Environmental Assessment
Volume B-5.1
Mine
Socioeconomics
Ambatovy Project
348
January 2006
Table 5.1-2 Mine Site Impact Matrix
MINE SITE
Before Mitigation
After Mitigation
Dimension
Residual Impact
Geographic Extent
Phase
(Duration)
Direction
Consequence (including
magnitude)
Mitigation
Direction
Consequence (Including Magnitude)
Economic Opportunities
local employment
potential for an estimated 360 direct
jobs during operations but increasing
with time, and up to 540 jobs during
construction
rural communities,
Moramanga
construction,
operations
positive
low in absence of preferential
systems
preferential local employment and
training for residents of Moramanga and
nearby communes, with verified
residence status
positive
high for individuals able to access project related employment
opportunities and moderate at the commune level given number
of jobs relative to population size
procurement of local
goods and services
increases in business activity related
to project supply contracts
Primarily Moramanga with
opportunities for nearby
communities increasing
over time
construction,
operations
positive
low in absence of preferential
systems
preferential local procurement and
training programs
positive
high for individuals owning or working in business that are able
to access project opportunities
low in rural communities and moderate in Moramanga given the
existing business establishment, but increasing with time
potential for indirect and induced
jobs
rural communities and
Moramanga
construction,
operations
positive
low in absence of preferential
systems
none required additional to preferential
employment and procurement
positive
moderate to high
inflation
rural communities and
Moramanga
construction,
operations
negative
moderate given size of mine relative
to local economy although migration
will also contribute
beyond measures to control migration
no direct mitigation possible
project benefits will contribute to overall
community wellbeing
positive
and
negative
direction and consequence of effects contingent on one's
position in the economy
vulnerable groups are most negatively affected
indirect and induced
economic growth and
economic diversification
widening inequality of income
rural communities
construction,
operations
negative
moderate
no direct mitigation possible
negative
low, given expectations that the project will build partnerships
and assist with ways to increase community wellbeing and can
target the needs of the poorest members of society
education, training and experience
for employees and businesses that
can be applied to project related jobs
and in the larger economy
rural communities,
Moramanga
operations
positive
low in absence of preferential
systems
none required additional to preferential
employment, procurement and training
programs
positive
high for individuals and moderate for communities
capacity building of labour
force and businesses
improved educational achievement
in the broader population
rural communities,
Moramanga
operations
positive
negligible in absence of education
and training strategy
education and training strategy
positive
high for individuals and otherwise low to moderate insofar as
community effects are experienced
fiscal benefits to commune
governments
increases to commune budgets as a
result of royalty distribution
rural communities
operations
positive
high relative to local budgets
none required, royalty decisions
dependent on government
positive
high relative to local budgets
expectation is that increased revenues will increase quality of
life in communities
increased individual
income
increased employment opportunities
at generally good wages
individual
construction,
operations
positive
high for affected individuals
none required additional to preferential
employment, procurement and training
programs
positive
moderate overall, but high for individuals accessing employment
there is some potential for negative effect
migration
in migration
rural communities and
Moramanga
construction,
operations
largely
negative
impact contingent on who might
migrate, in what numbers, with what
family status and skill sets, some
potential for positive effects
preferential employment locally, but
recruitment activities based in
Moramanga
aggressive public information campaign
on recruitment procedures
negative
and
positive
impact contingent on who might migrate, with what family status
and skill set
tourism
environmental effects reduce the
tourism value of mine site area
rural communities,
specifically Andasibe, and
Moramanga
construction,
operations
negative
low
environmental mitigation to reduce
potential environmental effects
project will also potentially create
market and economic context for
improving tourism
positive
low to moderate
Natural Resources
land use changes
rural communities
construction,
operations
negative
moderate
avoidance of villages, households and
agricultural land
compensation where avoidance is not
possible
negative
low and some people may benefit as a result of compensation
availability of land
resources
land shortages and price increases
rural communities and
Moramanga
construction,
operations
negative
moderate given existing land and
housing shortages
beyond measures to control migration
no direct mitigation possible
negative
low
reduced land availability for
expansion of agricultural lands
rural communities
construction,
operations
negative
low given geomorphology and soils
of mine site
no direct mitigation possible
negative or
positive
low negative however some potential for moderate benefit
should agricultural productivity be selected in consultations as a
priority area for intervention; project could assist with the
enhancement of agricultural productivity and therefore reducing
pressure on land resources
