Basic Assessment for Sea Areas 4C and 5c

On 9 February 2021, De Beers Consolidated Mines (Pty) Ltd (DBCM) lodged an application for a prospecting right
with the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) to undertake offshore diamond prospecting
activities in Sea Areas 4C and 5C, off the West Coast of South Africa. The application was lodged in
terms of Section 16 of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, 2002 (No. 28 of 2002; MPRDA)
(as amended).
In terms of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations, 2014 (as amended), promulgated in terms
of the National Environmental Management Act (No. 107 of 1998; NEMA), an application for a prospecting right
requires Environmental Authorisation (EA) from the competent authority, the Minister of Mineral Resources and
Energy (or delegated authority), to carry out the proposed prospecting activities. An application for EA, in terms
of NEMA, was submitted to the DMRE at the same time as the prospecting right application. In order for DMRE
to consider an application for EA, a Basic Assessment (BA) process must be undertaken.
SLR Consulting (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd (SLR) has been appointed by De Beers Marine (Pty) Ltd (DBM) on behalf
of DBCM, as the independent Environmental Assessment Practitioner (EAP) to meet the relevant requirements
of NEMA and the EIA Regulations, 2014 (as amended) and undertake an application for EA.