Environmental Assessment
Volume E-3.11
Tailings Facility
Visual Aesthetics
Ambatovy Project
143
January 2006
Table 3.11-1 Key Viewpoints: Tailings Facility Area
Viewpoint
Number
Viewpoint
Name
GPS Location
(UTM Zone 39S)
Possible
Viewers
Baseline View
Characteristics
TF1
Highway (RN2) north
of intersection with
ridge road
E 327489
N 7992792
local residents
tourists and
travellers
human-influenced corridor with residential,
industrial and agricultural elements and
areas of secondary-growth forests
TF2
Antanandava (at
bridge facing West)
E 325027
N 7989335
local residents
village in natural setting, well maintained,
rustic
TF3
ridge road route facing
central tailings basin
area
E 324271
N 7989857
local residents
sparse secondary vegetation, eucalyptus
woodlots, agriculture
TF4
ridge road route
facing north tailings
basin area
E 324008
N 7990051
local residents
sparse secondary vegetation, eucalyptus
woodlots, agriculture
Note: GPS = global positing system; UTM = universal transverse mercator.
3.11.4 Issue Scoping
In public consultations, the main issue of concern expressed by the National
Association for the Management of Protected Areas (ANGAP) has been the
potential effects of visual impacts on tourism. Areas in and around the tailings
facility are not considered important tourism areas, but given the proximity of the
area to Toamasina, some potential exists for future tourists to view this area.
Potential changes that will be seen by local residents, as well as tourists and other
visitors include:
•
removal of vegetation and changes in landforms, with the development
of a widened linear access route, dams and the pond area;
•
generation of visible dust along the linear access route in dry periods, as
well as some locally visible fossil fuel emissions;
•
a limited amount of night time lighting from infrastructure at the site;
and
•
the presence of buildings, facilities and infrastructure, some of which
will be visible from outside of the tailings facility property.
The key question for visual aesthetics is:
Key Question VA-1
What Effect Will the Tailings Facility Have On
Visual Aesthetics?
Visual effects will occur during the construction, operation and closure phases of
the tailings facility, similar to the linkages for visual aesthetics at the mine site
(Volume H, Appendix 9).
