living on site. The drill sites do not draw energy from the grid.
Diesel used in the vehicles and the generators result in the emission of greenhouse gases but the Company has not yet put a system in place to measure this impact.
The drilling process does not emit any significant air pollutants or noxious gases.
Land use and biodiversity
Responsible biodiversity management on site is a key consideration of the Company’s EIAs and EMPs. The Prospecting Rights held by the Company extend over an area of 1 195km2, the bulk of which is agricultural land used for cattle grazing and the cultivation of crops such as maize, sunflowers, lucerne and wheat.
Any sensitive habitats, protected areas, endangered species and areas of high biodiversity value are highlighted in the relevant EIAs, and none of the drilling sites are on properties that are on or adjacent to protected habitats.
All top soil and sub-soil removed when preparing a site for drilling are kept safely aside and replaced during rehabilitation, to ensure that any impact of the Company’s activities on the sustainable ecology of an area is mitigated.