Environmental Assessment
Volume A-7
Introduction
EA Methods and Study Area
upland or riparian/wetlands (i.e., adjacent to watercourses) would be captured
within this study area.
Process Plant and Tailings Facility
Because the process plant and tailings facility are near each other, these two
components of the project were contained within one LSA. The LSA for these
two facilities includes the drainages and water bodies potentially affected by the
footprint of the tailings pond, pipelines and process plant, plus the access
between the plant site and the port, all with a 500 m buffer. Other elements that
were considered in determining the spatial extent of the LSA for these facilities
include downstream portions of the drainages, which could potentially be
affected by changes in water quality or volume, or by air emissions from the
process plant and/or associated power plant. Any direct or indirect effects on
flora, fauna and biodiversity within upland or riparian/wetlands (i.e., adjacent to
watercourses) would be captured within this study area.
7.2.8
Marine Biology and Oceanography
The marine biology and oceanography local study area comprises the near-shore
area from the port at Toamasina, to the proposed tailings effluent outfall south of
Toamasina.
7.2.9
Social
The cultural property (archaeology and cultural sites) study area is the footprint
of the project and its associated facilities plus a buffer. Socioeconomic study
areas will include consideration of potential effects at the national, regional and
local levels. The LSAs for socioeconomics are described below.
Mine
The mine site is located in Moramanga District, about 10 km north of the town of
Moramanga. The socioeconomic study area for the mine area is thus the town of
Moramanga and the rural communes that surround the ore bodies.
Slurry Pipeline
The socioeconomic LSA for the slurry pipeline is the pipeline route plus a
1,000 m buffer on either side to allow for modifications during route planning
(Figure 7.2-2). A regional study area includes all communes crossed by the
right-of-way (Figure 7.2-2).
Ambatovy Project
59
January 2006
