Environmental Assessment
Volume B-3.6
Mine
Natural Risks
Ambatovy Project
73
January 2006
3.6
NATURAL RISKS
3.6.1
Introduction
This section presents the Environmental Assessment for the risks of natural
hazards to the public and environment due to the mine, as per the Ambatovy
Project (the project) Terms of Reference.
3.6.2
Study Area
The mine Local Study Area (LSA) for natural risks includes the mine and
immediately adjacent watershed areas as presented in Volume A, Figure 7.2-1.
Natural hazards such as earthquakes and cyclones, can originate from a wide
regional area that was studied as appropriate to determine the potential impacts at
the mine site.
3.6.3
Baseline Summary
The Environmental Assessment is based on a separate study on natural hazards
and risk assessment for the mine site (Knight Piesold 2005a, which is provided in
Volume I, Appendix 6.1). In this reference study, the baseline for the mine site
setting is described in terms of location and topography, mine site facilities,
existing land use, climate and seismicity. Potential natural hazards, potential
consequences of failure due to natural hazards and risks downstream of the mine
site were assessed. Resources downstream of the mine site include small human
settlements, potable water and agricultural land, and natural areas such as the
Torotorofotsy Wetlands.
Baseline data for natural hazards included climate data describing hydrological
hazards and earthquake data describing seismicity hazards.
3.6.4
Issue Scoping
A natural hazard was defined in the risk assessment (Knight Piesold 2005a) as a
naturally occurring event that could lead to potential failure that would impact
downstream resources. Three principal natural hazards are identified as seismic,
hydrological and geotechnical and the issues associated with each are
summarized as follows. All the issues identified from stakeholder consultation
(Volume A, Section 6) were also included in these hazard scenarios.
