Environmental Assessment
Volume B-3.3
Mine
Soils
Ambatovy Project
32
January 2006
•
reclamation.
Many of these issues are inter-related. For example soil removal and disturbance
is related to loss of unique soil and loss of soil nutrients.
The list of issues from the Terms of Reference (Volume H, Appendix 1) and the
public consultation program (Volume A, Section 6) were reviewed to focus the
soil assessment on key issues and group the issues into common themes.
As part of this process, an interaction matrix was used to evaluate all possible
mine activities and facilities with soil resources (Table 3.3-1). The interactions
were rated to highlight the key issues and to help focus the assessment.
Table 3.3-1 Project Interaction Matrix
Project Activities or Facilities
Soil
(a)
Issue
Comments
pre-construction phase
exploratory drilling
L
increased short-term soil
erosion risk on slopes >10%
short-term issue
Construction phase
vegetation clearing
H
wind and water erosion; soil
compaction from equipment
water erosion risk will be
high until exposed areas
revegetated
loss of ferricrete soils
H
dense soils on plateau creates
unique vegetation growing
conditions
permanent loss of soils
as these conditions
cannot be reclaimed
topsoil removal
L
wind and water erosion risk
increases, loss of soil quality
(nutrient loss, soil compaction)
very little topsoil on
ferricrete soils
overburden removal
M to H
wind and water erosion; soil
compaction from equipment
impact depends on
length of time soil
exposed
ore removal
N to L
wind and water erosion; soil
compaction from equipment
impact depends on
length of time soil
exposed
potential spills
L to M
contamination from spills
impact depends on spill
response
reclamation and closure phase
removal of equipment
P
removal of potential
contamination source
positive effect
site remediation
P
remediation of any
contamination
positive effect
reclamation
P
reclamation of disturbed areas
positive effect
(a)
Interaction Ratings: N - Negligible; L - Low; M - Moderate; H - High; and P - Positive.
Only those activities rated moderate or high were analyzed in detail in the
assessment.
