Mining Biodiversity & Offset Solutions
Biodiversity offsets are conservation measures designed to remedy the residual negative impacts of development on biodiversity and ecological infrastructure, once the first three groups of measures in the mitigation sequence have been adequately and explicitly considered (i.e. to avoid, minimise and rehabilitate / restore impacts). Offsets are the ‘last resort’ form of mitigation, only to be implemented if nothing else can mitigate the impact.
TGC has been instrumental in helping mining houses in identifying potential biodiversity economy activities. Although the focus is on game farming / ranching, biodiversity economy activities can also include other activities within the following sub-sectors:
• The wildlife sub-sector: which is centred on game and wildlife farming / ranching activities that relate to the stocking, trading, breeding, and hunting of game, and all the services and goods required to support this value chain
• The bioprospecting sub-sector: which encompasses organisations and people that are searching for, collecting, harvesting and extracting living or dead indigenous species, or derivatives and genetic material thereof for commercial or industrial purposes
• Eco-tourism sector – hospitality services, tours, co-managed conservation areas and ancillary services to protected areas The Minister of Mineral Resources, the Honourable Gwede Mantashe (Minister) has now (in 2018) published The Mining Charter III which allows mining right holders operating in the same area may collaborate on identified projects.
Mining Community Resource Management
The People and Mining Toolkit has been designed to allow mining communities to best plan their socioeconomic best practice, within a mining area, through Mining Community Resource Management (MCRM) basically to empower mining communities to create, govern, perform and deliver on projects and services to benefit themselves and relevant stakeholders, and the mine itself, a true Return on Investment for all.
Community Empowerment Programme - Gem Diamonds
TGC was asked to conduct on site visits, to various regions, near the Ghaghoo Diamond Mine. As part of the scoping of this project, TBC team spent 6 days at the Ghaghoo Diamond Mine, as well as the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR) area. The purpose of these visits was to hold consultative workshops with relevant staff, and community members.
The creation of an inclusive biodiversity sector in support of Limpopo Socio-Economic Development Platform (LSED Platform)
Anglo American (AA) through TGC have embarked on an ambitious initiative in Limpopo province. The initiative seeks to actively support and partner with multiple stakeholders for a more diverse, resilient provincial economy, which will be underpinned by thriving local communities with active economic participants.