Environmental Assessment
Volume B-5.4
Mine
Human and Ecological Health
Ambatovy Project
369
January 2006
Aquatic Health
The aquatic receptors selected for the baseline assessment were aquatic plants,
invertebrates and fish living in surface water bodies as well as benthic
invertebrates in the mine area.
Arsenic, aluminum, chromium, copper, iron, lead, mercury, nickel and zinc were
considered of potential concern for aquatic receptors’ health since their
maximum measured baseline concentrations in surface water and/or sediment
already exceeded water and/or sediment guidelines for protection of aquatic life.
Screening-level risk analyses of the baseline conditions related to surface water
suggest iron and copper present potentially elevated risk levels to aquatic biota,
including invertebrates and algae.
5.4.4
Impact Assessment
This section of the health assessment evaluates the potential adverse effects to
human and aquatic health due to the Ambatovy mine in combination with the
baseline conditions.
5.4.4.1 Issue Scoping
Consultation with stakeholders (Volume A, Section 6) and review of the previous
EA for resource development in Madagascar identified the following health
concerns:
•
contamination of water resources used for human and animal
consumption potentially affecting health of both children and adults;
•
impacts of surface water quality and quantity on fishing and irrigation,
both important livelihoods in the area; and
•
impacts of water quality and quantity on abundance, health and survival
of fish and other aquatic resources, especially from the Torotorofotsy
Wetlands.
In addition to these concerns, professional judgment suggested other issues to
consider would include potential changes in air and soil quality potentially
affecting crops and the health of people.
Key questions established to address the potential adverse effects on human and
ecological health due to the project and related developments are listed below.
